Volvo V90 Recharge hybrid interior, dashboard & comfort
With one of the best interiors in its class, the Volvo V90 Recharge T6 hybrid is a comfortable place to be
The V90's interior leaves no doubt as to the quality of cars Volvo produces these days. The dashboard is elegantly designed and neatly laid-out, topped with a sharp infotainment display and bags of standard equipment. The standard Volvo On Call app gives it a strong hand when it comes to smartphone integration, too.
An early 2020 model upgrade introduced the option of man-made leather or wool-blend trim on the seats, along with an air-quality monitoring system and a pair of USB-C points for the rear seats, plus the options of wireless phone charging and an upgraded Bowers & Wilkins stereo.
Volvo V90 Recharge T6 hybrid dashboard
Since the 2015 introduction of the XC90 SUV, Volvo’s cars have been praised for their smart interior design. At the centre of this is a clutter-free dashboard and centre console featuring only essential and at-hand buttons, while a 9.3-inch portrait-orientated touchscreen infotainment system sits in the middle of the dashboard, and is standard on every model.
Material quality is superb – be in no doubt that this is a premium vehicle that feels worth its hefty price tag. Buyers can add a Dark or Bright theme to Plus versions, with gloss black exterior trim for the former and chrome exterior mouldings for the Bright spec.
Equipment, options and accessories
All Volvo V90s are well equipped. As standard, you get selectable drive modes, adaptive cruise control, Volvo’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system for motorways, parking assistance and hill-start assistance. Automatic LED headlights are also included, alongside a strong complement of standard safety and assistance features.
Inside, you’ll find dual-zone climate control and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel teaming up with the 9.3-inch central display that now runs Google-based software. Voice activation, Bluetooth and navigation is also included by default.
In addition, the Recharge T6, in both Plus and Ultimate trims, benefits from the inclusion of a heated windscreen, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree camera view and a Harmon Kardon stereo. Ultimate cars add an even more powerful Bowers & Wilkins stereo, head-up display and opening panoramic sunroof.
Infotainment, apps & sat nav
The V90's 9.3-inch infotainment display is sharp and high-quality, and bundled with navigation as standard. The menu layouts are easy to use and the crystal-clear maps work well with the portrait orientation of the display. As of 2021, there's a new Android-based interface that includes built-in apps such as Google Maps, and its voice recognition is noticeably more adept at recognising complex commands. However, these functions often rely on a mobile Internet connection, which is something to bear in mind if you live in a very rural area.
Volvo’s On Call app, which allows you to control key functions of the car remotely, is standard. The app provides 24-hour access to roadside assistance, and the ability to remotely lock and unlock the car and pre-condition the car’s interior before a journey. The standard 12.3-inch digital dials can also be configured to display navigation information.