While it is stylish and less boxy than the traditional Volvo estate, the XC60 isn’t a case of form over function. It’s got a generous boot with 495 litres of space available (under the parcel shelf) with the seats up.

The rear seats split 40/20/40 and fold down flat so it’s easy to carry large objects while the boot itself is very wide and has no load lip so loading and unloading are straightforward. An electrically operated tailgate is available as an option but it’s quite slow and as the tailgate is light enough to close easy, there seems little point paying extra for it.

Up front there’s plenty of storage thanks to a good-sized glovebox and central cubby, plus there’s stowage behind the central console. The door pockets aren’t especially large though.

Volvo XC60 Mk1 safety

Safety and the Swedish car manufacturer are like cup and saucer, known to go together, so Volvo XC60 safety levels are always going to impress.

Firstly, the XC60 is one of the safest cars Volvo has ever built and no surprise then that it was awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP. It achieved this score in 2009’s tougher standards, though these are less stringent than current requirements so cannot be directly compared with new cars.

All models come with City Safety as standard – this is active up to speeds of 19mph and if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly (and the system deems a collision is likely) it primes the brakes – if the driver remains inactive the car applies the brakes automatically. When the speed difference between the two cars is less than 9mph then City Safety may help avoid a collision. Between 9mph and 19mph the focus is on reducing the impact and any potential damage or injuries.

Six airbags are standard along with DSTC stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, whiplash protection and roll stability control. Trailer stability assist (TSA) is an option which works with the stability control to prevent a trailer from snaking. Other systems available include a blind spot warning function and lane departure warning.