2019 Volvo V90

The interior of the V90 doesn't inspire vigorous driving habits but that doesn't stop the wagon from being engaging to drive, particularly when stacked up against the higher riding Cross Country model and most crossovers. The ride isn't as refined as you would expect from a premium wagon when cruising on well-worn roads, even with the optional rear air-suspension setup, but enjoyable on well-paved roads and freeways. However, the tradeoff to the unrefined ride on the sportier T6 model is plenty of grip to inspire confidence when cornering and braking.

There's a dynamic mode for sporty driving, and despite the weight of the V90 it hunkers down and can hold its own on a back road. However, between the hard ride and unrefined engine note, comfort mode is absolutely the place to be.

The V90 is a special car. In a world of crossovers, it's a station wagon. And in the small world of station wagons, it has its own unique style, presence, and ambiance. It may not be a ferocious drivers car, but it suits someone with a family that enjoys traveling along a road and having a distinctive and pleasant environment to do it in. The V90 manages to pull off elegant and sharp without being showy and is a pleasure to drive without having to go fast. Volvo is serving a particular kind of customer here and doing it well. For its few faults, nobody should skip past the V90 if they're looking for a premium family car and daily driver wrapped up in a neat and useful package.

Like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz has a long history when it comes to wagons, and the latest E-Class Wagon may be their best yet. Like the Volvo, it focuses on luxury, with an abundance of standard and available equipment and semi-autonomous functionality, plus Mercedes' gorgeous dual-screen interior. The E-Class may start off at a higher price, but the E450 4MATIC is equipped with a 362 horsepower bi-turbo V6 whose power and performance the Volvo can't quite match. The V90 is more frugal, though, and it offers four-zone climate while the E-Class only caters to optional tri-zone climate control. For the money, the Volvo is better equipped a standard, however, the E-Class rides better, has greater amounts of available tech, and has nearly double the cargo volume behind the rear seats. You can also have the E-Class in a fire-breathing AMG variant, while the V90 is lukewarm by comparison. The E-Class has Volvo beaten, this time around.

While Mercedes and Volvo focus on luxury, Jaguar offers the XF Sportbrake to cater to those who want some driver enjoyment from their luxury wagon. It manages comfort as well as the others, but it's sportier and more nimble when it needs to be, and the available supercharged 380 horsepower V6 means there's plenty of performance, although even the base 296 hp engine is more than potent enough for most. The Jaguar is rear-wheel drive biased, too, making for sportier handling dynamics. Both wagons are well equipped, but the Volvo is the cheaper option and offers advanced safety features the Jag doesn't. It comes down to an age-old question - do you do the sensible thing and buy a Volvo, or do you enjoy driving, in which case you buy the Jaguar?