VOLVO V90

Our resident estate fangirl asks an SUV-buying friend to explain herself

- RACHEL BURGESS

We all know Volvo axed its estates in the UK because there just wasn't the demand, with that instead going to SUVs. No surprise there. And Volvo's biggest seller worldwide is the XC60, to which I'm quite partial too, despite being an estate fangirl.

One of my good friends, Sophie, lives in a corner of leafy Hertfordshire-a Volvo enclave if ever there were one - and is now on her second XC60. It's a safe bet that Sophie, her husband and their two children are the exact demographic that Volvo (and most car brands) hope to appeal to - relatively young, affluent and with that active lifestyle we're always being shown in adverts - so I decided to ask her about it.

"Hello, friend. You're one of the people who has caused the demise of the beloved Volvo estate! Did you ever consider buying one?"