Ultimately we came away from our daylong drive convinced that the Volvo XC90 V8 transcends its safety image and hold its own against some of the best car-based sport-utility vehicles in the world, but with the added refinement that only a V8 engine can provide. The fact that it delivers all the luxury trimmings and everyday performance most upscale shoppers could ever want makes it a strong contender in this highly competitive class.

That being said, we suspect you already know the real reason to choose the XC90 V8 over its admittedly attractive eight-cylinder rivals: Because, at the end of the day, it turns out that a bit of bubble-wrap can be a very good thing indeed.