2008 Volvo V70 Wagon

This is far from a sports car, obviously, but it's hard not to appreciate a big Volvo wagon. These things are just so dang versatile. On Sunday, I folded the back seats and hauled a small headboard, some scrap metal, and a big cooler to my parents' house and had plenty of room to spare. The V70 rides a big smoother than the XC70 I drove last fall, but I think this car should still ride a bit better, given its almost complete lack of sporting pretensions. Oomph isn't very strong, either, but it should be sufficient for most Volvo wagon buyers. Overall styling is conservative yet subtly trendy. For instance, I really like the look of the rear hatch, with its big VOLVO lettering below the backlight, flanked by the tall LED taillamps. And I love, love, love the HVAC locator controls on the center stack - three buttons in the shape of a seated person - with their chrome finish in the daytime that blends to a soft green glow at night. Rusty Blackwell, Copy Editor