The new XC90 is a replacement for one of Volvo's most popular cars of the 21st century. It's sold in the UK only in seven-seat form and with a choice of three high trim levels, more basic cars being considered unsuitable for this market.

Volvo's already substantial reputation for safety in enhanced still further here. The XC90 has two world firsts in this department - one which prepares the car for a crash if it leaves the road, another a new development of the City Safety system introduced in the XC60 which applies the brakes if the driver turns into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

From launch, the XC90 is being offered with a 222bhp D5 diesel engine, a 316bhp T6 petrol and a T8 "twin engine" hybrid powertrain which combines the T6 with an electric motor. Other engines will follow in due course. All versions have four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, but a front-wheel drive diesel is under development. It goes head-to-head with the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery.

Performance

The D5's 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds and 137mph top speed are impressive for the slowest car in the range. The T6, which like the diesel has a 2-litre four-cylinder engine, has equivalent figures of 6.5 seconds and 143mph, and performs well at low to medium revs, though not quite as well as the D5.

The T8 has a slightly lower top speed than the T6 at 140mph, but the extra 86bhp provided by the electric motor helps it from 0-62mph in just 5.6 seconds. That puts it on level terms with several hot hatchbacks.

The sound of the diesel engine is covered by road noise unless you're pushing it hard. The T6 is quieter still in most circumstances but develops a very crisp exhaust note beyond 5,000rpm. In all cases, the eight-speed automatic transmission changes gear very smoothly. There are no paddle shifts, but you can choose ratios yourself by using the manual over-ride on the shift lever.

Ride and Handling

The ride quality and surprisingly nimble handling are similar no matter which suspension set-up you have.

In really energetic driving over country roads you can feel the effects of the weight and high centre of gravity, but apart from that the XC90 rides very smoothly (at least on the smallest, 19-inch wheels) despite Volvo's decision to use an apparently archaic transverse leaf spring on the rear on cheaper models. A more sophisticated air suspension system is also available, and cars fitted with it have the option of three modes called Comfort, Dynamic and Off-Road, plus a fourth called Individual if you want to create your own medley of settings. The ride quality and surprisingly nimble handling are similar no matter which suspension set-up you have.

Interior and Equipment

The Scalable Platform Architecture developed for the XC90 will be used for other large Volvos in future.

Volvo has put a lot of work into making the interior both comfortable and spacious. The XC90 can carry four large adults, plus two more in the third row (officially up to five feet seven inches, though larger people can fit in there too) and a child in the middle. The luggage capacity varies between 397 and 1,951 litres in most models depending on how many seats are up, and between 262 and 1816 litres in the case of the T8. Since the minor controls are largely contained within a tablet-style centre screen, there are very few buttons. There are no analogue instruments, since Volvo - an early adopter of thin-film digital displays - now uses these exclusively in the XC90.

Cost

The T8s are the most expensive versions by quite some margin, but they will also be by far the cheapest to run, since their hybrid system means combined fuel economy is 134.5mpg and CO2 emissions are just 49g/km.

Prices range from just over £45,500 to near £65,000. The T8s are the most expensive versions by quite some margin, but they will also be by far the cheapest to run, since their hybrid system means combined fuel economy is 134.5mpg and CO2 emissions are just 49g/km. Benefit In Kind taxation is therefore as low as it can possibly be, and owners won't have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty or the London congestion charge. The best figures for the other cars are 49.6mpg and 149g/km (D5) and 36.7mpg and 179g/km (T6). These apply if the car has 19-inch wheels; with the 20s fitted to higher-spec models, or the 21s or 22s available as optional extras, both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are higher. The proposed front-wheel drive D5 will probably come in at under 129g/km, making it the cheapest XC90 to tax after the T8.

Our Verdict

Despite its by now antiquated design, the old XC90 remained a popular car in its last years of production. Volvo was clearly determined not to lose valuable SUV customers and has produced a very fine replacement. To our eyes, you , but you can't argue with its driving manners, its performance or the spectacularly low running costs of the T8. The forthcoming front-wheel drive car will add new appeal to an already very impressive range.