10 reasons we love… Volvo

German brands like Mercedes, BMW and Audi dominate the premium sector but their sometimes pushy image can be a turn-off for some. Having made its name as a safety pioneer and darling of right-on eco warriors, Volvo has, meanwhile, successfully reinvented itself as a convincing luxury alternative without forgetting the values that made it what it is today. And with tech-driven safety and sustainability both high on buyers’ wishlists these days its range of stylish, eco-conscious, family-friendly and quietly luxurious models is bang on the money. Here are 10 reasons we love the Swedish way of doing things!

There has never been a better looking estate car. Large, sleek, luxurious, spacious, desirable and oh-so-comfortable, the V90 is the mothership of all estates, past, present and future. Brown paintwork with cream interior and wood finishes? Yes please.

Without Volvo, we may never have had a decent seatbelt. Volvo invented the three-pointed one in 1959, and then released the patent for free use, worldwide, because the brand immediately saw how intrinsic the invention would be to saving lives. Volvo reckons the three-point seatbelt has saved at least one million lives worldwide.

In 1945, they started producing remanufactured parts, long before the world caught on to the concept of a circular economy. In 1972, they joined the UN’s first environment conference, recognising the damage cars did to the environment and pledging to do something about it. But it was the introduction of their catalytic converter with a Lambda sensor that was an environmental breakthrough. It remains one of the most important inventions for controlling tailpipe emissions.

Lots of daylight, warm artificial lighting, bleached woods, open-pore grains, natural wool, neutral colour palettes…. it can only be something from Norway or Sweden. Volvo inherited Scandi chic as part of its DNA and has embraced it with every passing decade. Post Covid, when many of us turned towards nature for peace of mind, Volvo was there.

Yes! No fiddly switches, no microscopic dials, no teeny digital graphics you strain your eyes to see. Everything is bold, proud, pragmatic, useful and simple. Volvo understands that beauty lies in simplicity, and that drivers want cars they can operate safely, without taking their eyes off the road. Clever Volvo.

People who need seven seats in their car, need seven seats. Not five seats plus two pathetic excuses for seats rammed in the boot. And not seven seats but no room for a packet of crisps in what was once a boot. No. They want seven full-size seats AND a decent boot for the shopping. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the XC90. It doesn’t compromise on space.

And breathe. Volvo was one of the first companies to incorporate Google into its sat-nav, making journeys instantly easier to plan and follow. Such a relief. So good, in fact, you almost don’t need phone pairing (except we do like to send texts on the move).

Because Volvo comes from a civilised world of fearlessly fit and healthy, good-looking Vikings who believe in financing the welfare state properly, Sweden is the land of gender equality, and it shines through Volvo’s branding, products and advertising. The marque feels gender neutral, with endless images of wholesome families loading hiking gear into the boots of their cars as the setting sun glows through the pines and waving grass. We all want to live that life.

Lots of drivers look at the price of a Volvo and blink rapidly. But they fail to understand that Volvo has become a true premium brand to rival the German Three (BMW, Mercedes and Audi) as well as Jaguar Land Rover. The quality of materials, manufacture, engineering, components and design has soared, making their cars truly gorgeous, inside and out.

Yes, Volvo can make good sports cars. What a classic this was. A 60s style icon, and not just because it featured in The Saint. It was the sexiest Swede ever, with Italian styling to rival anything from that bloke Enzo’s stable. And Roger Moore drove one. A beautiful sports car, then and now.