2008 VOLVO XC90

Volvo has been a lead purveyor of wagons for decades. While these traditional people haulers continue to sell well for the Swedish automaker -- particularly in Europe -- SUVs have become the go-to vehicle for most American families in need of extra space and seating capacity. In response, Volvo introduced its flagship XC90 crossover SUV in 2003. The XC90 turned out to be a hit for the brand, and in fact has been Volvo's best-selling model the past two years.

A few years on, the 2008 XC90 combines Volvo's long-standing wagon expertise with the popular attributes of luxury crossovers. It has seating for up to seven passengers, a high-quality cabin packed with features, a choice of six-cylinder or V8 power and a decent tow rating. As with all Volvo products, there's a strong emphasis on safety. The XC90 pioneered stability-control-based rollover avoidance technology and has full airbag coverage. There are also less obvious points, such as the heavy-duty third-row seat that's carefully positioned over the rear axle to ensure the largest possible crumple zone in the event of a rear-end crash. As a result, the XC90 is also one of but a handful of luxury SUVs to achieve the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) "Good" rating for all three of its crash testing areas -- frontal offset, side and rear.