Volvo XC90 (02 on) - Review

Quiet and smooth on the motorway, the XC90 is ideal for family transport and this is helped further by the fact that all models come with seven seats as standard. The extra seats in the third row are quite tight for space, but they're no worse than any other off-roader this size, plus there's enough room for children. However adults will find severely restricted knee and head room. On the plus side, there's plenty of room elsewhere and Volvo is renowned for having the most comfortable seats around, although there's a lack of side support. Wind and engine noise are low, although the diesels can be noisy under hard acceleration.

The enormous boot can carry 615-litres of luggage with the standard five-seats in use - only marginally less than the BMW X5 and considerably more than a Volkswagen Touareg. However, with the extra seats in use this is cut to just 249-litres - not much more than a Ford Ka. The extra seats fold flat into the floor, but lifting them is fiddly. At least each seat in the middle row slides independently, so you can maximise load space or leg room. Loading the Volvo is easy too thanks to the split tailgate which means you can slide items in and out without a boot lip to lift over. The drop down section is also useful as a seat, ideal for changing out of muddy wellies.

Like the rest of the XC90, the cabin exudes a robust and solid feel, although it's not quite as stylish as some of Volvo's newer models such as the 2007 XC70. There are quite a lot of buttons and switches which take a little getting used to, but there's no question mark over the quality of the finish or the materials used. The driving position is good and visibility is excellent, although the size and bulk of the XC90 means parking can be a challenge - fortunately rear parking sensors come as standard on all models. The optional sat nav was upgraded when the model was facelifted in 2006 and is now a hard disk system (rather than DVD) making it quicker to use.