Volvo ES90 review

The ES90 is the second Volvo to be launched that uses the SPA2 electric architecture, and we’ve been very impressed with that so far. The refinement’s the thing here. There’s almost no trace of any wind or tyre noise, to the extent that it’s almost a little spooky.

This is the way of things with electric cars, of course, especially at the high end. The ES90 glides imperiously down the road and has an authority and condescension for the usual disrupting factors.

It reminds us of a Rolls-Royce Ghost, in fact. It’s soft and well-damped without being lollopy or losing control, although really bad surfaces can stretch the air suspension’s capabilities a bit. Blame the massive 21in wheels on our test car.

Anything else of note? 

The slippery aerodynamics help that sense of serene progress, and the car’s weight deepens that feeling, too. This calmness extends to the absence of the egregious bongs and chimes that make modern motoring such a nuisance.

The ES90 may be rammed to the gunwales with advanced driving assistance tech, but it seems that Volvo has figured out how to make this stuff work seamlessly rather than dangling you over a precipice of existential despair. Although you can still turn it all off by delving into the on-screen assistance menu.

Note also that Volvo’s Intelligent Speed Assist limits the response from the accelerator if you exceed the limit. A warning chime isn’t enough for these guys. 

Sounds good, overall...

It all adds up to a car of class-leading refinement and atmosphere. Whether it’s fun to drive is a different question, but then buyers in this sector aren’t chasing steering feel or interactivity. They want competence and authority. The character that was once located in a car’s powertrain is now to be found in its cabin ambience and overall sense of well-being. In this regard, the ES90 aces it.

Dive into the on-screen menu and there’s adjustment to be had, weighting up the steering (apparently, we couldn't sense much difference between the standard setting and 'Firm') and ever-so-slightly tightening up the suspension. There's nothing so uncouth as a sport mode in the Single Motor car, but the most soothing settings suit the car best anyway.

We found the one-pedal drive mode rather aggressive, but that’s a personal thing and easily modulated. Plus, there's decent brake pedal feel anyway, so keep it switched off. 

In single-motor guise, this isn’t a car that particularly wants to be hurried. Volvo claims 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds, and you can feel the 2.3 tonne kerbweight as you mash the throttle. But as a device in which to filter out the noise and content overload of the modern world, it’s exceptional.

400+ miles of range is the claim... what do I actually get?

Volvo claims 3.9 miles per kilowatt-hour for the single motor car. Our test route on UK roads saw a commendable average of 3.7 mi/kWh, so extrapolate across a full charge of the 88kWh battery and you arrive at a figure of... 325 miles. That's still way more than 99 per cent of human bladders can comfortably manage.