The XC70, by the way, managed the slalom easily. Equipped with snow tires on all four rims and standard all-wheel drive, the sudden

The XC70 was even more agile on the open road, and by that I'm referring to dry, or at least relatively dry pavement. (Photo: Volvo Cars of Canada)

corrections forced upon me by my flag-waving nemesis were no challenge for the big wagon. Its transitional response is actually quite surprising, considering how tall it is and how much ground clearance there is between the axles. It was even more agile on the open road, and by that I'm referring to dry, or at least relatively dry pavement. There were miles and miles of the stuff on our way through the Quebec countryside, some winding and undulating, replete with ski-jump like frost-heaves and crumbling tarmac where the roadbed underneath had eroded and a depression formed; and some four- and six-way highways, allowing my Francophone comrade

The XC70's light-pressure turbocharged five-cylinder engine produces only 208 horsepower, but it feels like a lot more. (Photo: Volvo Cars of Canada)

and me to let our hair down and really open up the throttle - within reason of course. Again, the XC70 is surprising. Its light-pressure turbocharged five-cylinder engine produces only 208 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, not exactly the stuff of hotrod dreams. Its 236 lb-ft of torque is adequate, but once again not particularly stimulating, or at least it isn't on paper. Wind out the engine in real life, however, and it really charges forward with enthusiasm, making full use of the every cog in its slick five-speed automatic transmission in order to get to 100 km/h in just a hair over eight seconds. Top speed is 190 km/h, by the way, but due to the conditions, and laws of course, we never tested this out.