ELECTRIC DREAMS (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Volvo's XC90 showcases cutting edge technology in T8 Plug-in hybrid guise. Jonathan Crouch drives the improved model.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 56

Volvo's XC90 is at its most appealing in this T8 Plug-in hybrid form. This car got its second update for the 2025 model year, creating the sharper-looking, more sophisticated design we're going to look at here. If you need seven seats in a big PHEV-powered family SUV, there still aren't too many better options than this.

Backgroundword count: 136

Like many of its rivals, Volvo wants to be an EV brand. But many of its customers still want the company's PHEV tech. And that's particularly true when it comes to the marque's largest SUV, the XC90. The second generation version of the design, first launched back in 2015, has always had a line-up headed by a version with this maker's T8 Plug-in hybrid drivetrain. And Volvo's continually sought to improve it, first with an update in 2019 and more recently with the 2025 model year enhancement we're going to look at here. There are no mechanical changes as part of this improvement, but the car gets a smarter look and a new era of cabin screen tech. PHEV segment rivals can now offer greater EV range, but not with the seven-seat versatility Volvo offers here.

Driving Experienceword count: 310

There are no engineering changes for this updated XC90 Plug-in hybrid. The 'T8' badging applied to this car denotes its petrol/electric powertrain and plug-in hybrid usability. In fact there are three engines if you're going to be pedantic about it and count the 25bhp starter motor/generator that pitches in from time to time to smooth any gaps in torque delivery between the two main power sources. One of these is the 310hp turbocharged/supercharged petrol unit borrowed from the old conventional T6 model that drives the front wheels. In an XC90 T8 though, it's assisted by a separate engine at the back, an 145bhp electric motor powered by a battery pack neatly packaged away in the transmission tunnel. It's all enough to deliver a set of stats that it's rather hard to get your head around. So, 455hp and 62mph from rest in just 5.1s - the kind of storming performance you'd get in this segment from, say, a Porsche Cayenne S - matched with real world fuel and CO2 readings that could potentially equal those of a frugal supermini. That's assuming you select the most performance-orientated of the five driving settings that T8 owners are offered - the 'Power' mode that sees both petrol and electric units permanently working together. Alternatively, there are four other drive choices: a 'Hybrid' setting that sees the two engines cutting in and out as necessary: an 'AWD' mode that gives you permanent 4x4 traction off road: plus a 'Pure electric' setting that only uses the battery power and can take you up to 44.1 miles (an EAER rating that's more than most people's daily commuting distance) on a single charge. There's even a 'Save' option so that on a longer trip, you can hold that charge until you get to the city driving you might have to do at the end of the journey.

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