Ah, the Volvo XC90. It’s the sort of SUV you buy when you want to look like you compost your tea bags but still tow a yacht on the weekends. And now, for 2025, it’s been ever-so-slightly nipped, tucked, and sprinkled with tech that would make a spaceship blush.
From the outside, this facelift is a masterclass in Swedish restraint. No garish grilles or LED disco lights—just a nip here, a tuck there. Refreshed bumpers, sleeker wheels, and slimmed-down Thor’s Hammer headlights make it look slightly more ready for the future—without scaring off the old-money types.
The B5 AWD mild hybrid remains the go-to for Malaysia. With 249 hp, 7.7 seconds to 100 km/h, and a respectable 8.1 L/100 km, it offers enough grunt to outrun traffic on the Damansara link while sipping fuel like a barista savouring an oat milk latte.
Volvo’s designers understand that less is more. With the Bright Theme, diamond-cut 20-inch wheels, and a rear design that looks like a Bauhaus studio had a love child with a tank, the XC90 nails the executive-family vibe.
Inside, it swallows everything from balik kampung luggage to impromptu IKEA flat-packs with up to 2,005 L of boot space. Yes, there’s a hands-free tailgate. Just wave your foot like a wizard and it opens.
The 11.2-inch centre display is vertical, anti-glare, and feels like using a tablet made by people who actually care about UI. It’s anchored by a fixed menu with quick access to climate, settings, and drive modes, and features smart shortcuts that change depending on whether you’re parked, reversing, or yelling at Waze.
The 12.3-inch driver display lets you pick between Calm (just the facts) and Navi (a fully interactive map), depending on whether you feel minimalist or like TomTom reborn.
Want to feel like Iron Man? Get the head-up display and see your speed, navigation prompts, and more floating in mid-air, hovering just above the bonnet.
The XC90 is basically a rolling Pixel phone. With Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play, you can yell “Hey Google, play Joe Rogan” and have him shouting through your Bowers & Wilkins speakers before the roundabout.
All of this comes with unlimited data for four years. After that? Yes, Volvo will politely ask for a fee, but by then your kids may be driving.
The Volvo Cars app is like remote control for adults:
A dual-zone climate system lets front passengers argue over their ideal temperature while the rear gets pampered with floor vents and pillar-mounted outlets. Add the air purification system, and you’ll filter out everything from dust to the stench of yesterday’s durian haul.
The Blind Spot Information System not only warns you of nearby cars—it’ll gently steer you away from them. Like a concerned Swedish parent.
If you drift over the lines like a distracted TikToker, the car will steer you back in line before you become a viral video.
Yes, it can detect pedestrians, cyclists, and even large animals. Good news if you drive near kampung areas with cows that think they own the road.
Parallel parking at Pavilion KL? No sweat. The 360° camera shows everything around you with high-res clarity, including a split view for reversing like a champ.
Back out of a tight parking space and the XC90 becomes your eyes in the back of your head—warning you of cross-traffic and braking if you’re slow to react.
Turning across traffic in PJ? If there’s danger, the car can hit the brakes before you hit anything else.
The optional active chassis with rear air suspension monitors road conditions 500 times per second—because apparently, 499 times wasn’t enough. It lowers at high speeds, rises over bumps, and turns every road into a Swedish massage.
The 2025 Volvo XC90 is the SUV for people who’ve grown out of showing off—and grown into appreciating comfort, safety, and silent confidence. In a world screaming for attention, this is one car that simply nods politely, adjusts your seat, and drives you home.
