It's about time Volvo's best-selling vehicle has been bestowed with a little dexterity, enthusiasm and eye-catching style. The premium SUV category is intensely competitive now as sport-utes are morphing into high-speed, all-weather sport sedans. Safe-but-boring Volvo has needed something to keep its most popular vehicle in the game.

The V8 Sport makes it in the group of premium SUVs on driving merit, yet it's useful to remember that safety still gives the XC90 a unique position in its class. A non-defeat stability and traction control system remains (it is a Volvo, after all), and there are roll-sensing countermeasures, plus a bevy of airbags for all three rows of passengers.

One minute behind the wheel of the 2007 Volvo XC90 V8 Sport will convince you that it's now in the same league as the Acura MDX, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz ML. For that we have to thank the quality of cohesiveness, which works a magic that test numbers don't always show, whether it's in a sport sedan or a sport-utility.

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M

I for one think this car is freak'n sick!!!

I've always had a thing for Volvos, when German cars aren't on the brain Volvos have a fighting chance. Though this model is getting a little old.

M

Still think it's ugly

It is showing it's age. The XC60 is a sign of things to come for the XC range, so I'd expect the next gen XC90 to inherit it's charming, good looks.

Volvo is a very non pretentious, unassuming brand selected by those that want the most for their money, and as suggested, are also a little conservative. Some people view the latter characteristic as being detrimental to the potential for growth for Volvo. However, with market driven products like the XC90 V8 Sport, it shows that Volvo does indeed have the initiative to make more sporting, fun to drive products that appeal to the "German" minded consumer. From what I know this is most certainly not that last of this kind of product in the pipe line, a Mondeo derived S60 is on the way for next year, and much much more.