When Will the Volvo XC90 Be Redesigned?

If you’ve been holding off on an XC90 purchase hoping a redesign is right around the corner, here’s the honest answer: it’s coming, but not this year, and not next year either. Volvo has already told us roughly when and why.

TL;DR

• A fully redesigned XC90 is expected around the 2028 model year, with production reportedly starting in October 2028.
• The current XC90 launched in 2015 and has only received facelifts since, making this the longest gap between full redesigns in the nameplate’s history.
• The next-gen XC90 is expected to use a new platform and an extended-range hybrid (EREV) powertrain, not a full-electric-only setup.
• Volvo plans to build it in Ridgeville, South Carolina, specifically tailored to U.S. demand for hybrid technology.
• Nothing is officially locked in yet. Volvo executives have confirmed a next-gen large hybrid SUV is coming, without confirming every detail publicly.

Short version: expect a genuinely new XC90 for the 2028 model year, not before, built around a hybrid powertrain rather than a pure EV. The rest of this guide breaks down where that timeline comes from and what’s likely to change.

Why the Wait Has Been So Long

The current second-generation XC90 first went on sale in 2015, and Volvo has stretched its life with two rounds of facelifts rather than a full redesign, an unusually long product cycle by industry standards. Volvo Cars Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson has pointed to the XC90’s segment as one where demand for extended-range hybrid technology is strongest, suggesting that Volvo has been waiting for the right powertrain strategy rather than dragging its feet on design.

Quick Tip: If your current XC90 needs replacing now, don’t wait on rumors. A 2028-or-later redesign is still roughly two years out at the earliest, and the current facelifted model remains a genuinely competitive, recently updated SUV in its own right.

Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson addressed the timeline directly on a mid-2025 earnings call, acknowledging that “one day we will need a new XC90” given the current model’s 2015 launch date, while declining to confirm specifics at that time. By September 2025, at a media roundtable in South Carolina, he had firmed up the story considerably, confirming Volvo would build a new, next-generation hybrid model locally, developed specifically for U.S. demand.

The Expected 2028 Timeline

Industry reporting has converged on a fairly consistent window for the redesigned XC90’s arrival.

What’s been reported:

• Automotive News reports that Volvo is targeting a 2028 model year redesign
• Production is expected to begin around October 2028 at Volvo’s South Carolina facility
• The SUV could reach dealers before the end of 2028 or in early 2029
• Volvo has announced plans to build a fourth model at its $1.3 billion South Carolina factory by 2030, widely believed to be this next-gen XC90

Real-world scenario: Picture a family currently shopping for a three-row SUV who’s heard “a new XC90 is coming” and wants to know whether to wait. Based on the reported timeline, anyone who needs a vehicle before 2029 is realistically choosing between the current facelifted XC90 and a competitor, not waiting for the redesign.

Expert Insight: Automaker product timelines routinely slip by six to twelve months, especially for redesigns involving a new platform and powertrain. Treat “2028” as a target Volvo is building toward, not a guarantee etched in stone.

What’s Expected to Change

Platform: Reports differ slightly here. Some sources point to a new architecture referred to as “SPA 1.5,” an evolution of the current SPA platform, while other reporting suggests Volvo has resumed development on a version of the original SPA 1 platform underpinning today’s SUV. Either way, expect meaningful mechanical changes rather than a simple styling refresh.

Powertrain: The next-gen XC90 is widely expected to be classified as an EREV (extended-range electric vehicle), using a gas engine purely as a generator for a battery pack while electric motors handle propulsion. Early estimates point to roughly 100 miles of all-electric range before the gas generator kicks in, a significant jump from today’s plug-in hybrid range.

Technology: Volvo has signed a deal with automotive tech company Aptiv to use its Gen 8 radar platform for safety and driver-assistance systems starting in 2028, with the next-gen XC90 rumored to be the first model to use it. That suggests a shift toward camera-and-radar-based ADAS with reduced reliance on lidar.

Size and positioning: Volvo executives have described the upcoming model as a bigger-sized car aimed primarily at American buyers, with room for large families and their luggage, suggesting the redesign may grow the XC90’s footprint rather than shrink it.

Should You Buy Now or Wait?

Choose the current XC90 if: you need a three-row SUV in the next year or two, since the redesign is still roughly two-plus years out and the current model was substantially refreshed as recently as the 2025.5 and 2026 model years.

Choose to wait if: your timeline is flexible into 2028 or 2029 and you specifically want the extended-range hybrid powertrain and updated ADAS hardware the next-gen model is expected to bring.

Pros and Cons by Buyer Type

The buyer who needs a car this year:

• Pros: The current XC90 already received a substantial 2026 model year refresh with updated styling, a larger touchscreen, and adaptive suspension improvements.
• Cons: You’ll miss out on the reported EREV powertrain and its roughly 100-mile electric-only range if that technology matters to you.

The patient shopper willing to wait until 2028+:

• Pros: You’ll get genuinely new architecture, updated ADAS hardware, and a powertrain built around U.S. driving habits and hybrid preferences.
• Cons: Reported timelines for new platforms commonly slip, and early production-year vehicles sometimes carry more initial reliability unknowns than a mature, refreshed model.

The plug-in hybrid loyalist (current T8 owner):

• Pros: Volvo has confirmed continued investment in plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid technology as a bridge, so current XC90 PHEV owners aren’t being abandoned.
• Cons: The XC90 T8 platform itself will eventually be phased out in favor of the new EREV architecture, so long-term parts and support timelines are worth watching.

FAQ

Is Volvo officially confirming a new XC90 for 2028? Volvo executives have confirmed a next-generation hybrid model is coming, built specifically for the U.S. market, but the company has not published an official on-sale date as of mid-2026.

Will the next XC90 be fully electric? No. Current reporting points to an extended-range hybrid (EREV) powertrain, not a battery-only setup, since Volvo’s own EX90 already covers the fully electric large SUV segment.

Where will the redesigned XC90 be built? Reports point to Volvo’s South Carolina facility near Ridgeville, the same plant that builds the EX90, with production reportedly starting around October 2028.

Should I buy a 2026 or 2027 XC90 now, or wait for the redesign? If you need a three-row SUV in the next year or two, the current facelifted XC90 remains a strong, recently updated option; waiting only makes sense if your timeline stretches comfortably into 2028 or later.

How is the next-gen XC90 different from the EX90? The EX90 is Volvo’s current fully electric large SUV, while the next-gen XC90 is expected to use a gas-engine-as-generator hybrid setup, giving buyers a hybrid alternative alongside the all-electric EX90 rather than replacing it.

Key Takeaways

• Expect a fully redesigned XC90 around the 2028 model year, not sooner.
• The redesign is expected to bring a new platform and an extended-range hybrid powertrain.
• Production is reportedly planned for Volvo’s South Carolina facility.
• The current XC90 was already substantially refreshed for 2025.5 and 2026, so it remains competitive in the meantime.
• Treat all of these details as developing reports, not confirmed specifications, until Volvo makes an official announcement.

What’s Next

Keep an eye on Volvo’s official newsroom for confirmation as the 2028 timeline approaches, and compare the current XC90’s 2026 refresh against competitors if you need a three-row SUV sooner.