Volvo XC90 review - is range topping T8 hybrid any good? - Design

The exterior is similar to the old XC90, albeit sharpened up, smoothed out and given the latest high-tech detailing. And it works really well, especially as it masks the Volvo’s bulk – the XC90 is almost five metres long, more than two metres wide and 1776mm tall. So it’s not a small machine, but standing next to it, the XC90 doesn’t dominate.

Some of the detailing is fabulous – the ‘Thor’s hammer’ daytime running lights stand out in particular, and are fitted range-wide as standard in the UK. The entire car looks sophisticated and modern, without resorting to complicated or gratuitous design trends. You might say it's very Swedish, in that respect – and like the model it replaces, it shouldn't age too quickly.

Best of all, it looks good no matter what size wheels it is sitting on nor which trim you specify. At the launch event, there was a beautiful-looking R Design finished in a matte blue paint, but as yet Volvo UK isn’t planning on bringing that finish here. It should do, because it made an already handsome SUV look absolutely fantastic.