Volvo is seriously considering building a larger SUV that would sit above its current flagship models, the XC90 and EX90. The goal would be to compete directly with large luxury SUVs like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, which are bigger than anything the Swedish carmaker currently sells. However, no final decision has been made yet.
Why is Volvo considering a bigger SUV?
Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson reportedly said demand for large three-row SUVs is growing, especially in the United States and China. Volvo is considering whether to expand its SUV lineup, as these markets continue to favour larger vehicles. Samuelsson confirmed Volvo is exploring the idea, but stressed the project has not yet been approved. Speaking to Automotive News, he said “bigger SUVs” are something Volvo is actively looking into, while cautioning that the proposal has not yet been green-lit.
How big would the SUV be?
Volvo has made it clear this new SUV would be bigger than the Volvo XC90 and EX90 (both around 5m long) but not as huge as American SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade.
This would put it squarely in the same size class as the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, both roughly 5.2m long. Volvo says the vehicle would need to be suitable for multiple markets, including Europe, not just the US. Volvo chief commercial officer Erik Severinson said any new SUV would need to be “not too big for another market”, suggesting it would be designed with global appeal in mind.
Where could the SUV be built?
If Volvo goes ahead, the most likely production location would be Volvo’s factory in South Carolina, USA. This makes sense because the US is a key market for large SUVs, and cars built in China face high import tariffs when sold in the US.
The South Carolina plant already builds the Volvo EX90, Polestar 3, and XC60 (production in 2027), and Volvo has also confirmed a plug-in hybrid model will be built there in future. That said, Volvo has not officially confirmed where the new, bigger SUV would be produced. Samuelsson stopped short of confirming production plans, saying the new vehicle “may be a bigger one”, while adding that a plug-in hybrid would be “very attractive for US customers”.
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What platform and technology could it use?
Volvo has not confirmed the platform, but there are two main possibilities.
Option one is the updated Volvo SPA Platform. It’s an evolved version of the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which is already proven and used by the XC90.
Option two is the Geely Group Platform (SEA-S). Because Volvo is owned by Geely, it has access to Chinese platforms, shared components, and shared manufacturing know-how. Severinson described this ability to collaborate on platforms, components and manufacturing sites across the Geely Group as one of Volvo’s “superpowers”. Volvo has already used this strategy by turning the Zeekr 009 into the Volvo EM90 people mover.
The closest upcoming Volvo SUV match is the Zeekr 9X (PHEV), which is about 5.2 metres long and uses the SEA-S platform. If Volvo borrows heavily from the Zeekr 9X, the new SUV could include a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, three electric motors (for top trims), and a power output of up to 1030kW.
This means large batteries offering a long 380km of electric-only driving range (under China’s generous CLTC testing standard). However, none of this is confirmed for Volvo yet.
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