Volvo Turns Up the Volume: Apple Music Hits Two Million Cars in OTA Audio Upgrade

Volvo is officially sprinkling some musical magic across more than two million of its cars, thanks to a new over‑the‑air update that brings Apple Music straight into the dashboard. No faff. Just pure, ad‑free tunes ready to soundtrack everything from the school run to your existential motorway musings.

And because Volvo knows the way to a driver’s heart is through free stuff, eligible customers can bag up to three months of Apple Music on the house. That’s a whole quarter of a year to decide whether you’re more of a “late‑night lo‑fi” person or a “scream‑singing 2000s pop hits” type.

Spatial Audio: Now Your Car Has Better Acoustics Than Your Home

The Swedish car maker sold over 710,000 cars in 2025 — nearly half of which were electrified. With R&D hubs in Gothenburg and Shanghai, the brand continues pushing toward a fully electric future… now with a much better soundtrack.

If you’re lucky enough to be cruising in an EX60, EX90 or ES90, you’ll also get Apple Music Spatial Audio powered by Dolby Atmos — the kind of tech normally reserved for fancy cinemas and specialist home theatres.

Pair that with Volvo’s optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and you’ve basically got a mobile concert venue. Volvo says the experience puts you “at the centre of the sound,” which is a polite way of saying your passengers will now hear every questionable playlist choice in pristine clarity.

We have experienced the Bowers & Wilkins system, complete with Abbey Road Studio Mode, in the EX90 and were suitably impressed. In fact, Adam Rayner concluded, “From tinkly hi-hat cymbals and breathy vocal harmonics, impactful drums and crisp guitar edges, to visceral, subterranean bass, it has it all. What an absolutely fabulous option for this modern spaceship on wheels!”

Quiet Cabins, Loud Tunes

Volvo’s latest models are engineered to be quieter than ever — ideal for high‑fidelity audio and also for pretending you can’t hear your kids arguing in the back. The company’s soundproofing and acoustic tuning mean your favourite tracks will hit harder, cleaner and richer than before.

We have looked into the billion-dollar car audio business as Atmos and Spatial Audio become almost as important to motorists as powered windows and parking cameras. Read on if you want to know more.

Who Gets the Update?

The rollout covers a long list of models from 2020 onwards, including:

EX90, ES90, XC90, S90, V90, XC60, S60, V60, XC40, EX40, and EC40.

Timing varies by model, but the free‑trial offer runs until 6 July 2027 and is redeemable via the Volvo Cars app.

For more information on these models visit Volvo