The new Volvo ES90 embodies a life in balance, where safety meets cutting-edge tech and design

What does a life in balance look like? For some, it might be a brisk blend of work and play, while for others, it could take on a more slow-paced form, guided by a quieter, serene existence. However your equilibrium manifests, Volvo’s newest car, the fully electric ES90, is crafted to elevate harmonious living, from its cutting-edge performance down to its sleek design.

While murky October skies cloaked the Nordics, the Swedish company treated a group of journalists and content creators to a taste of life in balance in sunny Nice, nestled along the turquoise shores of the French Riviera. On the agenda was gentle sunrise yoga – a practice rooted in balance – cruising through the serpentine roads in the vintage Volvo heritage cars that sparked countless ‘wow’s from pedestrians and passers-by alike, candlelit dinner at a historic château perched atop mountain, and, of course, putting the ES90 to test ourselves on some of the most scenic routes southern Europe has to offer.

Arriving in an array of polished colourways including ‘Aurora Silver’, ‘Onyx Black’, ‘Denim Blue’ and ‘Mulberry Red’, the streamlined and refined ES90 hones in on Volvo’s core values: safe, sustainable and personal. It packages them into a premium, modern electric car “in a class of its own”, marrying the understated elegance of a sedan with the adaptability of a fastback, topped off with a spacious interior and an SUV-like ground clearance. Featuring Volvo’s most advanced 800-volt electrical technology, enabling rapid charging and long range, the ES90 can travel up to 700 kilometres on a single charge, making longer journeys a relaxing breeze. Meanwhile, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just four seconds, allowing you to zip effortlessly from one locale to another. “How’s that for a life in balance,” says Fredrik Lind, the commercial lead for ES90.

Yes, the ES90 delivers standout performance and a sophisticated exterior, but its usability takes a step – or a drive – forward. True to celebrated Nordic design, every element has been considered from a human-centric point of view, creating what UX manager Pelin Arslan dubs “a holistic experience”, embodying Volvo’s four key design principles: brave, durable, poetic, and safe. “Every touchpoint and interaction is a canvas for us,” she continues. “We move from function to beauty.”

Whether harnessed for rural road trips or daily urban commutes, the ES90 has been designed to seamlessly integrate into our broader digital lifestyle, where preheating the cabin on a cold winter morning or closing the window from a distance happens at the touch of a button via the Volvo Cars app. Elsewhere, the Volvo Digital Key Plus allows a smartphone or a smartwatch to function as a car key and start the vehicle. “As you approach the car it knows that you’re coming and welcomes you,” Arslan explains. “It stores all of your profile information, so everything is ready for you when you get into the car.”

Speaking of entering the car, the ES90’s sleek exterior spills into a quintessentially Scandinavian, minimalist interior, rendered in a calming, neutral colour palette and crafted to evoke a living-room-inspired feel. A sprawling sunroof bathes the cabin in natural light. “This kind of feels like sitting at the back of a limousine,” a fellow journalist aptly sums up the luxe, backseat experience as we sink into the ergonomic, cushy seats, upholstered with the eco-conscious material Nordico, complete with ample legroom – far more generous than what you’d expect from a car with such a compact silhouette. The ventilated front seats, sculpted for the utmost comfort, even boast a massage feature (tested by this writer, guaranteed bliss!), while an expansive touch screen console houses all the settings you’ll need, from music and air conditioning to maps.

As day turns into twilight, the car’s ambient lighting themes, inspired by Nordic nature, envelop the cabin in soft hues that mimic our most cherished natural displays, like the Northern Lights and Midsummer glow. The ES90 also debuts a new ambient lighting theme, ‘Winter Bliss’, capturing the fleeting moment before the sun sets on a frosty evening, painting the sky in cotton-candy shades of delicate pink. The 25 speakers sprinkled throughout the cabin boost the mood further, with immersive sound systems available courtesy of Volvo’s collaboration with Bowers & Wilkins – including an Abbey Road Studios mode, turning the cabin into an iconic recording space.

Getting behind the wheel of the ES90 myself, I admit I was slightly nervous – not because of the car, but due to the environment we were driving in, riddled with narrow, winding mountain roads with little to no fencing, peppered with sharp turns and bustling traffic. Yet, the car proved incredibly reliable, smooth and nimble to drive, not to mention how silent it was – it barely sounded like we were in motion. The intuitive controls and the map on the driver display made navigation easy while keeping my eyes firmly on the road, and the car’s alerts whenever I exceeded the speed limit ensured a safe pace, which is always important, but especially on roads like these. Much like after that yoga session in the morning, I felt centred and at ease.

Then again, the security of the ES90 is hardly surprising – after all, Volvo is known worldwide for its unwavering commitment to safety. As the company’s heritage manager, Hans Hedberg, reminded us during the trip, Volvo invented the modern three-point safety belt in 1959. It made the patent freely available so that every car manufacturer could use it, too. The ES90, with its Safe Space Technology, builds on the decades of Volvo’s safety research, its cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors and car monitoring looking out for you – and your loved ones. “It can sense super small movements, even a baby’s breathing,” notes Arslan. “If a pet or a child is left behind, the car doesn’t lock the doors; it reminds you or asks you to confirm before you leave. So we protect people, not only the driver and passengers, but everyone around you.”