The modern automotive industry has made mission creep a way of life, whether it’s loading cars with complicated software or adding features on top of features until the simplest driving task makes you scratch your head in frustration. Even seemingly basic gear isn’t immune from automakers adding every possible bell and whistle in an attempt to prove their product is that much more useful than rival offerings.

Pickup truck tailgates are a perfect example of mission creep run amok. Today’s tailgates are infinitely more complicated than their predecessors. Once upon a time, they had one job to do: open, close, and give you access to your cargo. Now, they’ve added so much extra functionality, you might need an advanced degree in origami simply to fold them back together when you’re done using them.

Are tailgates actually more useful than they used to be? And what kind of a price are we paying for dressing up a beyond-simple mechanism to tackle edge-case applications most owners will rarely if ever use?

Darkness Comes for the U.K. as Volvo Introduces the 2026 XC90 Black Edition Hybrid SUV

Offered in both a PHEV and mild hybrid, the 2026 Volvo XC90 Black Edition plays to a certain character with more than just its color.Justin BannerWriter

ManufacturerPhotographerOct 02, 2025

With the launch of the new 2026 XC90, Volvo thought it was a great time to introduce its darker side with a Black Edition. While that does bring about imagery of a black-on-black SUV, the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) will offer more options outside and inside than just black.

The Black Editions of the Volvo lineup provide a unique character you don’t typically associate with the Swedish brand. It offers a bit of a sinister tone on an otherwise sedate Volvo vehicle. The distinct change in the 2026 XC90 Black Edition versus the rest of the trims is that three other body color choices are available besides Onyx Black. The choices of Crystal White, Denim Blue, and Vapor Gray are contrasted by high-gloss black features like the Volvo iron mark, the grille, rear badges, and wheels. Though, we must say, we prefer the gangstered-out all-black option.

Inside, there’s a choice of two all-black themes that come with a charcoal headliner and checkered aluminum trim. There are also two options for materials on the charcoal-colored seats. Outside of all that, the 2026 Volvo XC90 Black Edition will come with the standard equipment featured in the Plus, Plus Pro, and Ultra trims. There’s just a bit of bad news for us Colonials: the Black Edition will only be available in the U.K. Volvo’s U.S. representative tells us there are no plans to bring the 2026 XC90 Black Edition to the U.S. “right now,” and that U.S. customers can get nearly the same looks with the Dark theme but without the high-gloss black badging. But is it really all the same without that? We think not and hope Volvo will get enough demand from Americans to bring it our way