Driven: Volvo XC90 R-Design

Making the jump into parenthood is a magical experience… so I’m told. The sleepless nights, the curtailed social life and the purchase of endless specialist baby equipment are all worth it, I’m sure, but crucially, it’s an event that often strips a gentleman of his ‘impractical’ pride ‘n joy: his motorcar.

But fear not, gents, not all is lost in the car department when your heir is born – enter the Volvo XC90 R-Design. When the Swedish manufacturer first rolled out the original XC90 in 2002, it was a game changer for the brand. Like Mercedes did with the M-Class and Land Rover had done with the Range Rover, Volvo had plunged early into the SUV market – a natural choice when, for half the year, there’s sub-zero temperatures and only a few hours of daylight in its hometown of Gothenburg. 13 years later and Volvo has released its latest XC90 – a stylish and practical flagship for the Scandinavian brand.

First impressions are important and, when it’s parked on the driveway on a wet and windy winter morning, the XC90 is a reassuring sight. With bold lines and a boxy profile, it’s a confident looking machine, which, when taking into consideration Volvo’s strong association with safety, it makes a powerful pitch. Although a large bit of kit, it carries its size better than Audi’s slightly awkward looking Q7 and is less slab-sided than the current Range Rover. Helped by the simple Scandinavian design, the XC90’s proportions are deceptively dainty from a distance. Inside it’s a similar story. Looking out over the bonnet, it feels no more of a beast to manoeuvre than a large family estate car until, of course, it comes to the reverse parallel park. I have one thing to suggest in this department, gents: be sure to spec the reverse driving camera which, for a car of its dimensions and standing, should come as standard.

On the road the four-wheel drive gives a surprising level of grip for a car of its size and allows for confident cornering – a far cry from the unnerving body wobble experienced in a older SUV attempts. At the same time the XC90 soaks up lumps and bumps in its stride. Although it’s not quite as seamless and smooth as the ride the Range Rover provides, it’s enough to let you know you’re travelling over some unchartered territory and perhaps it’s time to launch off-road mode. The D5 diesel engine pulls surprisingly well and can pack a punch on the overtake, especially with ‘Dynamic’ driving mode selected, while ‘Eco’ mode will (realistically) achieve an impressive 38mpg.

With 7 adult-sized seats, the XC90 is a practical, stylish and left-field alternative to the premium family-sized SUVs from Land Rover, BMW and Audi. Sporting impressive safety tech such as; lane assist, which autonomously corrects the road position, keeping the car in between the white lines and BLIS, which warns of objects in blind spots, the XC90 is a well equipped bit of kit given its reasonable £49,000 starting price. The optional extra Bowers & Wilkins sound system (£3,000), with acoustics modelled on the Gothenburg Concert Hall, is a novel and worthwhile addition if in car entertainment is your thing, while the in-built Apple CarPlay is a neat and familiar way for iPhone users to connect while on the move.

The Volvo XC90 R-Design starts at £49,285. Model as tested was £59,730 including optional extras. Click here for more details.