In this space, though, among those likely to drive the XC90 to work, school, soccer practice and the regular road trip, that experience is likely what’s actually desired. Of all the XC90’s terrific attributes, the driving experience is somewhat lackluster. Twenty-, 21- and 22-inch wheels are available as well. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard, and they look good. The rest of the exterior is what one would expect, and the horizontal rear taillights are a nice adaptation of what’s been used on Volvos for most of the past decade. That said, though, I’m not one to be overly enamored with headlights. The standard lights look fine, but I can’t remember a headlight I was more enamored with than this. Sadly, these lights are not standard on the base trim, called Momentum they come on the R-Design and Inscription trim levels. The whole look is solidified by what Volvo is calling Thor’s Hammer LED headlights. The XC90 stands out with an elegant design, thanks mainly to a large grille with 17 slats diagonally bisected by a rather large version of Volvo’s emblem. Volvo has no problem with that a simple, clean aesthetic is its calling card on almost all its vehicles, even during a recent design renaissance.

There’s not a lot of new ground in the realm of SUV styling, so it pays to go simple. It comes only with all-wheel drive, but still seats seven occupants in three rows. Unlike the previous generation, last sold as a 2014 model, the redone XC90 doesn’t offer front-wheel drive. One of the first true luxury three-row SUVs on the market, the XC90 has been a huge success, but it took years for Volvo to give such an important car a significant update. The 2016 Volvo XC90 is not only a redesign, it’s a complete overhaul that’s stunning inside and out, with a host of technology that not only impresses, it works instinctively.

Volvo crossover suv 2016