Opinion

‘The world isn’t ready for a £100k Volvo’

Editor-in-chief Steve Fowler is shocked by the new Volvo EX90’s weight and price tag

Volvo EX90 opinion

Big Volvo SUVs don’t come around very often. We’ve only ever had two XC90s in 20 years and I’ve always been a big fan (and been lucky enough to run a couple of them on the Auto Express fleet), which makes the arrival of that car’s replacement – called EX90 – officially a big thing.

But, for all the excitement I’ve felt in the lead up to the new car’s launch, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed by two big things: its price and its weight.

The new EX90 weighs an astonishing 2,818kg – and that’s before it’s fully loaded with up to seven people. Has Volvo done absolutely all it can to keep the kilos off? Weight is the enemy of efficiency, and that is all the more important in an EV – which the EX90 is.

How much further could the EX90 go on one charge of its enormous 107kWh battery for every extra kilo saved? Volvo will, of course, say that its customers want all the kit it’s included and, to be fair, there is some really groundbreaking stuff in there, especially when it comes to safety – as you’d expect from Volvo.

But then there’s the price: the first models to arrive in the UK are expected to start at over £96,000, rising to over £100,000. I don’t know about you, but that seems like an awful lot of money for a Volvo to me.

I’ve often moaned about the rapid rise in car prices at the bottom end of the market, but the temptation for some makers to milk the margins at the more profitable end seems too great.

Developing and building EVs is a costly business, that’s for sure. But premium brands – not just Volvo – need to make sure they’re not pricing themselves out of the market. Especially in an EV world where buyers are increasingly attracted more by tech and style than a badge.

This could be an open goal for brands like Kia, Hyundai and a host of newcomers with increasingly appealing EVs that have the style and quality to match – or beat – traditional premium players, but at a fraction of the price.

Do you agree with Steve? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...

Editor-in-chief

Steve Fowler has been editor-in-chief of Auto Express since 2011 and is responsible for all editorial content across the website and magazine. He has previously edited What Car?, Autocar and What Hi-Fi? and has been writing about cars for the best part of 30 years. 

Recommended

Geely and NIO agreement could see battery swapping tech on Volvo, Polestar and Lotus cars
Volvo EX30 - front action
News

Geely and NIO agreement could see battery swapping tech on Volvo, Polestar and Lotus cars

The Chinese giant behind Volvo, Polestar and Lotus will join forces with NIO on battery tech
30 Nov 2023
Best new cars coming in 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2024

There are some big new models from the likes of Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Skoda and more on the way in 2024
20 Nov 2023
‘Volvo has to work hard to maintain its reputation as a maker of the safest cars on the planet’
Volvo - opinion
Opinion

‘Volvo has to work hard to maintain its reputation as a maker of the safest cars on the planet’

Mike Rutherford thinks it’s hard work keeping an enviable reputation intact, especially with new brands snapping hard at your heels
19 Nov 2023
New Volvo EM90: all-electric business class MPV revealed in full 
Volvo EM90
News

New Volvo EM90: all-electric business class MPV revealed in full 

Volvo has finally unveiled the new EM90, an upmarket people carrier that may or may not come to the UK
12 Nov 2023

Most Popular

New Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2024 review: big estate with value boost
Jaguar XF Sportbrake - front tracking
Road tests

New Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2024 review: big estate with value boost

Jaguar's XF Sportbrake may be 8 years old but it just got a whole lot cheaper!
7 Dec 2023
New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power
Nissan Qashqai exclusive image - front
News

New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power

Major investment in Nissan’s Sunderland plant underpins the new fourth-generation Qashqai
8 Dec 2023
Deal of the Day: Volkswagen ID. Buzz brings retro-style and practicality for £311 per month
Volkswagen ID. Buzz - front cornering
News

Deal of the Day: Volkswagen ID. Buzz brings retro-style and practicality for £311 per month

All-electric MPV offers style and substance - making it our Deal of the Day for Wednesday 6 December
6 Dec 2023