The Volvo V90's performance and style make a strong argument for this wagon over an SUV.

There was a time when Volvo wagons were regarded as nerdy professor cars. The type of car that might come with a tweed jacket with elbow patches. In the decades since that reputation took root, nerdy became cool, and Volvo took notice. Today, its entire lineup of sedans, crossovers, and SUVs is among the most sharply-styled on the market today. Chief among them is the V90, the Swedish automaker’s range-topping wagon. And like nerds and Volvo, the V90 has shown the wagon can be cool as well.

But wagons are still relegated to a niche, representing less than 2 percent of the new-car market. And yet, the V90 shows that you don’t need an SUV to get a supremely versatile vehicle. This is especially true of the rugged-yet-posh V90 Cross Country, which has very few rivals. The Audi A6 Allroad, and to a lesser extent the Subaru Outback, represent the only 1-to-1 competition to the Volvo V90 Cross Country. Read on to learn about the 2021 Volvo V90 wagon and we’ll see if it can supplant the SUV as your de facto family vehicle.