The Swedes call is ‘lagom’ – a proverb that explains when something is just about right. It’s a state of being that the Scandinavian’s love to live by.

The new Volvo S90 basks in a state of permanent lagom. It’s not too flash, not too expensive – it’s just about right.

Well, just about. As much as I’ve loved my time in a cabin finely tuned to Ikea standards, I’m struggling to get my head around the 2.0-litre diesel engine.

The problem is this. As frugal and eco-friendly as it is, the unit sounds like it is straining to keep up. Unlike a BMW, Audi or Mercedes, this rather ruins the whole driving experience.

It doesn’t mean the S90’s progress is hindered in any way. It’s not a bad car. But that engine would eventually make me long for a bigger unit to serve up a more relaxed driving experience.

Lagom it might be but the S90 shouldn’t have to struggle this hard…