BUILDING a big SUV and still making it an acceptable sight on our roads these days is a goal many motor manufacturers fail to achieve.

Some are unashamedly bulky and intimidating while others just aspire to the big SUV culture but fail to deliver.

Volvo has come up with just the right blend of big . . . but with good taste in the 90 XC SE Sport. Here is a design that is muscular without being too aggressive looking. Volvo say their sevenseater with the rounded extremities and tall body panels has the 'Scandinavian Look', whatever that is supposed to mean. If it means it is impressive they have got it right, the big-is-ugly tag won't wash here.

Creating new styles for their vehicles is something that Volvo has become increasingly good at over the past decade . . . their mid-range saloon and estate cars are among the most attractive today and the new C30 is a good example of their recent and most stylish headturner for the young-atheart drivers.

The XC90 SE Sport comes with a choice of three engines. The top power comes from the 4.4 litre V8 which puts out 315 bhp at 5850 rpm but the low fuel return of 13.3 L/100km in mixed driving and with C02 emissions running at 317g/km, plus the 94,880 price tag will mean that it has a limited appeal.

The test vehicle came with a 3.2litre 238 bhp output engine with the same top speed of 210 km as the 4.4 litre but with fuel and emission levels that are considerably more friendly to the environment . . . 11.6L/100 km in mixed driving with the C02 figure dropping to 281g/km. And the price shows a considerable drop too at 81,090. The 0-100km sprint performance for the bigger engine is 7.3 seconds compared to 9.5 seconds for the 3.2 litre.

This is a six-cylinder all aluminium engine that is ultra smooth running and gives a good responsive drive which allows for a more relaxed approach behind the wheel. Maximum torque of 320 Nm comes at 3200 rpm (maximum torque in the bigger engine is 440Nm at 3900 rpm) and the top speed of 210km is the same for both vehicles.

The smaller engine makes much more sense here, but at this level of SUV there is a growing appeal for the even cleaner and more fuel efficient diesel option. Here Volvo offers a 2.4 litre direct injection common rail unit with the same automatic Gearmatic transmission as the petrol rivals for 78,995 ( 76,630 in the manual version). The figures here are 400 Nm for maximum torque, accleration to 100 km, 11.5 seconds and a top speed, 190 km/h. The diesel shows its environmental side at the pumps with 9L/100km, again in mixed driving, and C02 levels down to 239g/km.

Based on thse figures the diesel will obviously get the bigger vote on the forecourt from most drivers but there are still those who shun the clatter and weaker performance of the oil burners for the silky smooth petrol options.

All the XC 90 models come with a good level of equipment at the SE level. The sport version gets its own sports chassis which has stiffer anti-roll bars, firmer shock VITAL STATISTICS Volvo XC 90 SE Sport AWD 3.2L 238 bhp petrol 4,807 mm 1,909 mm 1,781 mm 2,857 mm 0-100km - 9.5 secs 210 km 6-speed Geartronic 11.8L/100 km /81,090 277g/km absorbers which do a good job on body control, and a sports-tuned steering to improve responses and feedback.

Distinctive exterior features include 19" Vulcanis alloy wheels, matt silver trim and special exhaust tailpipes. Inside there are specially contoured sports seats, a sports steering wheel with audio controls built in and specially styled facia instrument dials.

There is a long list of standard equipment including head restraints for all seven seats, a roll stability programme, front and side airbags with lots of Volvodeveloped safety packages for driver and passengers, a comprehensive braking system, the electronic all-wheel-drive system has an instant reaction safety system, folding second and third seat rows which allow for a huge carrying area, air conditioning and many seat position functions.

The list of options is impressive:

a blind spot information system which uses cameras to avoid shunts, a special air conditioning unit for third row passengers, and a PremAir device in the grille which sucks in air and converts 75% of ground level ozone to oxygen as you drive along.

Overall a well built, safe and competent performer. Behind the wheel the high driving position gives a good command of the road, everything has been put in the right place and above all you feel safe with all the amount of metal surrounding you.