We took the new hybrid Volvo for a test - and it didn't disappoint.

I must be getting soft in my middle years as the first thing I seem to check out on a new car is whether or not it has a heated steering wheel, writes Chris Johnson.

Luckily Volvo has been the leader in this simple yet valuable addition for years and therefore the XC60 did not disappoint.

At first glance the car appears a bit on the small side, but that’s where the worry ends because as you open the door and enter the cabin the car feels and is roomy and comfortable without compromising on a luxury feel.

The nappa soft leather perforated and ventilated seats are truly scrumptious, and the interior trim is both well designed and well built giving a further air of confidence that this car is unlikely to give you any trouble.

The nine-inch touchscreen is easy to use and hosts a plethora of tech and apps to make your journey even more pleasant.

As with any Volvo the safety features are mind blowing, the city safety with steering support and front collision warning with braking and steering assist is brilliant, oncoming lane mitigation, run-off road protection and LED headlights really do make the XC60 a market leader and a very safe bubble to be making your trip in wherever that may be.

Being a plug-in hybrid the XC60 as tested was fitted with a 1969 cc Petrol 4 cylinder engine giving a mix of 253hp and 87hp via the electric motor, which provides a driving range of 100.9 – 113 mpg (WLTP).

With a seamless auto gearbox the car accelerates reasonable swiftly with a sub 6-second 0-62 mph and a top speed of 112mph, but to be fair you wouldn’t buy an XC60 Hybrid wanting to zoom along the country lanes - this car is far too sophisticated for that!

Pricewise, you pay for what you get these days and taking into account the endless amount of kit as standard an initial price of £42,485 will get you a non hybrid petrol car on your drive, add in the hybrid and you’ll need to top that up to £56,965.

Being a car for press reviews, you’d be parting with just a shade of £60,000 for the model as tested, that’s taking into account extras such as active bending headlights, headlight cleaning system, advanced interior air cleaner, heated rear seats, heated windscreen and metallic paint.

So the price is high(ish) but there again what isn’t?

You do get a fantastic car that you really do want to drive in, you get great dealer backup and reliability and good mpg, so its most definitely worth it.

Pros: Executive SUV, Safety features in abundance, Nice to look at and to be in

Cons: Just go try one as there aren’t any downsides