Long-term report: The choice is limited when it comes to big family SUVs

Sometimes there’s no other option for families other than to buy a big SUV – a statement that will send some corners of the internet into a frenzy.

Let’s look at the facts. If you’ve got a family that includes three children – approximately 1.2m households according to the Office of National Statistics – then the search for a safe car with the space you need is somewhat restricted.

It’s especially difficult if you’ve still got children in car seats because those that fit with ISOFIX anchor points take up a lot of space.

Take my small brood for example. We’ve got two in car seats and one teenager, which means most estate cars are ruled out. Why? Well, once you’ve added two car seats to the outer chairs on the back bench, the space you’re left with in the middle even a budget airline would class as ‘too small’.

And that usually leads families to seven-seat SUVs. The option of a third row of space that can collapse out of the way is the perfect antidote to space-challenged family transport. It’s why this Volvo XC90, and the Audi Q7 I ran before it, have fit so well into our lives.

The problem is their blessing is also a curse – because this XC90 is really rather big. That’s great when you want to stuff it with kit for a family holiday, or a day out, but less useful when it comes to parking.

I visited Brighton for a day out with my eldest during the Easter holidays and made the mistake of parking in a multistorey that must have been built for a world of Minis. The entrance was teeth-clenchingly tight, the drive up to the top was a constant alloy wheel-damaging concern and, when I did find a space, it was so tight I struggled to get out of the car.

Part of the problem here is the size of the car, but also these car parks really do need to redraw some lines to cope with the middle-aged spread of most of Britain’s cars. More than a third of all cars sold last year, after all, were SUVs, according to the official UK sales data.

So what about the car? Well, firstly, I’d point out that the T8 plug-in hybrid version I started with is my preferred engine choice. I love a hybrid and the flexibility it offers. Most of my journeys are short, so being able to use electric power alone made me feel a bit better about life.

The current XC90 I’m running is a B5 mild hybrid. Importantly, it’s very efficient and when fuel prices are at an all-time high, the 40+mpg I’m achieving is very welcome. It’s spirited too, thanks to the hybridisation giving it some added punch. The 2.0-litre petrol engine has 250bhp and will manage a 0-60mph time of 7.7 seconds.

But big family cars like this are not about spirited drives, they’re about comfort and space – and the XC90 aces both of those. On these unseasonably warm days we’ve been having of late the sunroof has been a wonderful way to forget winter and the cosseting seats and commanding driving position make long journeys a pleasure.

Complaints? Well, there are a few. The multimedia system is generally brilliant, but occasionally a poor signal ruins the built-in Spotify. I also find it a little less reliable than Apple CarPlay. However, the Android-based Google Maps that are built in should be in every car – they’re just perfect.

The only other thing you need to keep an eye on is the switches for the rear windows and door handles, which are well within reach of small hands, so it’s imperative you disconnect them using a button by the driver if you want to avoid doors opening at awkward times. I speak from experience…

I’ve always been a huge fan of Volvos because, on the whole, they’re very well thought out, functional, comfortable and fit into your life very easily. This XC90 has done just that. It’ll be sad to see it go – even if I do slightly prefer the T8…