There is more than one reason the stylish new Volvo XC90 was named SUV of the Year by the Northwest Automotive Press Association and Vehicle of the Year by Motor Trend. It’s simply a great vehicle, off road and on.

In a year the new Hummer H2 was expected to walk away with top honors in the grueling two-day SUV competition known as Mudfest, which pits the newest sport utility vehicles (SUV) against each other, the XC90 took it in a mudslide, winning almost unanimously both its category and the overall title of SUV of the Year. One has to wonder what the folks at BMW knew in advance about this vehicle because they refused to send the X5 to defend its title — in spite of being the only vehicle to win it in two consecutive years.

Well known and respected for its station wagons, the first sport-utility vehicle from Volvo is better than any wagon it ever made — including its very capable all-wheel drive V70 Cross Country.

I’ve had several opportunities to drive the XC90 and knew it was a winner the first time I got behind the wheel at San Francisco Airport for the west coast press introduction event. All journalists were given one to drive from the airport to our headquarters hotel downtown. The looks from the California (where you are what you drive) freeway drivers and the number of “thumbs up” I got, was a sure sign.

We drove from downtown San Francisco to Lake Roosevelt, which took us over some freeways, through the wine country and over some narrow, winding, hilly, two lane mountain blacktops. Overall, a wide variety of road and driving conditions. The XC90 handled all of them as if it were a Sunday drive.

The next day, it was back to San Francisco, with a stop to put the XC90 through its paces on a slalom and handling course. Piece of cake.

At Mudfest, it was the same story. The Volvo SUV was almost unchallenged by the hills, mud, water and slippery slopes that comprised the off road course.

Volvo is working hard to outgrow its traditional reputation for boxy, utilitarian vehicles. It started with the V70 Cross Country, progressed to the V70 ragtop, crossed the line with S40 and V40 and took a giant leap with the S60. With the XC90 it’s hit a styling home run.

Giving the XC90 a distinctive look was no easy task Let’s face it, an SUV is essentially little more than a box on wheels. But new Volvo XC90 offers pleasingly sculpted lines, V-shaped hood and taillight forms and of course, Volvo’s prominent “egg-crate” grille.

Behind the wheel, the large analog instrumentation is easily read. The large climate system controls and fairly large sound system controls are refreshing in an era where they’re mostly undersized. Large outside mirrors keep track of what’s going on behind you.

Seating is high for good visibility, and it only takes a bit of extra effort to get in and out of the tall XC90 because the floor is low and seats are especially designed for easy entry and exit. An optional power front passenger seat is offered, but that seat’s manual controls work so well a power seat really isn’t needed.

While Volvo calls the XC90 a 5-seater in the two-row seat configuration and a 7-seater with the available third-row seat, realistically, the quiet interior only allows seating for four or six adults in comfort. That’s because the second-row seat is only comfortable for two adults, and the hard-to-reach third row seat is best suited to a couple of kids.

The second and third-row seatbacks fold flat to enlarge the cargo area, which is already pretty decent with the second row seatbacks in their normal spot. Also, the front passenger seatback flips forward for an especially large cargo area when the other seatbacks are folded forward.

The split tailgate is easy to use, but you need to open the short lower section of it to allow easy loading and a convenient reach into the cargo area.

There is a variety of option packages available costing from $595 to $2,575. They contain everything from a power glass moonroof to heated front seats, leather seats, and a third-row seat. Stand-alone extras include a $1,895 navigation system and a $400 reverse warning system.

Aimed at upscale competitors, like the BMW X5, Lexus RX 300, Acura MDX, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the well-equipped XC90 stickers at $35,100 with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 208-horsepower inline 5-cylinder engine. The upscale T6 version, which boasts more creature comforts and amenities, as well as a twin-turbocharged 268-horse inline 6-cylinder and all-wheel drive, comes in at $39,975.

A front-wheel drive version of the lower-horsepower version will be offered in the spring for $33,350.

The 5-cylinder powerplant delivers lively acceleration and is married to a 5-speed automatic. The smoother, more relaxed 6-cylinder is mated to a 4-speed automatic and borders on the hot rod category. Both transmissions are slick and responsive, but no manual gearbox is available. Although the engines come from Volvo cars, they’re modified somewhat because the XC90 is much more than an auto disguised as an SUV.

As with any Volvo, it’s also packed with safety features including curtain side airbags that cover all three rows of seats. Volvo is the only automaker offering that kind of protection for third-row occupants. Since SUVs are taller than cars and can cause plenty of damage to other vehicles in collisions, the XC90 has a lower beam up front that allows a car’s protective structure to be hit at the correct height in an accident.

The 2003 XC90 is fun to drive, comfortable, roomy, and fast, and today’s Volvo’s — even the wagons — are certainly a lot more stylish than in years past. But it’s safety that still sells a lot of Volvos.

What Volvo terms a world first, is the XC90’s Roll Stability Control system, which is designed to prevent what many SUV owners fear the most: — a rollover, caused by unusually rapid or severe body lean.

Developed by Volvo, the system uses gyroscopic sensors to register the XC90’s roll speed and angle. Using that information, the rollover risk is instantly calculated and the vehicle’s Dynamic Stability and Traction Control anti-skid system is activated. It reduces engine power and brakes one or more wheels until stability is regained.

The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system delivers 95 percent of its power to the front wheels for regular driving on dry roads. If the front wheels start to slip due to road conditions or surfaces, power is proportionately diverted to the rear wheels after only one-seventh of a wheel turn. The traction control system also manages side-to-side wheel slip. The bottom line is you’ve got to be a really bad driver to get into trouble with an XC90.

The XC90 is based on the chassis of Volvo’s latest sedans and wagons, so it drives very much like a car. The long 112.6-inch wheelbase, wide stance, and low center of gravity enhance handling, while the all-independent suspension delivers a comfortable ride — although occupants will know they’re in an SUV on some bumpy roads. Steering is fast, and positive. The brake pedal has a solid feel and stopping distances are short.

Whines: The front power windows are almost impossible to stop from zooming all the way up or down once activated — which gets old in a hurry. It seems Volvo must believe occupants will only want them either all the way up or all the way down. I found the inside door handles to be a bit small. The third row seat is hard to reach. The accelerator pedal has an unusually long throw, forcing the driver to extend his leg a lot if the throttle is floored to activate the passing gear.

Applause: Excellent performance, handling and safety features. The 2003 Volvo XC90 is fun to drive, comfortable, roomy and fast — just what you would expect Volvo’s first SUV to be.

Bottom Line: Volvo is late entering the increasingly crowded sport-utility market, but as standard operating procedure for Volvo, it did its homework with the XC90, and that shows.