THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF

The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason

- SAM PHILLIPS

Plush, mature and packed full of usable technology, the secondgeneration Volvo XC90 arrived as a serious statement of intent back in 2015, delivering performance, practicality, style and efficiency in a way that made it the definitive all-rounder in a segment brimming with talent.

But it also landed at a tricky time for Volvo: the firm was still trying to find its feet after a takeover by Chinese car giant Geely, and any successor to the original XC90 needed to hit the ground running as the seven-seater had grown into one of the brand's best-selling models.

Volvo didn't hold back. The XC90 got an all-new platform, complete redesign, electronic overhaul and revamped line of engines, accompanied by an upmarket interior in a bid to outdo the likes of the BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery and Audi Q7.

The effort paid off, to such an extent that it's still on sale today - albeit following some chunky updates over the past few years.

But while the starting price for the latest version is a heady £64,000, you can grab yourself an early car for as little as £14,000.