XC90 can still make a driver feel special

The Volvo XC90 has been in existence now since 2003 and while it may be showing its age just a little, it certainly hasn’t lost any of its road presence.

Volvo’s big, tall 4x4 is an imposing design, even if it lacks some of the sexiness of the smaller and more modern XC60.

But as a family bus with off road and seven-seat capabilities, it’s a real contender.

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Our test car was powered by Volvo’s trusty D5 five-pot and despite the size of the vehicle, the engine moves it swiftly along and emits a pleasing diesel roar in the process.

One of the pleasing aspects of driving the XC90 is the commanding driving position that allows both a good view of the road ahead and a general feeling of being a Very Important Person.

And that feeling is added to by the interior of the car. Again, it’s not as whizz bang up-to-date as younger Volvo models, but it’s all done very nicely.

This ‘SE Lux’ model was fitted with sofa-like leather seats (heated, of course), satellite navigation all the rest of the toys you would expect.

Are there any down sides? Well yes, but not many.

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With the seven seats in place, the boot becomes actually rather small for such a huge vehicle, so you would have to weigh up whether it would be able to serve your carrying needs. The foot-operated parking brake is also rather difficult to get used to and will not be to everyone’s liking.

And of course it isn’t cheap - the test car with its myriad options is £47,665, while the normal on the road price is £43, 515.

So if you buy the XC90, you won’t be getting the most cutting edge of 4x4 design and technology, but you will be getting an a incredibly comfortable, capable car that still has more than enough head-turning ability to make you feel special.

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