TWENTY YEARS AGO, getting into a Volvo was like the automotive equivalent of getting locked up in a padded cell while wearing a straitjacket. The cars were designed with occupant safety as the utmost priority, and you would have to get into a really nasty crash to do some damage to yourself.

Thank goodness that technology and progress have allowed Volvo to package its much vaunted safety features into much more attractive-lloking cars.

Introduced early in 2006, the second generation S80 remains as the flagship Volvo sedan and is more of an evolution of the first generation S80 rather than a revolution.

The side profile of the nose bears a strong resemblance to a striking snake. The bonnet has in fact been carefully shaped to minimise potential injury to a pedestrian in the event of an accident.

The interior is all contemporary Swedish styling. Most of the dashboard is simply and elegantly done up in matte finish soft plastics, plus there are small ventilation fans built into the front seat cushions.

Most of the controls are easy to use and the car really does exude a feel of timeless simplicity. And in order to make your daily commute even more stress-free, you get to enjoy two of Volvo's newest safety features.

The first is the Collision Warning system. This uses a forward scanning radar mounted at the front of the car and estimates the safe distance to an object in front. There are three adjustable levels of sensitivity, and our test car was able to detect a car cutting into the lane at close quarters as a potential hazard.

The second feature is Volvo's Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system. Unlike other passive systems that let you set only the cruising speed, extra buttons on the S80's steering wheel allow you to dial in a safe time-based distance to follow the car in front. It has limited automatic braking capabilities and can slow the car down to match prevailing traffic conditions. It is also probably the closest thing we have to auto-pilot in this day and age. While you shouldn't rely on it in urban traffic, it really comes on its own during off-peak expressway driving.

Propulsion is supplied by a new 3.2-litre in-line six cylinder engine that produces 238bhp and 320Nm of torque. It's mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox and drives the front wheels. The car feels reasonably quick when you put your foot down, but the six-cylinder engine can get a little vocal.

Balancing ride comfort and agility is always a tall order, but the S80 manages to keep both sides of the equation evenly weighted. The stiff chassis allows the suspension to work at its best, with a comfortable ride that does not feel too soft. The S80 is also available with a smaller 2.5-litre turbo five-cylinder making 200bhp.

The S80 3.2 sits in the same price bracket as the BMW 330i, Lexus GS300 and Mercedes-Benz C230. Each has its own merits, but if Swedish interior design and an emphasis on active safety is your thing, the S80 is worth a look.