“Brilliant, beguiling” Volvo XC90 wins best large luxury SUV of 2023

Volvo Car Australia’s XC90 has been awarded best large luxury SUV for 2023 by Which Car?

The flagship model was reviewed against competition from BMW, Hyundai-owned Genesis, Lexus, Mazda and Volkswagen, and came away with the best overall scores from the publisher’s expert motoring judges.

Here’s what they said:

“The XC90 is a deeply handsome thing. Chiselled and broad shouldered, it looks taut and perfectly proportioned for what is, essentially, a family bus. The huge 22-inch diamond-cut alloys help, of course, as does the optional air suspension which slowly lowers the body when parked to give it a lightly ‘slammed’ appearance.”

The cabin, according to Which Car? judges, “is even more impressive. The minimal cabin design feels like a high-end Scandi furniture shop and the sense of luxury and build quality are impeccable”.

They appreciated the quality of the “superbly comfortable” seats and the functionality of the cabin overall: “There’s nary a chink in the XC90’s armour when it comes to hauling about seven people in comfort.”

Driving and handling capability also scored highly: “The XC90’s light steering aids low-speed manoeuvrability and once you’re on the move, there’s little to disrupt the Volvo’s overarching sense of calm and serenity,” according to the judges.

“It’s wafty and cushy around town, with none of the crashiness you expect from the big wheels, yet also engaging, flat and measured at high speed.”

Overall, and against all the competition, Which Car? agreed with the thousands of Australians that have bought a second-generation Volvo XC90 since its launch almost ten years ago.

“There’s no escaping that the Volvo’s true genius lies in its focus on comfort, space and functionality,” they said. “This is an impressively practical family SUV – one that nails its fundamentals with an uncommon layer of finesse and flair.”

Which Car? rated the Volvo XC90 nine out of ten with its luxury credentials outscoring the competition, with the higher-priced best of the rest rated eight out of ten.

“That leaves the brilliant, beguiling Volvo XC90 to nab our gold medal,” according to the judges. “It’s matured like a fine cabernet sauvignon, of which we’d happily take an extra tall glass.”

**Best SUV family**

That makes it a hat-trick of wins for Volvo Cars SUV family in recent months.

Earlier this year, Volvo’s XC40 was named Drive Car of the Year – Best Small Luxury SUV, for the third year running. As Drive’s esteemed judges said at the time: “The best car in its segment just keeps getting better.”

Last month, the newest member of the SUV family, the Volvo EX30 was crowned Car of the Year by the Sun – ahead of any other electric, petrol, diesel or hybrid car in the UK. It’s also been named Small SUV/Crossover of the Year in the News UK Motor Awards. Which bodes well for the EX30’s forthcoming Australian debut.

Find out what makes all three models the best cars in their class – and Volvo Car Australia’s latest offers – here.