Luxury automaker announces 4 new cars for South Africa

Volvo has announced its product plans for 2026, which will see the introduction of at least four new cars in South Africa.

The Swedish carmaker’s local division confirmed that next year will usher in the all-new ES90 sedan and EX60 SUV.

Additionally, Volvo Car South Africa (VCSA) plans to add a new Black Edition variant to several model lines, including the facelifted XC60 and XC90.

This is on top of the smaller changes the company is making to its catalogue, like renaming the C40 to the EC40, and the XC40 Recharge to the EX40 to better match the rest of its products.

It also stated that the “Recharge” suffix is being retired, likely because the name is redundant now that nearly all of Volvo’s cars are electrified.

What’s coming in 2026

First on the menu is the new ES90, a luxury sedan that will make its debut in the mid-to-late first quarter, according to Volvo.

In other words, it should arrive sometime between February and the end of March.

The ES90 will be made available in three specifications with different powertrains, starting with a Single Motor option that sends 245kW and 480Nm down to the rear wheels.

This version can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in a swift 6.9 seconds, and has a 92kWh battery with a range of 650km.

Next up is a Twin Motor option that adds a second motor over the front axle, leading to a combined output of 330kW and 670Nm.

This cuts down the acceleration time to 5.5 seconds, putting it in hot hatchback territory.

It also has a larger 102kWh battery that increases the range to 700km.

At the top of the range is the Twin Motor Performance, which as its name implies, is the most powerful of the group by a wide margin.

The flagship generates an insane 500kW and 870Nm, letting it sprint from 0 to 100km/h in under 4.0 seconds.

Volvo will only confirm the vehicle’s pricing and spec sheet closer to launch, but the latter is expected to be similar to the EX90 SUV already on sale in South Africa.

The ES90 comes with the brand’s standout LiDAR system, which emits a high-precision laser to create a 3D map of the car’s surroundings, letting it identity upcoming objects and hazards like unmarked objects, pedestrians, and cyclists.

It’s also expected to have a 9-inch digital driver display, a 14.5-inch portrait infotainment screen, a wireless phone charger, a Bowers & Wilkins stereo, automatic climate control, and driving aids like a 360-degree camera, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot detection.

Next up is the EX60, which is set to arrive in the mid-to-late third quarter of 2026, translating to a window between August and September.

Details on this model are more spartan, as the company has only provided a single teaser image of the SUV’s side profile.

That being said, we can gather from its name that this will be the midpoint between the EX30 and EX90, with near identical styling both inside and out.

In terms of size, the EX60 should be similar to the XC60, which is 4,688mm long, 1,902mm wide, and 1,658mm tall.

The powertrain is still a mystery, but just as a reference, the range-topping EX30 Twin Motor produces 315kW and 543Nm, so the EX60 should be in the same ballpark.

Last but not least are the Black Edition versions of the facelifted XC60 and XC90, which VCSA has yet to provide a launch window for.

While the company has provided no information on these models as of the time of writing, we know what to expect, based on its previous works.

Last year, the pre-facelift XC60 received the Black Edition treatment, creating a limited run of 23 models with exclusive cosmetics.

This included a new Onyx Black metallic paint scheme, and a bespoke grille, and 21-inch five-spoke alloy rims with a high-gloss black finish.

The same finish was applied to the badges and the Volvo lettering on the tailgate.

Inside, the cabin features a charcoal headliner and one of two charcoal-themed seat covers: a Nappa leather and textile affair, or ventilated Nappa leather upholstery.

The Black Edition makeover is purely cosmetic, as the powertrain is unchanged.

All of this is to say that the updated XC60 and XC90 will receive something similar next year.