Sector Large Suv   Price £45,550–£63,650   Fuel 35.3–112.9mpg   CO2 59–179g/km

In car years the outgoing Volvo XC90 qualified for one of those ‘well done for getting old’ letters from the Queen some time ago, but even at the end of a 13-year lifecycle it remained a serious choice for those looking for comfort and versatility above all from their SUV.

So, predictably, Volvo hasn’t added any new dishes to the XC90 smorgasbord, but has instead made the good ones even better: this XC90 is bigger, more versatile, more comfortable, and safer. A sporty SUV it isn’t.

That aligns the XC90 more with the stuff of Solihull (Land Rover Discovery and, at a push, Range Rover) than the more dynamically gaited Germans that together form the basis of the posh 4×4 segment.

Things start well. It’s a lovely place to sit, with a calming, uncluttered cabin that best suits lighter colours and wood trim, but is classy throughout. Dominated by a large, high definition and outstandingly intuitive touchscreen, the XC90’s interior effortlessly melds traditional and technological comforts.

Comfort is the outstanding quality in this car. For a large box on big wheels it keeps wind and road noise exceptionally low, and its ride quality is worthy of any luxury saloon, especially on the motorway – although, granted, the cars we’ve tried so far have all had optional air suspension, while the standard configuration uses a fairly old-school leaf spring rear setup to maximise space.

The XC90 is the definition of versatility. All the rear seats fold flat and come back up again easily, and the middle row slides to give the sixth and seventh passengers more leg space – and when those two seats are folded there’s a 775-litre boot.

Only the engines occasionally give this Swedish SUV away as a luxury imposter. Three come to the UK, all four-cylinder and all with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard: 222bhp D5 diesel, 316bhp T5 turbo petrol and 395bhp petrol-electric hybrid T8. Each are hushed at low revs, but become a very non-executive drone when pushed. They’re all punchy, but run out of steam slightly from the mid range.

The D5 diesel will prove the big seller for now (it’s the best all-rounder and the 35.3mpg T6 petrol makes very little sense), but for the fleet market, the T8 could find its way to many a finance director’s driveway. This seven-seat executive SUV puts out just 59g/km and returns 112.9mpg, giving it a 100% first year write down allowance, 9% BiK rating and, calculates Volvo, a monthly tax outlay of just £180. By the same calculation, the D5 costs £410 per month.

All versions of the XC90 are well equipped, and although there are only three trim variations, Volvo has bafflingly decided to scrap the easy-to-comprehend trim naming convention (SE to SE Lux to Executive) in favour of arbitrary names. Base level is called Momentum, with Inscription and R-Design sitting parallel above it, the latter the sportier of the two. Incidentally, half of all UK sales will be Momentum.

In the UK full-LED headlights are standard issue, as is navigation, the aforementioned touchscreen media system, air-filtering climate control, a powered tailgate, part-leather upholstery, DAB radio, Bluetooth, and even a high definition reversing camera. P11D prices start at £45,550.

Momentum may be a fairly random sounding trim name, but it’s a very appropriate descriptor for both the XC90 and Volvo itself. Not only is this the best Volvo in recent memory, it’s also the blueprint for the company’s post-Ford future – a future that, to shoehorn in another Volvo-appropriate metaphor, should see the company sail blissfully into happy times.

Verdict:

Superb refinement, a lovely cabin, joyous infotainment system and relatively low running costs make the XC90 a class act in the premium SUV segment. Sweden has given Land Rover something to worry about.