2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge Ultimate test drive review

There aren’t many vehicles that make us consider ditching our beloved family car and making a switch, but the 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge was one of them — at least, for a moment. There was a noticeable improvement in ride quality between this and other cars we’ve driven, and we appreciated the unique beauty of the Ultimate trim’s Bright theme wool-blend seats. It was comfortable, quick and pretty.

However, it’s hard for us to pinpoint who the ideal buyer is for this car. Families shopping for a three-row, midsize SUV might get a little sticker shock from the price, and the third row is surprisingly tight and difficult to access. In terms of luxury, this Volvo’s interior is pretty, but it doesn’t feel as high-end as you might expect for the price.

But for shoppers who are looking for a smooth-driving plug-in hybrid with that famous Volvo safety reputation, this might be a great fit. If money is no object, the Volvo XC90 Recharge might actually be a good fit for the right person. See XC90 listings

Price and value 

The 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge has an MSRP range of $73,095 for the base Core trim to $80,795 for the top-level Ultimate trim. Each trim comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-inject engine paired to an 18.8 kWh battery, an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Some of the major differences in trim levels are noted below. 

• Recharge Core: $73,095 See all listings

20-inch wheels

Four-zone climate control

12-inch instrument panel

• Recharge Plus: $74,795 See all listings

Headlamp cleaners

360-degree camera

Park assist for front, rear and sides

• Recharge Ultimate: $80,795 See all listings

21-inch wheels

Graphical head up display

Harman Kardon premium sound system

Our Ultimate tester came with wool-blend seats, so the front seats were only heated, not ventilated. As for options, it added the premium Bowers and Wilkins sound system and four-corner air suspension. With destination fees, that brought the total to an eye-popping $85,495. For us, this makes the XC90 Recharge forever out of reach. 

As wonderful as its smooth ride quality and beautiful interior was, it’s a little hard to justify dropping that amount of cash on this plug-in hybrid. The regular XC90 starts at $57,195 and the top trim, while still pricey, is $10K cheaper than the XC90 Recharge. If you’re able to keep it fully charged and only have a short commute, you might make up the difference in fuel savings over a couple of years by driving solely on battery power. 

Shop all Volvo XC90 Recharge models

Performance 

The XC90 Recharge really deserves high marks in the performance category. From the moment we hit the road, we could feel a difference in how smoothly this thing drove. It felt like gliding on ice skates. The plug-in hybrid powertrain adds a little extra punch when you accelerate — provided you keep it charged up.

Engine and drivetrain

The 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that’s paired to an electric motor for a combined 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque. The gas engine on its own gets 312 horsepower, which is still pretty good — but you’ll want to keep the battery charged up to experience its full potential. All-wheel drive also makes for agile driving and better control on the road.

Fuel economy 

When fully charged, the XC90 Recharge gets a 58 mpg-equivalent rating. With gasoline only, that drops to 27 mpg for combined city and highway driving. However, we noticed that we were only getting about 22 mpg once the battery was depleted. But even when the charge was low, one pedal driving extended the range a bit. With an all-electric range of 32 miles, it’s possible to save a lot of gas money — if you’re willing to keep this thing charged up throughout the week.

Acceleration and handling 

If there’s one thing the XC90 Recharge has going for it, it’s the acceleration. The plug-in hybrid powertrain system contributes to its punch and pep off the line. Volvo modestly claims that it can go from 0-60 mph in five seconds, but Car and Driver found that it only took 4.5. We didn’t time it, but we can attest — it’s speedy!

Braking 

Braking was smooth and responsive as expected. In our week of driving, the brakes were never a cause for concern. Of course, with one pedal driving, the car did most of the braking itself. Shop Volvo XC90 Recharge models

Interior comfort and convenience 

Another area where the Volvo sets itself apart is the interior. Hop inside and it’s immediately clear that this car is different — in a good way. It’s minimal, but it still feels classy and sophisticated.

Seats

The seven-seater Ultimate trim with the Bright theme has clean-looking, wool-blend seats that are fairly comfortable up front. But if an adult tries to squeeze into the third row (which isn’t easy to access), they’ll find the leg room lacking. At 5-foot-9, my legs were completely pressed up against the back of the second row.

Also, while the wool-blend seats look and feel great, you do sacrifice ventilation up front for them. Ventilated front seats are only an option with the Nappa leather upholstery.

Climate control

Four-zone climate control kept passengers comfortable throughout the cabin, and the system was fast and responsive. If anything, the heated seats and steering wheel were almost too strong. Even on chilly mornings, we turned them off after only a few minutes because they got so warm.

Cargo space and cabin storage 

With the rear seats up, this plug-in hybrid gets 65.5 cubic feet of load compartment space. Volvo says this is enough for four suitcases that are 29 inches long, 20 inches wide and 12 inches high, plus a cabin bag that’s 21 inches long, 15 inches wide and 9 inches high. Very specific!

Put those seats down and the storage increases to 85.7 cubic feet. As a bonus, the seats fold completely flat, which makes sliding cargo in and out very easy.

Infotainment system

The infotainment system is on the small side and gets a bad rap for being less user-friendly than you’d expect. Despite the physical buttons for music and climate features, certain controls are only accessible via the touch screen. This made it slightly difficult to operate while maintaining complete focus on the road — especially since the buttons were small.

Google is built-in and the system supports Apple CarPlay, though it’s not wireless. With a price tag above $80K, this was a tad surprising. The premium Bowers and Wilkins audio system sounds great throughout the cabin, but it does tack on an additional $3,200 to the overall cost.

Overall, we weren’t overly impressed with the XC90 Recharge’s infotainment system, though it does keep with the general minimalistic feeling of the interior. Some drivers will appreciate that. Shop Volvos

Exterior appearance and functionality 

This plug-in hybrid SUV still looks sharp on the outside even though nothing has drastically changed over the last several years. It’s easily recognizable as a Volvo, which isn’t a bad thing.

Wheels 

The 21-inch, eight-spoke wheels on the Ultimate trim give the car a modern touch while doing their job to reduce road noise.

Lights and turn signals 

The XC90 Recharge still sports those familiar looking Volvo tail lights, and also comes with LED headlights, automatic high beams and active bending lights for optimum illumination around curves and corners. Interestingly, though, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the headlights an “Acceptable” rating instead of the highest “Good” rating.

Front and rear windshield

Visibility out of the front windshield was very good. The rear windows and windshield are tinted, but the 360-degree camera views on the Ultimate trim help maximize visibility all around.

Cameras and side mirrors

A front and rear park assist camera are standard on the base Core trim, but the Plus and Unlimited trims benefit from the 360-degree camera system. Shop Volvo XC90 Recharge models

Safety

As you might expect with Volvo, this car comes loaded with many standard safety features for maximum peace of mind on the road. These include:

• Blind spot information system

• Cross-traffic alert with automatic braking

• Driver assistance system with adaptive cruise control

• Collision avoidance

• Vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist/large animal detection

• Lane departure warning and lane keeping aid

• Rear and front park assist

• 360-degree camera system on higher trims

Shop Volvo XC90 Recharge models

Awards and ratings 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge a Top Safety Pick. It received a top rating of “Good” in all categories except for headlights and LATCH ease of use, which both received “Acceptable” scores.

Final impression 

The 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge was a pleasure to drive and a good-looking car to boot. The ride comfort and fuel economy are other selling points. However, its steep price and tight, hard-to-reach third row will probably give some drivers pause when it comes to shopping for a family-friendly and/or luxury midsize SUV.

Shop Volvo XC90 Recharge models on KSL.com.

FAQs

What kind of fuel does the Volvo XC90 take? 

Per its website, Volvo requires premium fuel with a minimum octane rating of 91.

How long does it take to charge the Volvo XC90 Recharge?

It takes approximately eight hours to charge the Volvo XC90 Recharge with a 110-volt charger and five hours with a 220-volt charger.

What is the pure electric range of the Volvo XC90 Recharge?

The Volvo XC90 Recharge gets approximately 32 miles of pure electric range and 530 miles total.

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.