Playing it safe isn’t often meant in a good way. Usually it means boring, unadventurous, and uncreative. This can certainly be said about Volvo; they’ve carried the same design language they have for decades, and even more minor details haven’t changed all that much over the last decade or so. Yet somehow, this latest 2026 Volvo XC90 PHEV remains much greater than the sum of its kind-of-old parts.
Can safe be sexy?
The XC90 went through a bit of a refresh just last year, with an updated front grille that now integrates into the ever so slightly slimmed down headlights, and there’s a bit of a revised hood. If the rear end has been restyled, I certainly can’t see it.
The XC90 continues to be a timeless design, partly because Volvo is so dead-set on it but mostly because it’s just so aesthetically pleasing without any “du jour” design elements that might age poorly. Outside of looking a touch Audi-esque from the front, the XC90 is unmistakably Volvo, which is a testament to how good the tried and true formula is here. Or, if you aren’t impressed, then it’s a testament to how safe and boring Volvo is.
The tail lights continue Volvo’s traditional squirrely shape that starts from the top of the tailgate and finishes all the way down to the rear bumper. These look great during the day and even better at night. The entire XC90 look is that of simplistic luxury, with nary a hint of sport unless you want to count the 21-inch multi-spoke two-tone wheels. There aren’t even visible exhaust tips.
A familiar place
The interior hasn’t been visually updated much at all, either, save for a larger 11.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, up from the nine-inch display previously. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster remains, as does the lovely knurled start switch and beautiful handcrafted Orrefors crystal gear selector. The off-white Nappa leather feels appropriately premium on the comfortable, massage-equipped seats. The mix of fabric, wood, and metallic trim throughout the cabin feels minimalist yet properly luxurious. It really is the near-perfect blend of contrasting premium materials. Bonus when everything feels as premium as it looks.
The 11.2-inch infotainment screen still isn’t the best out there, and I’d welcome more physical controls to the mix if I had my way. But the fact that there is a volume knob, along with physical buttons for defrost is a win in this touchscreen-first era. I’ve never completely loved the Google-based UI in modern Volvos, and this XC90 doesn’t do much to change that, but I’m glad that it now has Android Auto where previous version inexplicably didn’t.
However, some quirks remain. The upgraded chipset doesn’t solve some of the lag that still plagues Volvo infotainment, but what’s far more annoying is that the Bluetooth issue some phones seem to have still exists. More often than not, you’d hear nothing out of the sound system if you tried to play something from your phone even though the UI is showing that something is playing. The only workaround was switching to a different input and switching back to Bluetooth. I’ve experienced this in every Volvo to varying degrees, and I’m far from the only one online. Fix this please, Volvo, because the optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system continues to be my absolute favourite audio system I’ve experienced in a car. It’s a $3,750 option, but it’s fully worth it. The power is strong but the clarity is second to none.
The XC90 comes well equipped to begin with, but this being the top-spec Ultra trim, you get the added benefit of a heads-up display and power lumbar support, in addition to features like a 360-degree camera, park assist, adaptive cruise control, and more.
Beauty and the Beast?
I recently got out of a better-priced but competing Lexus RX 450h+ PHEV with 304 horsepower; it’s sufficient for most people, but the XC90 lays down Thor’s hammer by comparison. Instead of a normally aspirated four-cylinder like the Lexus, the XC90 uses a 2.0-litre turbo-four connected to the electric motor. It’s enough for a combined 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque on tap. It’s less than what BMW offers with the X5 PHEV, but for something that has no sporting aspirations, the XC90 delivers the punch of an accountant who does Muay Thai on weekends.
The 18.8 kWh battery provides up to 53 km of range in ideal conditions; on par with what you see from the competition and generally more than enough for conquering every errands without using a sip of fuel. But the XC90 can’t juice up the battery on its own as effectively as the RX and X5 PHEVs, so plugging iin is imperative to maximize efficiency.
However, unlike the RX, the Volvo never really stops feeling and sounding premium, even when you’re pinning the throttle to the mat. Volvo’s turbo-four stays relatively subdued and doesn’t come off as coarse as the Lexus. Likewise, the steering and suspension work rather well but aren’t perfect. The steering comes across as a touch too light, even in its ‘firm’ setting, and the suspension is a touch too harsh, even in its softest configuration. Neither are deal breakers and both fall within more than acceptable parameters for a luxury product.
If it ain’t broke…
Playing it safe is something Volvo takes seriously, be it through limited change, opting out of fads, or literally injecting safety into everything they do. And guess what? It works. It’s almost always worked for Volvo and it certainly works for the latest XC90. It’s hard to find a major fault with such an excellent package; just fix the Bluetooth streaming issue, Volvo. For a midsize family, this $99,489 as-tested 2026 Volvo XC90 PHEV midsize SUV is hard to beat.
