The Volvo XC90 must have come as a rude shock to the established players in the luxury 4x4 sector. Straight out of left field this company with no real experience in this market built a car that went straight to the top of the class, winning award after award. Premium products are curious things however, many manufacturers recognising that for a small percentage of customers, the product can never be too premium. Hence the existence of the Volvo XC90 Executive, a model that offers a standard equipment list that runs and runs.

Granted, the standard XC90 isn't shy of gear but the Executive offers the sort of refinements that go beyond what even the most luxurious Range Rover, BMW X5, Volkswagen Touareg and Mercedes M-class models offer. It's a gadget lover's dream. There's a DVD system with twin 7-inch screens integrated into the front headrests with remote control and cordless headphones. Then there's a 650W Dynaudio Premium Sound system with Dolby Pro Logic surround sound and rear headphone sockets, a built-in GSM phone and even a refrigerator incorporated into the armrest between the front seats. There's sat nav too but Volvo's next generation RTi system runs from a hard disk rather than the traditional CD.

Volvo have fitted walnut wood inlays on the centre console, gear lever, glovebox and centre console. Even the electric window buttons are finished in walnut. The interior trim has been upgraded to soft feel leather throughout with contrasting piping for the first two rows of seats and chunkily padded armrests on the front doors. There's even thick pile floor mats in the passenger compartment and load bay.

Electrically adjustable driver and passenger seats and folding door mirrors complete the ensemble indoors but Volvo have paid just as much attention to the exterior look and feel. A rear skidplate and aluminium roof rails are included, as is a silver square mesh grille and Executive badging. Body-coloured door handles and waist mouldings give the car a sleeker appearance and the 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome mirrors and bi-xenon headlamps add the finishing touches.

Naturally, with this level of luxury equipment the options list is left to scratch its head and wonder what to offer. Volvo have managed to come up with dark tinted side and rear windows and separate air conditioning for the third row of seats. The XC90 range has been well oversubscribed since launch and demand is sure to be strong for the future despite a hefty pricetag. The strong demand notwithstanding, only a few XC90 Executives will be offered annually, split between the 183bhp D5 diesel, the 236bhp 3.2 straight six petrol engine and the range-topping 311bhp V8. Prices start at £46,525.

"With this level of luxury equipment the options list is left to scratch its head and wonder what to offer "

Perhaps we should have foreseen the XC90's impact. After all, if one company could be relied upon to tap into the lucrative luxury 4x4 market better than any other it would have to be Volvo. The company's core brand values of safety, family and quality are nowhere better exemplified than in a big Sports Utility Vehicle. Okay, so the other Volvo brand value, Environment, may have to play a slightly withdrawn role, but it's a wonder the XC90 hadn't appeared earlier.

The styling retains a number of familiar Volvo signatures too: the curvaceous bonnet that merges into the bold hiplines, the bluff front grille and the commonsense cabin and controls. The latest car emphasises the curves of the XC90's hips with a redesigned tail light section. There's also additional chrome detailing, a full-width rear scuff plate and a bumper that incorporates a little more body colouring to visually lower the rear of the car. The front also adds a splash more chrome and colour-coding.

Unlike most of its rivals, the XC90 seats seven as standard with a set of rear seats that adults can occasionally use. Despite this, the car's footprint is no bigger than a Land Rover Discovery. Part of the reason for this apparent miracle of packaging is the compact transverse engine.

Being a Volvo, the XC90 isn't shy of safety features. The innovative Roll Stability Control (RSC) system received the World Traffic Safety Symposium Manufacturers Award. In order to prevent the XC90 going dirty side up in the first instance, sophisticated gyroscopically controlled stability software steadies even the most radical lane changing behaviour. Should you hit a kerb or ditch and roll the XC90, it features a boron-reinforced roof to prevent the upper body deforming.

Finally, the car also features curtain airbags that stay inflated ten times longer than normal bags in order to ensure passengers are kept away from flying glass and insulated from doorframes during a roll. A demonstration outside Gothenburg where an XC90 was filled with crash test dummies and then walloped in the side by an iron sled proved how effective the system was. Despite being thrown into four-barrel rolls by this 30-tonne impact, the dummies were all safely restrained in their seats.

The XC90 Executive is, at the same time, a very convincing yet quite perplexing proposition. With its blend of savvy design, luxurious features and emphasis on safety it's an impressive all round package and one that has the right badge to appeal to buyers with the better part of £50,000 in disposable income. It may just be too successful for its own good, however, eating into the profits of that other Ford Premier Auto Group product, the Range Rover. Still, as problems go it's a nice one to have.

TOP 3 XC90 DEALS

The results below show the top XC90 deals on buyacar

	Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 Executive 5dr Geartronic Off Road
	ETR	Mthly £825	Saving £5,153	Price £41,425
	Volvo XC90 4.4 V8 Executive 5dr Geartronic Off Road
	ETR	Mthly £999	Saving £6,082	Price £47,851
	Volvo XC90 3.2 Executive 5dr Geartronic Off Road
	ETR	Mthly £849	Saving £5,105	Price £41,096

typical 11.10% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000