2026 Volvo XC90 Ultra — The Calm, Battery-Rich Three-Row That Loves The Road

Volvo’s final gasoline-assisted XC90 doubles down on electrified serenity. With an uprated 18.8 kWh usable battery, 455 hp of combined thrust, and newly standard DC fast-charge capability, we sampled Pure, Hybrid, and Power modes to see how the Ultra spec balances Scandinavian luxury with plug-in practicality.

Test Car

2026 Volvo XC90 Ultra T8 | Air suspension | 21-inch forged wheels | Bowers & Wilkins audio

Weather

72–75°F | Sunny | Coastal Orange County

Mode-by-Mode Breakdown

Pure

Silent commuting championed by the bigger pack and reworked regen palettes.

Powertrain: 18.8 kWh battery yields a real-world 32-mile EV window; one-pedal drive now holds stops without creep
Regeneration: steering-wheel paddles toggle between coasting, ~ 0.25 g, and ~ 0.35 g regen, useful for tailoring energy recovery.
Climate: preconditioning is available, I suggest to use them when the charge state is above 30%.

Hybrid

Default blend that chases efficiency while staging power for passes.

Powertrain: predictive energy logic reads topography and nav data, reserving electrons for city sections after highway stints
Suspension: air springs settle into their softest calibration, quelling head toss over broken pavement despite the 5,128 lb curb weight

Power

Instant torque with a buttoned-down chassis but still mindful of the battery.

Powertrain: e-motor delivers 310 lb-ft off the line while the 2.0-liter turbo four fires early to keep output at 455 hp sustained
Energy management: 7 kWh buffer is protected so repeated launches stay consistent, then the pack refills quickly under lift thanks to aggressive regen maps
Chassis: air suspension lowers approximately 0.6 inches, adaptive dampers stiffen by about 20%, steering weight firms without becoming heavy.

Recharge Highlight: Press the dedicated Recharge button beside the drive-mode toggle and the XC90 diverts engine-generated energy back into the pack, ideal for banking Pure-mode miles before entering quiet zones.

Ride & Refinement

The air chassis and laminated glass keep the cabin cathedral quiet. Switching between Pure and Hybrid is barely perceptible, with the engine only whispering under heavy throttle.

Performance Character

Power mode finally makes good on the T8 badge—midrange punch is instant, yet the driveline never feels strained thanks to the thick electric torque.

Best Use Case

Charge nightly, glide the school run in Pure, let Hybrid manage weekend road trips, and reserve Power for mountain passes or confident highway merges.

Why It Stands Out

Volvo couples its safety-first aura with rare plug-in flexibility: the new DC port elevates recharge stops from afterthought to strategic asset, making electrified family life feel easy.