Volvo runs its infotainment system on Google’s Android Automotive platform. That means you can simply ask Google to change your settings for many things, like mapping, radio features, and even temperature controls. 

The vehicle has almost no physical buttons–just one large scroll wheel on the center console and a few buttons (including hazards) on the headliner. Everything else is frustratingly controlled through the main 14.5-inch touchscreen set vertically into the dash. Like Tesla, this includes adjustment for the steering wheel, side-view mirrors, seats, rain-sensing wipers, glove box opening, trunk height, lights, suspension setup, mapping, audio, and more. 

While the system worked fine, it’s a pain if you just need to adjust something simple, like wiper sensitivity or performance settings, because it’s at least a few menus deep. Volvo assumes that these features will be set-it-and-forget-it for owners. The EX90 can use your smartphone as the digital key — though you get a physical fob, too. 

Unfortunately, the digital key we tried was buggy at best. While Volvo said they were working closely with Apple to perfect the tech (and integrate CarPlay, which won’t be available until later via software update, either), the version we tried was unreliable. More than once, we had to open up the Wallet app, find the EX90 virtual key card, and place it on the wireless charging pad to get the car to recognize that the key was in the vehicle. Multiple people at the drive event had to do the same; some even had to have Volvo’s support staff plug in a laptop to get the car to recognize the key. Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

Volvo also took a page out of Rivian’s playbook with the EX90’s advanced adaptive cruise control features, called Pilot Assist. Instead of buttons to activate the feature on the steering wheel, you have to pull the drive select lever on the right side down toward drive and hold it for a moment when Pilot Assist is available (a grayed-out steering wheel symbol appears in the driver’s information screen). Once it’s on, you can use the lane-change assistant to switch lanes. Though the process is a bit slow, it’s better and more predictable than many of the lane-changing assistant features on other vehicles. 

On the road, the big SUV (it’s a little larger than Volvo’s XC90) doesn’t feel ungainly. The cabin is notably quiet and comfortable. With the muted colorways and minimal distractions, it’s surprisingly calm. It doesn’t feel rolly or jarring on broken pavement when you put the air suspension into the default comfort mode. While there’s a sportier ride available, it’s hard to predict whether owners will have the patience to dig through the five layers on the infotainment screen to get there. In Performance mode, everything gets slightly more amped up, but this is no canyon carver. 

The EX90 also gets new interior sensors, including a radar system that senses everything from the driver’s eye movement to whether you’ve left a child or pet in the car unattended. On the drive, while trying to dig through menus to find the drive settings, I had to look at the infotainment screen, and within a few short moments, the vehicle chimed, letting me know I was distracted. The system is a bit sensitive but not intrusive, and for drivers who stupidly prefer to scroll on their phones rather than pay attention to the traffic ahead of them, like most LA drivers, the EX90 could be a needed wake-up call.