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Beauty, it has been said, is in the eye of the beholder.

The 1995 Volvo 960 sedan to some comes across as tres chic. To others it’s more like tres lump. We’re in the lump camp. But then, beauty in the eyes of this beholder comes through a set of magnifier specs, so all you Volvo aficionados shouldn’t hold a grudge.

We tested the 960 sedan that has been “refined” for 1995, which means stiffer construction for quiet operation and few creaks or squeaks. And the engine has been tinkered with for better low-end torque, which means quicker movement from the light.

Yet, so as not to confuse the Volvo loyalist, the 960 still bears the familiar exterior wedge shape with distinctive grille, though the grille is downsized so the car’s most distinctive styling cue is not so overbearing. That is a plus.

Still, from a mile away you can tell it’s a Volvo, and that means it doesn’t have to look good because there’s a raft of people who buy the car for safety, not design, and would purchase one if it was covered in tres trash.

The wedge shape limits interior room. Because the doors and side body panels stick straight up and down and don’t bow out as they do on aerodynamic cars, interior arm and hip room suffers upfront and arm and legroom in back and you feel bit confined.

One other problem. Volvo promotes safety and boasts of giant seat headrests. Trouble is that those headrests tend to angle forward. When you lean your upper torso back against the seat cushion to relax, the headrest forces your noggin to jut down and forward. If you drive in this this position, you look as if you’re searching for change on the floor. A redesign would help.

Other than overly conservative styling and a headrest designed by de Sade, the 960 isn’t a bad car.

In fact, Volvo took pains to make engine and transmission operate quietly, and suspension to cushion all occupants without roadway harshness. And the 2.9-liter, 181-horsepower, in-line 6-cylinder engine provides ample power to move from the light or to merge into traffic without hesitation while delivering decent economy.

Despite the 2.9’s virtues, don’t put any money on its ability to finish the course ahead of any Pontiac Bonneville. And when you find yourself on the tollway exit ramp a few miles per hour above the posted speed, it would be wise to ease up on the accelerator to reduce the amount of body roll and lean you will experience-and you will experience it if you don’t take the posted advice.

So, with performance out, Volvo focuses on safety. It’s not that Volvo is safer than any other car, it’s just that when you dress in such conservative garb, you have to promote performance or safety to attract buyers.

The 960 sedan offers dual air bags and anti-lock brakes as standard. No traction control. In the 1996 model year the 960 joins the 850 series in o ffering side-impact air bags for driver and front seat passenger.

The 960 also features daytime running lights, so when you turn the ignition key on, the lamps go to work to signal to others that you are sharing the same roadway.

Our test car came with Michelin’s new XM+S Alpin 16-inch winter tires. According to the technological mumbo jumbo, the tread pattern on this tire increases the number of steel-belted edges that bite into snow the more you drive. At the same time the edges are biting into snow, the tread pattern allows for increased water and slush evacuation to improve traction. Though it seems like witchcraft, you needn’t be a roads scholar to realize the XM+S Alpin provides good gripe when snow covers the pavement.

Oddly, however, the XM+S tires were simply being tested on the 960 and aren’t available on the car. We suspect that will change.

As added assurance in poor weather, the 4-speed automatic comes with a push-button choiceo shift settings so you can start from the light in third gear when the pavement is snowbound (and on dry roads you have “sport” or “economy” shift points to improve performance or mileage).

The 960 boasts one other appreciated feature-simple pricing. Our test car had a base of $29,900. All you have to add is $350 for a cold-weather package (heated seats and an outside temperature gauge to remind you why you shelled out $350 for the heated seats) or $750 for a CD player.

One reason for simplified pricing is that just about everything you’d want-power brakes and steering, headlamp washers/wipers, fog lamps, leather seats, AM/FM stereo with cassette, power seats, air conditioning, power glass sunroof with slide and tilt, power locks, remote keyless entry, dual power heated sideview mirrors, tilt steering wheel, power windows, cruise control, front and rear mats and cupholders-is standard.

>> 1995 Volvo 960 sedan Wheelbase:109.1 inches Length: 191.8 inches Engine: 2.9-liter, 181-h.p., in-line 6-cylinder Transmission: 4-speed automatic with overdrive Fuel economy: 17 m.p.g. city/25 m.p.g highway Base price: $29,900 Price as tested: $31,000. Add $350 for cold-weather package consisting of heated seats and outside temperature gauge. Compact-disc player not on test car but runs $750. $460for freight. Pluses: Pricing couldn’t be any simpler. Dual air bags and ABS standard. Daytime running lights make you easier to see. Rather quiet operation. Minuses: Could use some extra width to improve arm and legroom. Front seat headrests tilt forward and seem to force your body to lean forward. Rear-seat legroom tight. Styling very conservative. >>