Articles by Tim Nicholson

Whoever said sedans were a thing of the past clearly didn’t get the memo.Electric sedans have invigorated the segment and it looks like another one is set to join the growing throng of EV sedans.At the very end of a livestream reveal of its refreshed XC90 SUV, Volvo dropped a teaser for a new model, with the caption confirming the ‘ES90’ nameplate.The brief video showed the silhouette of a sleek four-door model with a sloping, almost fastback-like rear and a boot lip, but beyond that it’s difficult to make out any other details.This model has long been rumoured but now it looks set to join the growing Volvo line-up to take on the likes of the Tesla Model S or Model 3, depending on its eventual size, the Mercedes-Benz EQE and BMW i4.Volvo didn’t reveal any other details but it’s highly likely the ES90 will be based on the same SPA2 architecture that underpins the similarly positioned Polestar 4 sedan, as well as the Volvo EX90 SUV.That model is offered with two powertrains that could point to what the ES90 will get. The rear-drive single-motor Polestar has a rear-mounted motor delivering 200kW/343Nm, and a 100kWh battery for a driving range of 620km. The Dual Motor Polestar 4 adds another motor to the front for all-wheel drive and ups the outputs to 400kW/686Nm. Driving range is 590km.Volvo has another large sedan in its line-up, the S90, and while it remains in production for some markets, it was discontinued in Australia in 2019. The related V90 wagon and the smaller V60 wagon were dropped from the local line-up in 2021. The S60 medium sedan remains on sale Down Under.Whether the ES90 completely replaces the S90 remains to be seen, but given Volvo’s push to full electrification by 2030, and the slowing market for internal combustion sedans, it’s likely.Pre-production has already begun in China, suggesting that it will be built there. Volvo is owned by Chinese automotive giant, Geely Holdings. While sedan sales have dropped in recent years, electric sedans have given the old school body style a second chance against the influx of high-riding SUVs.Some of the biggest selling EVs in Australia are sedans. This year alone, Tesla has sold 14,600 examples of the Model 3, while the relatively new BYD Seal has already found 5033 homes. Even the more premium BMW i4 has shifted 1454 units.Given the teaser campaign for the ES90 has just begun, expect more tidbits to be dropped by Volvo in the coming months.

Volvo has breathed new life into the ageing XC90 large SUV with a serious makeover to help it keep pace with its rivals.The seven-seat premium family-hauler has been on the market since 2015, with a number of updates along the way, but this upgrade will ensure the XC90 will be with us for a while yet.Australian launch timing is unclear, but Volvo is also in the process of launching the EX90 - an electric sibling to the XC90. The EV will land in Australia in April.The refreshed XC90 will, however, be electrified. The main powertrain variant confirmed is the plug-in hybrid T8, but 48-volt mild hybrid B5 and B6 grades will continue as well. The Australian 2025 XC90 line-up is yet to be outlined.The updated PHEV has an electric driving range of 70km on the WLTP cycle, and according to Volvo has a combined petrol-electric range of more than 800km.Volvo has not provided any more detail about the powertrain, so it’s unclear if it will have the same 288kW/640Nm outputs as the current model. It will be all-wheel drive.Volvo Australia has previously committed to becoming an EV-only brand by 2026 - much earlier than Vovo’s global target of 2030.However, the Chinese-owned Swedish brand is still selling plenty of non-electric models so the XC90 update makes sense. This will appeal to family buyers that aren’t quite ready to commit to a fully electric model.Volvo said in the XC90 press release the model mix is appropriate for right now, but suggested some markets are taking longer to embrace EVs.“This balance between fully electric and plug-in hybrids is the right portfolio for the market of today, as the premium fully electric market is still developing in several key markets. Plug-ins remain critical to our sales and profit growth plans over the coming years.”Whether this means Volvo Australia will include PHEVs as part of its plan to be electric only is unclear for now.The new 2025 XC90 ushers in a fresh front-end design, incorporating a modern take on the 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, and a new bonnet and grille with an updated diagonal logo spread across the car's face, giving it a sharper, smoother and more up-to-date look.Volvo hasn't messed with the signature LED tail-lights, aside from making them a little darker. Inside the XC90 gets a refreshed cabin and adopts the user experience from the EX90 and its smaller EX30 stablemate.It gains a larger 11.2-inch central touchscreen with higher resolution and Volvo says this “improves the user experience and opens up a world of new features, apps and of course regular over-the-air software updates”.In fact, Volvo says it will roll out this updated UX via a free over-the-air software update for any existing models that have Google built-in. That could be up to 2.5 million customers on cars built as early as 2020.Other interior tweaks include more practical storage spaces, particularly in the centre console, a horizontal dash design, restyled air vents and ‘premium’ recycled materials for the dash panels and trim.Under the skin, Volvo has made changes to the suspension setup to help improve ride quality. An optional air suspension is available with adjustable ride height.Local pricing hasn’t been confirmed but the current XC90 range runs from $100,990 before on-road costs for the B5 Bright, to $128,990 for the T8 PHEV.The all-electric seven-seat EX90 is expected to be priced north of $130,000 when it lands next year. The XC90 rides on Volvo’s SPA architecture, while the EX90 uses the SPA2 platform, shared with the incoming Polestar 3 SUV.The XC90 will continue to compete against the likes of the Lexus RX, BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Genesis GV80 and Mazda CX-90.The current XC90 landed in 2015, replacing the first-gen model that went on sale in 2006 becoming a global hit for Volvo.

Models like the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee have built Jeep's reputation as a go-anywhere adventure brand, with a premium twist. The famed brand is finally ready to enter the electric era and following some plug-in hybrid models, Jeep is gearing up to launch the Avenger sub-compact SUV in Australia this year. We test the Avenger in Italy before it reaches our shores.

Volvo already has two EVs in its stable, but the EX30 is the brand's first dedicated electric car built on an exclusively EV platform. There was a lot of excitement when the EX30 was revealed, but what's it like to live with? And is it good enough to face off against some increasingly stiff competition?

One of Australia’s favourite hot hatches has come in for an overhaul that adds some extra goodies, but it also comes with a price increase.

Most established carmakers are feeling the pressure from China and this iconic European brand is no exception.

Alfa Romeo is known for sleek sports cars, compact hatchbacks and sporty sedans, so why is its first electric car a small SUV?

The compact van battle is heating up with Renault delivering more affordable petrol versions of its Kangoo.

Alfa Romeo’s smallest model since the MiTo hatchback is also one of its most crucial.To make sure it stacks up, Alfa’s engineering team benchmarked the Junior against some interesting competitors during development.The sub-compact SUV will be offered in hybrid and electric guise in Europe in the coming months and the electric - or Elettrica - version has been locked in for an Australian debut at some point in 2025.The flagship of the range is the sporty Junior Elettrica Veloce, which we recently drove at the international launch in Italy.Speaking with Australian journalists at the international first drive, Alfa Romeo Head of Products Daniel Guzzafame said there were a range of different models that Alfa used to benchmark the Junior, and those models varied depending on the Junior’s powertrain and grade.“So for some performance is mainly the comfort. The Volvo is the right competitor so we compared that to the EX30 on that. But Volvo driving dynamics is not the right competitor. It would be too easy to say we are better than Volvo, okay. So I have the feeling of driving the XC40, it's like being on a truck. I love the car (XC40) but it's just not the intent,” he said.“So we took other references for that, so low-speed handling and dynamics it's the Mini, and high speed in electric there was not really much so we tested the BMW i4 and the Ioniq 5 N for the handling.“But again, that's because the reality is that there is not really something that can compare. And we were wanting to do something that was different from anything that was on the market. So it was not easy to get something really one-to-one compare.”While the Volvo and Mini were to be expected, the BMW i4 was a surprise.All Elettrica grades come with a 54kWh battery and the base Elettrica delivers 115kW/260Nm, while the Veloce pumps out 207kW/345Nm. The driving range is 410km and 334km respectively.The engineers focussed on injecting Alfa Romeo DNA into the Junior, ensuring it has Alfa’s light and direct steering, and handling prowess thanks to a sporty suspension setup, a mechanical self-locking differential as well as front and rear anti roll bars and sportier brakes.The Junior has a lot of weight on its sculpted shoulders as it is tasked with driving sales in Europe and in many global markets. It will not, however, be offered in the United States as it is seen as too small and niche for that market.In Australia it will face competition from rivals like the Lexus LBX, as well as a pair of models - the Peugeot E-2008 and incoming Jeep Avenger - that both share the same eCMP Stellantis platform as the Junior.When asked if the Junior had the potential to be Alfa’s best-selling model globally, Guzzafame said: “In terms of global sales, we'll see,” he said. “It will depend on the weight of Europe versus the rest of the world. If I look at today's line-up, next year, probably it will be, but it's also because we have a range to be renovated and in different countries that will need to start so next year probably the weight of Europe will be higher because of this model. And so if it's not going to be the most sold, it will be for sure at par with the others.”He added that other upcoming new Alfa Romeo models have the potential to be global best sellers, but that the Junior would top the brand’s tally in Europe given the continent’s preference for small, efficient cars.Other Alfa models on the horizon include the next-gen Stelvio next year, the next-gen Giulia in 2026 and then a yet-to-be revealed model that is expected to be larger than the Stelvio.

Alfa Romeo is in the middle of launching one of its most important models in decades, but there are a bunch of new models on the horizon that should get the Alfisti excited.