2016 Volvo XC90 T6 Inscription: The Shape Of Things To Come?

At the rear of the vehicle angular LED taillights frame the back glass and gun-slit tailpipes peek out from under the bumper.

The 2016 Volvo XC90 takes an enormous visual step forward.

Is this the most compelling XC90 to have made it across the Atlantic in the past decade?

Volvo has saved the real styling tour-de-force for the XC90's interior.

The XC90's transformation from SUV also-ran to jet-set accessory is that startling.

The model I drove was a top-tier 'Inscription' edition.

All-wheel drive is standard with the vehicle, but I had no opportunity to test out its grip during the dry, sunny week I spent with the vehicle.

Genuine wood trim on the dash, doors, and centre console.

The 2016 Volvo XC90 continues its risk-taking under the hood.

I was impressed with SUV's new LCD instrument panel.

Driving the redesigned 2016 Volvo XC90 is a lot like going to your high school reunion.

The broad, flat grille that defines the XC90's first impression is softened by the future-is-now LED headlights that bisect its front fenders.

There's an enormous quality chasm between the XC90 and, say, the XC60 or especially the S80.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is both turbocharged and supercharged to produce 316 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.

In profile the XC90 is all-slab, broken up by a chrome ring around its greenhouse and a sliver of chrome across its beltline.

The relatively modest pace of the Volvo's acceleration also demonstrates that when 295 lb-ft of twist meets over 2,000 kilos of metal, stabbing the accelerator is more of a negotiation with the laws of physics than a command.

The XC90's cabin is spacious and comfortable.

Second-row riders have nothing to complain about.

The eight-speed automatic transmission that comes with the XC90 is smooth at all speeds.