Im not normally a big fan of big cars. Specialy not Volvos, but I actually quite like this car. For aeons it was a policy as sound as the Bank of England: Volvos are offered in both saloon and estate forms. No argument. Not any longer.

Volvo still differentiates its models this way but you can no longer take it for granted that if you like the look of one of the company's saloons, you can swoop in to the nearest dealership and order a matching estate. Or vice-versa. As they so often say in advertisements these days, 'terms and conditions apply'.

If you fancy this one as a saloon, forget it. Either be prepared to migrate upwards to the S80 or down to an S40. No? Well, perhaps you'll sit tight and await the more sporting, saloon-only S60 scheduled to arrive later. Size-wise, it'll come between the 40 and 70. Alternatively, if the new V70 suddenly makes you pine for the old one, Volvo can accommodate you: the previous square-rigged model, now dubbed the Classic, continues for a while.

Style has not been sacrificed at the altar of practicality. Where the old V70 was all sharp angles and boxy looks, the new one is curvy all over. Designer Horbury has cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end, distinguished by Volvo's now-usual pillars of tail lights.

Clever detailing, not all of it Volvo-original, abounds. Balti-loving Brummie designers may have been first to put a take-away bag hook in a (Land Rover Discovery) centre console but there's no harm in Volvo lifting the idea and suggesting it's also ideal for a handbag. And, of course, theirs folds away. Then there's the two-position rear seat backrest to boost luggage space. Plus Volvo exclusives such as an under-floor shopping bag holder, an (optional) airline-style centre table for rear seat passengers, a plastic rubbish bag holder in the centre console and a hook in the front passenger seat headrest so the driver can grab his jacket without leaving his seat. Nifty.

Volvo has revised its engine line-up in recent years and offers five five-cylinder motors for the latest V70. A light pressure turbocharged 2.4-litre 200bhp engine should be popular while the flagship sporting T5 model gets a mighty 2.3-litre fully turbocharged powerplant punching out 250bhp. Conventional 140bhp and 170bhp petrol engines are also available along with a 140bhp, 2.5-litre turbodiesel. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard. You can also order a conventional five-speed automatic or the S80's Geartronic autobox which offers the choice of full automatic or clutchless manual driving.