Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs Volvo XC90

What's the difference?

Hyundai is reaching for new heights with the Ioniq 9. And I don't just mean that literally – though it's certainly true that this three-row electric SUV is an absolute giant of a vehicle. I mean because it's also the most expensive car, electric or otherwise, to ever wear the Hyundai badge.

With it, Hyundai steps into premium air – the Volvo EX90 starts at around the same money, as does the Audi Q6 e-tron, albeit with fewer seats.

And because Hyundai has only brought in one flagship variant, the Ioniq 9 is also miles above the cheapest Kia EV9. But will its customers rise with it? 

Let's find out.

The first-generation Volvo XC90 remained on sale for 12 years in Australia before being replaced by the handsome second-gen version that recently clocked up a decade of sales.

There’s a reason for the longevity. People love the Volvo XC90. It is a reliable seven-seat family-friendly SUV with a premium bent. You’ll spot loads of these at fancy private school drop off.

Volvo has extended the life of the second-gen XC90 with a significant late-life update. It adopts some features from its stablemate, the similarly sized and positioned EX90 electric SUV.

It doesn’t get a fully-electric powertrain but you have the choice of a mild-hybrid grade that acts as the range opener and the well-equipped T8 Plug-In Hybrid I’m testing.

Interestingly, a number of this car’s rivals have had their lives extended, too. As many carmakers pour billions into EVs, they’ve taken to delivering major updates to older internal combustion platforms rather than developing all-new underpinnings. The Audi Q7 and BMW X5 are other examples of this.

For the update, Volvo has ushered in a front-end design refresh, a fresh take on the interior, new multimedia and safety tech, a light tweak to suspension and new colours and wheels.

But is this enough to keep premium SUV buyers interested? Let’s find out…