Under fluorescent lighting, the V70's handsome and classy full-size wagon profile remains thankfully unchanged, deeply

The V70's handsome and classy full-size wagon profile remains thankfully unchanged. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

rooted in tradition rather than merely style for style's sake. The roofline and tailgate meet at ninety degrees; none of this funny low-roofed business you see in modern 'sports tourers' or 'lifestyle wagons'. Stylist Peter Horbury, now leading Ford's North American design direction, gracefully integrated the inherently boxy T-square shape into the car's 'Coke bottle' vertical profile and chiseled shoulders. This is quite unlike most other wagons on the market, which abandoned the theory of space maximization, including the V70's little brother, the V50.

Lift

Lift the tailgate and it becomes very clear that the people who design Volvos are of the most sensible sort. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

the tailgate, now branded with spread-out blocky, Volvo text logo, and it becomes very clear that the people who design Volvos are of the most sensible sort - or people who often shop at Ikea. The cargo bay at back is simply massive: without even folding down the rear seats there's 1,016 litres (35.9 cu-ft) of plush, carpet-lined space for you to put things in. It is so large, in fact, that two reasonably sized children can be seated in the trunk; so large that the use of the retractable cargo tethers is necessary when going grocery shopping to prevent bags from flying all over the place; so large that it could dominate over the living space offered by some Downtown condominiums that have recently popped up in the classifieds. It's probably more comfortable, too.

Oh, and that's not even with the rear seats folded down. Do that and the volume practically doubles to 2,022 L (71.4 cu-ft).