Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid Offers Up to 101 Miles of Electric Range From £75,765

• Volvo has opened UK orders for the XC90 T8 Long Range plug-in hybrid from £75,765 on the road, with up to 101 miles of electric range on its preliminary WLTP figure.
• The refreshed XC40 starts at £37,710, the EX40 at £43,860 with up to 354 miles of range and the EC40 at £45,860 with up to 359 miles, all on the road.
• Every XC90 clears the £40,000 line for the £440 a year expensive car supplement, while the EX40 and EC40 entry prices sit under the £50,000 electric line.

What Volvo’s New Range Costs Once the Tax Bill Lands

Volvo has put UK prices on the XC90 and the refreshed 40 series, and the XC90 carries a tax charge that the price list does not show. A buyer pays £75,765 for the T8 Long Range plug-in hybrid or £66,270 for the B5 mild hybrid, both on the road, then £640 a year in vehicle tax from the second payment instead of the standard £200.

The 40 series splits the other way. The EX40 at £43,860 and the EC40 at £45,860 both start under the £50,000 line that applies to electric cars, and the petrol XC40 in B3 Core trim at £37,710 starts under the £40,000 line for petrol cars. Those are on-the-road prices, which differ from the list price the tax rules use. Volvo has published a start price for each model, so any step up in trim needs a check of the list price with the dealer before the order goes in.

The XC90 T8 Long Range Delivers 101 Miles and 461hp

Volvo quotes up to 101 miles of electric range for the T8 Long Range, and describes that as more than double the range of the previous XC90 plug-in hybrid. The figure is preliminary and comes from WLTP testing under specific conditions. Volvo says actual range varies with charge level, specification, outdoor and battery temperature, weather, terrain, driving style and speed. The petrol and electric sides combine for 461hp, and Volvo quotes 0 to 62mph in 5.2 seconds. Neither battery size nor charging time comes with the prices, so ask the dealer for both.

Both XC90 powertrains have all-wheel drive, an automatic gearbox, seven seats and a 2,400kg ceiling on braked towing. The cabin has an 11.2-inch centre touchscreen and Google Gemini, a conversational assistant that handles trip planning, finding stops and messages by voice, and over-the-air software updates that arrive on a regular basis. Buyers shopping for a seven-seat family SUV plug-in hybrid can read how BYD’s Ti7 is shaping up as a rival.

The Price of Stepping From B5 to T8

The plug-in hybrid costs £9,495 more than the mild hybrid at the entry point: £75,765 for the T8 Long Range against £66,270 for the 250hp B5 in Core trim. Each powertrain comes in five trim levels from Core up to Ultra Pro, plus a Black Edition finished in Onyx Black with glossy black trim and black 21-inch alloys.

The Black Edition B5 starts at £74,270 in Plus Pro specification and the T8 equivalent at £83,765, which leaves the same £9,495 gap between the two engines. A T8 Black Edition costs £8,000 more than the T8 start price.

The Refreshed 40 Series, Model by Model

The XC40 is the petrol mild hybrid, offered with B3 and B4 engines and a seven-speed automatic. It starts at £37,710 in B3 Core trim, and the five trim levels on offer depend on the engine. New diamond-cut wheels arrive in 18, 19 and 20-inch sizes. The EX40 is the electric SUV, from £43,860 in P5 Long Range Plus trim with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and up to 354 miles of range on the maker’s preliminary WLTP figure. The EC40 is the electric crossover, from £45,860 in P5 Long Range Plus Pro trim and a choice of rear-wheel drive or P8 all-wheel drive, with up to 359 miles on the same basis.

From the cheapest to the dearest start price the 40 series spans £8,150: £6,150 from XC40 to EX40 and £2,000 from EX40 to EC40. The last gap compares unlike specifications: the EX40 starts in Plus trim and the EC40 in Plus Pro.

All three cars have a reshaped nose: new front bumpers, bonnet, front wings and grille, with Thor’s Hammer Matrix LED headlights whose 15-segment lighting adapts the beam to the road and avoids glare for other road users. At the back, the XC40 and EX40 get fresh LED lamps, a reworked tailgate and a new bumper, and the EC40 is left as it was. Inside, all three take the larger 11.2-inch screen and Google Gemini, with a better wireless phone charger and new upholstery and decor choices.

The £440 Tax Line and What Comes as Standard

GOV.UK sets an extra £440 a year on any car with a list price above £40,000, or an electric car above £50,000. It runs for five years from the second time the car is taxed. From that point the XC90 pays £640 a year as a single 12-month payment against £200 for a car under the line, and £672 over twelve monthly Direct Debit payments against £210. Across five years the supplement adds £2,200, and the full bill reaches £3,200 on a single annual payment against £1,000 under the line. The frozen £40,000 car tax threshold has stayed at the level set in 2017.

The XC90 cannot dodge it: the B5 starts at £66,270 and the T8 at £75,765, both far over the £40,000 line. HM Revenue and Customs raised the electric threshold from £40,000 to £50,000 for zero emission cars registered from 1 April 2025, with the change in force from 1 April 2026, which leaves the EX40 and EC40 starting prices under it. The XC40 B3 Core starting price sits under the £40,000 line. GOV.UK defines list price as the published price before first registration and before any discounts, a different figure from the on-the-road price, and the P8 all-wheel-drive EC40, the upper trims and the options are all unpriced, so they could cross. Drivers in that position can read about the stealth tax on cars over £40,000 before ordering. The first-year payment depends on CO2 emissions, and Volvo gives no CO2 figure with these prices.

Every XC90 comes with Pilot Assist and adaptive cruise control as standard, along with Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System and Steer Assist, City Safety braking and Matrix LED headlights with adaptive shadow technology. The 40 series moves to a reworked sensor and software package: fresh radar and camera hardware plus 12 ultrasonic sensors that back automatic braking and steering, collision avoidance and Door Opening Alert. Pilot Assist with lane change assist and the 360-degree camera with 3D view are optional there, so the specification sheet is the place to check what a 40 series order includes.

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Reviewed by Preetam Gadekar