The number of people who can afford three-row luxury SUVs is not a large one, but it’s a market with some of the most intense competition in the industry. Battling for those big bucks is never easy, with so many strong products available, and loyalty is hard to sway.

One automaker doing its best to compete in this niche segment is Volvo, whose flagship XC90 SUV has stepped up its game this year to compete with the big boys as well as it can.

So what does Volvo bring to this battle of luxury SUVs? … Bold but not extravagant Scandinavian design, elegant look and feel, strong engine performance and handling and tons of space … though some issues with the tech system do hold it back from true greatness (more on that later).

The Volvo brand -- once you move beyond its loyal, safety-focused followers -- finds itself in an interesting position. Volvo is not the first auto company people think of when they hear the word “luxury”, but that is how they identify (and price) their vehicles, which are up against the biggest international luxury automotive names in the world.

One of their top models is the XC60 crossover, which I recently had the chance to test. So the question is: How well does the 2017 XC60 hold up well against tough competition?

LOOKS

The XC60 is officially considered a compact SUV, but I found it to be closer in size and storage space to many midsize SUVs.

Put down the rear seats and your storage space is among the best in class. Legroom and headroom in the vehicle is excellent in all seats. Overall look and feel of the materials inside are high-class. The XC60 shows luxury pedigree, even moreso than some vehicles that cost a bit more. In part due to materials, there is a comfortable feel for the driver even on longer rides.

Exterior design on the XC60 isn’t as flashy or attractive as some rivals, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either.

As luxury cars go, you don’t see the name Volvo in the news much. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Acura, Audi, Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, Jaguar/Land Rover and Porsche, along with newcomer Tesla, steal most of the headlines.

But while the Swedish brand (now Chinese-owned) isn’t as ubiquitous, a ride in a Volvo will tell you that it’s a shame more people aren’t aware of the brand.

I recently tested a 2016 Volvo S60 T5 Inscription, and I’m back with a full report on a very
positive experience behind the wheel.

And FYI, if I never even mentioned to you that this vehicle was actually “Made in China”, a label which makes some people wary based on the connotation of that phrase, you would never know, as it maintains the Swedish automaker’s heritage impressively.

Volvo’s got a tough row to hoe in the United States as it battles with other automakers for market share here.

In addition to the brand having a very small number of sales annually to begin with (about 60,000), it also has to deal with some level of concern among U.S. buyers that it is now a Chinese company, which is true on some level since a Chinese automaker (Geely) bought the company a few years back.

But that doesn’t mean the company is throwing in the towel in the U.S. 

In fact, they’ve gone full steam ahead to attract luxury SUV buyers with an all-out redesign on their at-one-time-very-popular XC90 model (which is still made in Sweden). This SUV had continued to fall behind its rivals in recent years with no reboot in ages, but its day has finally come for a facelift -- and the changes are pretty much in every corner -- with something new to find throughout its design, under the hood and in the tech setup.

I recently spent some time in an XC90, and I’m back with a full report.