The only luxury EV that says yes to everything: space, power, and refinement.
In a market where luxury and practicality have rarely shared the same electric platform, the Volvo EX90 has been named Australia's best luxury EV for 2026 by CarExpert — a quiet but meaningful signal that the premium electric segment is finally growing up. By offering genuine three-row seating within a refined Scandinavian package, Volvo has answered a question most manufacturers hadn't yet thought to ask. The award reflects not a single breakthrough, but the rarer achievement of getting everything right at once.
- Australia's luxury EV segment has long left families with real space needs stranded between compromise and sacrifice — the EX90 arrives as one of the only credible answers.
- The Volvo edged out the BMW i5 and Porsche Macan, two formidable rivals, by offering something neither could: a third row of seats wrapped in genuine premium quality.
- Competitors like the Mercedes-Benz EQB fall short on scale, and the Cadillac Vistiq missed the assessment window entirely, leaving the EX90 in a category largely of its own making.
- Volvo's Scandinavian restraint — clean interiors, air suspension, a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system — is proving more persuasive than the tech-maximalist approach of some rivals.
- The EX90's win signals a broader shift: luxury EV buyers are moving past early-adopter novelty and demanding the full package of space, refinement, and driving composure.
The Volvo EX90 has taken out the 2026 CarExpert Choice Award for Australia's best luxury electric vehicle, a result that reflects both the car's strengths and the curious gap it fills. Three-row luxury electric SUVs are a rare breed in Australia's premium segment — the Mercedes-Benz EQB is considerably smaller, and the Cadillac Vistiq wasn't assessed in time — leaving the EX90 to occupy a category it has largely defined for itself.
Volvo's approach was straightforward: take what made the XC90 a perennial favourite and rebuild it on an electric platform. The result carries forward that model's reputation for comfort and practicality while adding the efficiency and performance that modern luxury buyers now expect. Two powertrain options offer competitive range and acceleration without asking drivers to choose between the two.
Inside, the cabin reflects Volvo's characteristically Scandinavian restraint — clean lines, quality materials, and a deliberate simplicity that feels more considered than the tech-heavy interiors of some rivals. The flagship Ultra variant adds air suspension and a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, the kind of refinements that quietly justify a premium price tag.
On the road, the EX90 is balanced rather than brilliant in any single dimension — comfortable over distance, composed through corners, and planted in a way that heavier electric vehicles don't always manage. It is precisely this across-the-board competence, rather than any one standout feature, that earned it the award. For families unwilling to trade space for sophistication, the EX90 has become the answer the market was waiting for.
The Volvo EX90 has claimed the 2026 CarExpert Choice Award for Australia's best luxury electric vehicle, a recognition that speaks to how the Swedish automaker has filled a gap few others have bothered to address: the three-row premium electric SUV.
The EX90 edged out two formidable competitors—the BMW i5 sedan and wagon, and the Porsche Macan—to take the prize. What sets the Volvo apart is not just its size or capability, but the rarity of what it offers in a market where luxury electric SUVs with genuine third-row seating remain scarce. In Australia's premium segment, the options are thin: the Mercedes-Benz EQB is considerably smaller, and the Cadillac Vistiq, while available, wasn't assessed in time for the voting process. The EX90 essentially stands alone in its category.
Volvo has essentially electrified the formula that made its XC90 a perennial favorite, transplanting the best elements of that combustion-engine success into a battery-powered platform. The result carries forward the XC90's reputation for comfort and practicality while adding the efficiency and performance characteristics that define modern electric vehicles. Two powertrain options are available, each delivering competitive range and acceleration figures that satisfy the performance expectations of luxury buyers without compromise.
The interior is where Volvo's Scandinavian design philosophy becomes most apparent. There's a deliberate restraint to the cabin—clean lines, quality materials, a sense of purposeful simplicity that feels more refined than the tech-forward maximalism of some competitors. The flagship Ultra variant elevates this further with air suspension that smooths out road imperfections and a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system that transforms the cabin into a concert hall. These are the kinds of details that matter to buyers accustomed to luxury, the small refinements that justify the premium price.
Driving dynamics matter too, and the EX90 delivers a balanced experience. The ride is genuinely comfortable—not soft, not harsh, but calibrated for the kind of long-distance cruising that three-row family vehicles are built for. The handling is composed, the steering responsive enough to feel connected without being twitchy. For an electric vehicle, which can sometimes feel disconnected from the road due to their weight and low center of gravity, the EX90 manages to feel planted and purposeful.
What emerges from this award is a simple truth: the luxury EV market is maturing beyond the sedan-and-small-SUV template that dominated the early years. Families with genuine space requirements, buyers who refuse to compromise on either practicality or premium feel, now have a credible option. The EX90 isn't revolutionary in any single dimension, but it's competent and desirable across all of them—which, in the luxury segment, is often exactly what wins.
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Why does a three-row luxury EV matter so much? Isn't that a niche within a niche?
It is, but it's a niche that's been almost completely ignored. Most luxury EV buyers have been forced to choose between space and electric power. The EX90 says you don't have to.
So Volvo saw a gap and filled it. But does the car actually work as a luxury vehicle, or does it feel like a compromise?
That's the thing—it doesn't feel compromised. The interior is genuinely refined, the ride quality is excellent, and the technology is current without being overwhelming. It feels like a luxury car that happens to be electric, not an electric car trying to be luxury.
The Porsche Macan and BMW i5 are serious competitors. What did they lack that the EX90 has?
The Porsche is smaller and doesn't have that third row. The BMW is excellent, but it's a sedan and wagon—different use cases. The EX90 is the only one that says yes to everything: luxury, space, performance, and electric power.
Is this award saying something about where the luxury EV market is heading?
Absolutely. It's saying that buyers are getting more sophisticated. They're not just buying electric for the statement anymore. They want the same things they always wanted—comfort, space, quality—but with zero emissions. The EX90 delivers that.
What happens next? Does this win change the market?
It validates a strategy. Other luxury brands will notice that there's real demand for three-row electric SUVs. You'll likely see more competitors enter this space in the next few years.