There's something imposing, almost regal, about the Volvo XC90, an SUV that's now entering its second decade of production. You almost expect the Queen to jump out of it, in gumboots, into a puddle.
Despite a facelift and minor running changes, the big Swede hasn't altered all that much over
the years but its styling still manages to look contemporary. It's handsome in a slightly aggressive way and has tremendous road presence.
It's also a vehicle that occupies a fair slice of roadway real estate with a footprint not that much smaller than a Toyota Land Cruiser's, a vehicle often singled out by those who like to criticise the size of SUVs.
However, the Volvo's footprint is put to good use because, inside, there's a whole heap of useable space. A third row of seats lays hidden beneath the beautifully carpeted floor when not needed and there's a big cargo area, generous legroom for those in the second row and better buckets in the front than some palace recliners.
For those who need a commodious SUV of good quality, but who don't want to go the conventional big 4WD route, the XC90 - a new model of which isn't coming until 2014 - could be just the thing at $89,990. Although it's the biggest Volvo, the truck line excepted, it's not quite the most expensive; the smaller XC60 T6 R-Design comes in just short of $97,000.
