| First Drive | Co. Meath, Ireland | Volvo V70 |

Large estate cars are not a particularly heavily populated sector of the marketplace, but even so the new Volvo V70 faces with some pretty formidable competition. Rivals include the BMW 5 Series Touring, Audi's A6 Avant and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. Volvo has always set itself apart from these German competitors and it intends to continue that trend with the new V70 by not sacrificing practicality and comfort in the pursuit of style or handling prowess.

Instead Volvo makes a big deal of the new V70's load-carrying capabilities. With the rear seat in place the large boot will easily swallow a whole family's holiday luggage or even a washing machine in its packaging. Apparently, few rivals can match that. The luggage area itself features some neat design too, with a large range of modular accessories to helpfully divide up the load space. Standard across the range is a retracting dog/cargo guard behind the rear seats. Another neat feature is the underfloor storage, which is secured by simply closing the electrically-operated rear hatch.

Forward of the B-pillar, the V70 is essentially the same as the S80 saloon. This results in a generous increase in occupant space inside the cabin over the outgoing model. It's a nice cockpit too and simple in design with several smart trim options. The seats are fantastically comfortable and, usefully, five adults can be seated adequately. A clever new option is the fitment of integrated booster seats in the rear. So equipped, the centre section of the seat squab lifts into one of two positions, depending on the child's size. When not in use, it simply slides back down into place.

This is the sort of thing that will sway buyers Volvo's way. That and the company's reputation for safety. However, there will never be a Euro NCAP test on the new V70, as apparently the company does not carry out tests on estate cars.

The entry-level 2.5T model features a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine. Peak power is a usable 197bhp, but this unit is all about torque, producing its maximum of 221lb.ft between 1,500rpm and 4,500rpm. It makes for swift progress and safe overtaking without needing to use the full rev range. It's a characterful engine, yet quite smooth too. It's worth noting that the manual 2.5T is the only petrol model to achieve more than 30mpg on the Combined Cycle, with a CO₂ figure of 222g/km.

A new 3.2-litre straight-six petrol unit is also available, and though its maximum power and torque figures better the 2.5T's, it feels less willing to give up its performance. Admittedly it is a quieter car. Keener drivers are likely to be interested in the more sporting T6 AWD model, with 281bhp and 295lb.ft of torque from its 3.0-litre six-cylinder powerplant. Unfortunately the 3.0-litre model is only available with the Geartronic automatic gearbox at launch. Company car buyers will be more interested in the pair of diesel options: 161bhp and 182bhp 2.4-litre turbodiesels, the latter producing as much torque as the T6 model while returning 43.5mpg.

That's a wide range of options for buyers and it's likely that a 2.0-litre turbodiesel will also slot into the range to compete against Audi's highly successful A6 Avant TDI.

Out on the road, the V70 offers a supremely comfortable ride, even with larger alloys fitted. Body control is acceptably good up to a point, but potholed roads reveal the suspension's difficulty in controlling individual wheel hop. Volvo doesn't pretend to offer a dynamic rival to the likes of BMW and it's likely that its customers don't care. Which means they'll be very happy with the new V70. As a large, comfortable load carrier the Volvo's an appealing choice, and refreshingly different from the Germanic norm in this small market sector.

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2007 Volvo V70 range overview

- Volvo V70 SE 2.5T (200 PS): £26,495
- Volvo V70 SE 2.4D (163 PS): £26,995
- Volvo V70 SE D5 (185 PS): £27,995
- Volvo V70 SE Lux 2.5T (200 PS): £29,245
- Volvo V70 SE Sport 2.5T (200 PS): £29,345
- Volvo V70 SE Lux 2.4D (163 PS): £29,745
- Volvo V70 SE Sport 2.4D (163 PS): £29,845
- Volvo V70 SE 3.2 Geartronic (238 PS): £30,600
- Volvo V70 SE Lux D5 (185 PS): £30,745
- Volvo V70 SE Sport D5 (185 PS): £30,845
- Volvo V70 SE Lux 3.2 Geartronic (238 PS): £33,350
- Volvo V70 SE Sport 3.2 Geartronic (238 PS): £33,450
- Volvo V70 SE T6 AWD Geartronic (285 PS): £35,430
- Volvo V70 SE Lux T6 AWD Geartronic (285 PS): £38,180
- Volvo V70 SE Sport T6 AWD Geartronic (285 PS): £38,280