Volvo XC90

The brilliant XC90 may be big, but it's also well packaged and not as costly and inefficient to run as you might imagine. Practicality and versatility are also high.

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On the road price: £31,995 - £49,985
For : Cabin design, seven seats, massive boot, residuals, refinement
Against : Turning circle, large dimensions, sluggish performance, petrol thirst

Driving:
The XC90 has been designed to be as car-like as possible. The ride quality is very soft and smooth, soaking up city centre surfaces impressively well. This does mean it rolls through corners and can feel more ponderous than a regular estate car, but the balance isn't bad for one so large - though the steering is very over-assisted. It also has a poor turning circle, which makes hard work of city parking. Visibility is good though, which with the high seating position means it feels safe. There are three engines, but you should only consider the D5 diesel, even if it is noisy under acceleration. Petrol units are thirsty and never offer the vigour you may expect.

Marketplace:
For some time, the best-selling Volvo has not been the compact S40, or the V70 estate car - but its most expensive model, the XC90! It's got UK buyers clamouring ever since its launch, thanks to a blend of good looks, good all-round strengths and the attractions of seven seats - something that BMW and Mercedes still can't match. It's the X5 that provides the XC90's keenest competition, though the Land Rover Discovery is also extremely appealing, if a little larger than the Swedish SUV. All trim levels are well stocked and there's even a variant for those who want it all - Executive, which is horrendously expensive but still seems to prove quite popular. The D5 turbodiesel is by far the favoured engine, making 2.5T and T6 petrol units seem unacceptably thirsty and not that quick in comparison.

Owning:
The XC90 may be longer, taller and wider than the V70 estate car, but it still occupies significantly less road space than any luxury model you care to mention - it's shorter than the 5-Series Touring, for example. And few cars boast such intelligent use of the available room. The split-tailgate boot is massive, the rear seat palatial and cabin space up front is among the most comfortable and well laid out of any vehicle in production. It's substantially quieter than models such as the V70, too. And so long as you choose a diesel, you can expect fuel economy not far removed from regular estates - Volvo claims 34mpg combined, though petrol models will struggle to reach the low 20s. A superb reputation means retained values are very high, and lengthy 18,000-mile service intervals are expensive, but no more so than other Volvos. It's also safe for occupants in a crash, with a full five star Euro-NCAP score - plus, crucially, a two star result for pedestrians too, something no other big SUV can claim.