2025.5 Volvo XC90 kicks off renewed plug-in hybrid push

• Volvo’s XC90 SUV will get fresh styling, an interface like that on the EX90 electric SUV, and OTA updates
• The XC90 PHEV’s EV range will remain around 33 miles
• Prices start at $59,745 in the U.S., with deliveries early next year

Volvo hasn’t backed off its plans for electric vehicles—but it has paused as EV sales growth tapers off. Its response: Bolstering its plug-in hybrid lineup of SUVs to extend their lifespans, with new technology and fresh looks.

The 2025.5 Volvo XC90 will be the latest updated vehicle to join the lineup when it arrives early next year. It adopts some of the tech pioneered by the new 2025 Volvo EX90 and 2025 Volvo EX30 electric vehicles, while taking on a new appearance.

That look adds “counteracting slats” across the front end, in a tweak of Volvo’s familiar diagonal grille. It’s flanked by matrix LED headlights with active high beams and integrated cornering lights. It’s subtle, but the front fenders and hood have been reshaped to house them.

Volvo XC90 PHEV: A bridge to the EV future?

For the newly updated XC90, a base 2.0-liter turbo-4 will put out 247 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, while a stronger version will turn in 295 hp and 310 lb-ft. Volvo pegs these at 26 mpg and 23 mpg combined, respectively, thanks to the 48-volt mild-hybrid systems that have been wedded to them to aid gas mileage in stop-and-go driving. 

The T8 edition is what Volvo calls its “electric car with a backup plan.” To that turbo-4, it adds an 18.8-kwh battery pack (14.7 kwh usable), which nets 310 hp and 295 lb-ft from the engine and 145 hp and 228 lb-ft in its electric drive mode. Volvo expects, once again, that it will deliver 33 electric miles by EPA standards. A higher-output 6.4-kw onboard charger and Plug & Charge compatibility should assist with swifter, easier charging, but Volvo made no mention of switching the vehicle to the Tesla-based NACS charging port.

Volvo XC90 gets Google infotainment, but keeps Apple CarPlay

The interior hosts more radical changes. The central touchscreen grows to 11.2 inches—and while it retains portrait-style positioning, it switches over to the new user interface found on the EX90 and EX30. That ushers in a base of Google built-in code—though, unlike the 14.5-inch touchscreen system in the EX90, the XC90 hangs on to Apple CarPlay while it bundles in Google Maps and Google Play. It’s capable of over-the-air (OTA) updates, and users can recharge their devices through the USB-C ports included in the first and second rows. 

Across the dash, Volvo has refashioned some lighting and the air vents, while it’s changed out some materials for sustainable ones and added better storage for smartphones and for wireless charging. Otherwise, the interior’s little changed: The XC90 still rides on a 117.5-inch wheelbase, and comes in six- or seven-seat versions. The middle bench swaps out for two captain’s chairs in the former model, but all have flat-folding second- and third-row seats, and a panoramic sunroof. 

Base prices will start at $59,745 including $1,295 in destination charges, but the full lineup hasn’t been outlined. To be sold as a 2025.5 model, the new SUV opens to orders this fall and shows up at dealers in the first quarter of 2025.