Volvo XC90: a worthy contender for car of the year

The European Car of the Year contest, judged by a panel of journalists from a number of leading car magazines, is no stranger to controversy, says Stephen Dobie on TopGear.com. For every deserving winner, there has been a suspect one. But this year's line up is "all talent".

Whichever car makes it from the short list the winner will be revealed on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show in February 2016 it will be a deserving one. The short list features the Audi A4, BMW 7-Series, Mazda MX-5, Jaguar XE, Vauxhall Astra and Skoda Superb. Last but not least is the fantastic-looking Volvo XC90.

AutoExpress magazine awarded the Volvo its car of the year award back in June of this year. If such contests were to be judged on looks alone, said the magazine, the Volvo would romp to victory every time. "Thanks to its blend of imposingproportions and exquisite detailing, the handsome SUV has huge presence without being overly brash or aggressive." But it's not all looks.

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The interior is clean and crisp and made with top-quality materials; the drive is relaxing and unflustered. Volvo still leads the class in comfort, refinement and safety. Add in cutting edge technology, seven-seater practicality and great value for money, and the Volvo looks hard to beat.

It's one of the best SUVs on the market, agrees Graham Scott in The Independent. It's a "big old beast", with only a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine. But then they add a turbo. Then a supercharger. Then an 81bhp electric motor. "That's more like it." The cabin is a comfortable place to be, and you can drive rapidly with little fuss. Whatever way you look at it, this is a car that "makes a great deal of sense".

Price: £60,455 (for the T8 Momentum)Top speed: 140mph0-62mph: 5.6 secsEngine: 1,969cc, supercharged and turbocharged petrol, plus electric motorFuel: 134.5mpg (combined)