22 October 2002: The new Volvo XC90 has been awarded the Motor Trend SUV of the Year title by the US magazine of that name. The publication is one of the oldest and most respected car magazines in North America.

The Volvo beat off competition from a field of 14 vehicles, including the Ford Expedition, Honda Element, Honda Pilot, Hummer H2, Isuzu Ascender, Kia Sorento, Lexus GX 470, Lincoln Aviator, Lincoln Navigator, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Baja, Subaru Forester, Toyota 4Runner.

Motor Trend Editor-in-Chief Kevin Smith said the Volvo XC90 ‘moves the standard’ in its market segment. “It drives comfortably like a sedan, tows like a tough pickup, off-roads like a rugged sport/ute, and moves bulky cargo or as many as seven people like a minivan."

Meanwhile, the first XC90 sold in North America brought in $86,000 at a charity auction, benefiting Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of people with mental retardation.

The top bidder, Brad Blank of Boston, Massachusetts, will also receive two round-trip air tickets to a city to be named where Ashley Judd, who most recently co-starred in "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," will meet him for a drive in the new XC90.