Volvo's electric flagship sedan, the Volvo ES90, with great effort [Test Drive Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

Verdict

A flagship Volvo for those who were surprised by the EX90 price

Good

- The sound insulation packaging is the best among new cars seen recently

- Even the lowest trim, priced at 72.94 million won, comes with a 92kWh battery

Bad

- While it has substance… an 'awkward' stance and 'slouchy' appearance that is neither sedan nor SUV

- It has a performance mode and delivers 456 horsepower, yet offers no driving fun at all

Competitor

- Lexus ES 350e: After Volvo offered the ES90 for 72.94 million won, it boldly started at 71.60 million won

- Tesla Model YL: Even if Volvo is better, there's a psychological tendency to look back at Tesla

The Volvo ES90 is the decisive blow that Volvo Korea is focusing on this year. It significantly lowered its price compared to Europe to secure price competitiveness, needed to restore its reputation damaged by the battery controversy surrounding the previous EX30, and added the badge of 'electric flagship.' If Volvo Korea does not establish itself in the electrification sector with this car, it will face a situation that is hard to reverse. The company's situation also reached a point where it needs to launch a 'best-selling car.' Even Lee Yun-mo (CEO), who rarely appears at test drive events, showed up to personally inspect the test drive session.

The Volvo ES90 clearly shows signs of great effort. Its overall length is 5m, with width and height measuring 1942mm and 1550mm respectively. The wheelbase, which determines interior space, stands out at 3102mm. This figure exceeds what is possible for an electric vehicle and is substantial enough to be counted on one's fingers among its peers. The extended wheelbase directly created a spacious rear seat area. Another point of note is the ground clearance. Even setting aside details about the air suspension, it is at least 177mm. Volvo has long positioned cross-country models as a key LINE in its lineup and has Yangsan models to reflect Sweden's unique terrain; traces of this remain on the Volvo ES90. The fastback-type design that bulges the trunk lid to secure cargo space is also a clever move only possible for Volvo, which has deep roots in wagon manufacturing.

This Volvo ES90 is particularly notable for its lavish equipment. It features dual-chamber air suspension, a B&W speaker system, massage function, and cooled and heated seats, along with an 800V electrification architecture and support for 350W-level ultra-fast charging. The Twin Motor system has been certified for a combined range of 520km (city 548km, highway 486km) at room temperature. At this level, even considering all competitors in the current domestic market such as the Audi A6 E-tron, BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+, and Lexus ES 350e that could be compared to the Volvo ES90, there is no car in its class that can catch up.

From charging and driving to performance, every aspect of the Volvo ES90 makes it worthy of its flagship status. Additionally, surprising points can be found in the interior materials, where leather, plastic, and aluminum are appropriately utilized by body part. At the same time, it expresses a glamorous image as a premium brand through ambient lighting technology.

Ride comfort is fundamentally firm. This firm ride comfort is likely conveyed by the combination of vibrations entering the cabin and the heavy feel encountered when gripping the steering wheel with fingertips. Such firmness allows the driver to perceive the solidity of the vehicle body, which was possible because there were almost no noises or residual vibrations entering the interior. This is because the impact and noise levels caused by potholes and road joints that are inevitably encountered on roads were extremely low compared to what was expected beforehand.

Until now, Volvo has fundamentally offered a firm taste in ride comfort. The ride comfort of the ES90 tested this time allows the spectrum of this firmness to be adjusted slightly softer or a bit firmer. The dual-chamber air suspension played its role well. Thanks to this, the price as an electric flagship is fully justified.

Thanks to the electronic steering wheel and air suspension, impact levels can be adjusted. However, there are not large variations by mode. Most reporters who tested the car agreed that it is generally on the firm side.

The Volvo ES90 driven as a test vehicle is the Twin Motor version trim equipped with an all-wheel-drive option. With 456 horsepower, this output level would have been close to that of supercars in the past. The Volvo ES90 reaches a curb weight of 2.5 tons, which is 900kg heavier than the new Grandeur when considering only weight. However, the burden of weight was completely eliminated. Due to the characteristics of electric motors, output is truly 'instantaneous,' so the burden of weight was extremely low. As a result, the car's movements are incredibly smooth and fluid. But the process of accelerating is dull, there are no paddle shifters, and the sense of speed in an electric vehicle feels quite cold, offering no driving fun.

The decisive advantage of the Volvo ES90 lies in its silence, which is almost absolute. Electric vehicles are inherently quieter compared to internal combustion institutional investor vehicles, yet noise from motor and component control, tire friction, and wind noise inevitably occurs. However, the Volvo ES90 stands out for thoroughly eliminating such noises. It is quiet even considering it is an electric vehicle. Even without relying on the words of a Volvo Korea executive who said they poured soundproofing materials generously, the car doors themselves are thick, and the shape, size, and thickness of the weatherstrips were extraordinary.

In particular, the weatherstrips were meticulously finished not only on the inside but also down to the bottom of the door sills. This is a part that clearly differentiates it from Volvos seen so far. Once you get in the car and close the door, it even feels as if 'you have left the mundane world.' Above all, the sense of enclosure felt the moment driving begins makes one feel the flagship aspect. Lowering the gear shifter activates Pilot Assist. It is smooth and comfortable, and for a brief moment, it reads the road conditions and moves forward on its own. With a thin, long display replacing the instrument cluster and HUD, your gaze can remain fixed on the front.

With a solid body rigidity and dual-chamber air suspension installed, even pushing the car into corners at high speed did not make the vehicle's behavior unstable. Above all, in performance mode, since all four wheels are driven, the driving stability is worthy of its flagship name. In particular, in braking power, it exerts linear braking force that would not be inferior to any brand, while neatly positioning the car on the desired line.

Of course, the features of the Volvo ES90 for consumers include price. From experience, imported cars sell very well when consumers find them 'cheaper than expected.' The ES90 did not exceed the expected range. It carefully considered the experiences where high-priced electric vehicles that claimed premium status suffered bitter defeats. Above all, it had to learn from the hardships Volvo Korea went through with the EX30 and the harsh evaluation received by Volvo's large electric SUV launched at 121.20 million won previously. The ES90 has no shortcomings in price or equipped features.

Starting with Tesla, Chinese cars, and recently even the Lexus ES 350e, a price war is gradually heating up in the imported car sector. The Volvo ES90 also possesses cost-performance appeal starting in the 70th million won range. In fact, its charm exceeds that in terms of specifications, heritage, or UX-UI aspects. Above all, this car is a flagship model. It means the best car from the Volvo brand.

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*This content was translated by AI.