Volvo XC90 gets top to bottom redesign

It's something that's only happened once before, and that was more than a dozen years ago. A brand new Volvo XC90 SUV is out.

"The XC90 when it first came out, it was a game-changer for the SUV segment," said Russell Datz, a spokesman for Volvo.

In 2002, Volvo dropped a few jaws when it got into the SUV game. That same basic model stayed in showrooms year after year.

Finally, a new version has been released. It's literally all new from the ground up. Safety plays a big role, with electronic aids keeping you from getting in harm's way.

Another bonus is low-speed autopilot. Push a button in traffic below 30 mph, and the car will stop and go on its own, down to zero, and back up to low speeds.

Buyers in the premium SUV segment seek out technology and the XC90 delivers. A large touch screen is available for all the important controls and a more driver-focused one is in the instrument cluster.

Technology under the hood shows off new technology too. Volvo is going small in cylinders (just four cylinders for this vehicle), but big with power (over 300 horsepower). The trick is an innovative system that uses both a supercharger and a turbo-charger.

Later this year, another power option will be offered: a plug-in hybrid system. Volvo says it'll go 17 miles on battery power alone.

The timing for XC90 couldn't be better. More than 30,000 people have said they want one and crossover SUVs are a hot segment.

Ford's sitting in the catbird seat with new SUVs too. An all-new Edge has arrived with two rows of seats. An updated three-row Ford Explorer is rolling out too.

And there's actually a connection between Ford's SUV program and Volvo's. Or rather, there was. The XC90 became the victim of an automotive divorce.

"It was slated for a redesign when Ford decided to divest of Volvo cars and everything went on hold," Datz said.

With an $11 billion investment from its Chinese owners, Volvo's on its own now, and dealers and customers have been clamoring for a new family-size SUV.

Now that it's here, it's sure to be turning heads and impressing passengers when you let them know that it's nearly driving itself.