- 2025 Volvo XC90’s exterior changes are most noticeable up front
- Alterations to the cabin include a new infotainment screen
- Powertrain options continue to include a plug-in hybrid with over 450 horsepower
Sitting atop the Volvo model lineup as the brand’s flagship hybrid SUV, the 2026 XC90 finds itself on the business end of several upgrades for this new model year — including revisions to exterior styling and cabin design.
We’ll start with the former, since its new grille has a nifty asymmetrical slotted design bifurcated by the Volvo logo and bookended with a set of headlamps. The latter may not look wholly different at first glance but are actually significantly altered. The so-called ‘Thor’s Hammer’ light signature remains yet is dragged more in line with what appears on all-electric models such as the EX90.
Changing the shape of the headlamps also meant changing the hood, front bumper, and fenders. Anyone who has ever set out to simply replace a light fixture in their home but ended up plastering the ceiling and repainting the entire room knows the struggle. There is also a new colour option which we normally wouldn’t mention but gets a shout out since it is Mulberry Red and not some infernally dour silver or grey.
Changes also abound in the cabin, with a new 11.2-inch free-standing infotainment touchscreen which somehow manages to look decently integrated despite vaguely floating between a pair of large ventilation registers. The interior retains the design for which Volvo has become known over the last number of years, which is to say as minimalist as a Swedish crime novel with only the federally mandated physical buttons (hazard warning, defrosters, et al) lining the lower edge of the dashboard.
At least there is also a volume dial and controls for manual tuning of entertainment options, and its wireless charger is now in a more convenient spot. The screen itself is said to be of a higher resolution with greater pixel density and packs a newly designed interface, one which seems to take lessons from what’s in the EX90 and EX30 with large icons and reasonably clear texts. The 2026 Volvo XC90’s upgraded 360-degree camera apparently gets in on some split screen action. The gear selector prominently displays Orrefors branding, a Swedish crystal company.
Two powertrain choices are on offer in Canada, both of which will be familiar to anyone who has shopped this model in the past. The B6 (mild hybrid) gets a four-cylinder engine making 295 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque while the T8 (plug-in hybrid) combines a gasoline-powered mill with an electric motor to crank out 455 ponies and 523 lb-ft of twist. Volvo says the T8 can muster an estimated 53 kilometres of driving without burning a single drop of fuel when conditions warrant. Acceleration to highway speeds is in the low 5-second range.
At present, Canadian customers will find the XC90 plug-in hybrid with a near-six figure price tag, though the mild hybrid checks in at a skiff over 80 grand. Expect similar asks when the revised model begins to appear in showrooms.
Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on Instagram ,Facebook and X to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.