2012 Volvo S80

Some might find it boring, but suburbanites of the low profile sort will not be disappointed.

Volvo prides itself on being a sensible Swede, and there is a logical neatness to the S80's cabin and controls. The main instruments are similar to those of the Mercedes E-Class: analog, with needles pointing to the perimeter and digital messages at the center. Most functions are controlled via buttons, a four-way switch pad, and a small screen on the Volvo's unique "floating" center console. The screen for the optional navigation system pops up at eye level from the top of the dash.

The interior of this Swede is a milestone in Volvo design. The two-tone chiseled dash achieves simple but attractive lines and houses a twin-dial instrument cluster with trick floating needles. Volvo's signature waterfall-style center console also makes an appearance in this new model, and becomes only more attractive with each iteration.

The (optional) BLIS system is anything but blissful - the A-pillar lights are tolerable during the daytime, but become a distraction at night. I also encountered the BLIS's hidden sense of humor on a couple of occasions when it found it funny to throw in occasional false alarms, scaring me back into my lane like a first-grader lost in a house of mirrors. We believe that the old head-over-shoulder maneuver still seems to work pretty well.