The Volvo V70 is built on Volvo's large car platform, which it shares with the S80 luxury sedan and XC70 wagon.

For 2010, the most obvious visual change is in the front grille, where the Volvo Iron Mark, the stylized spear and shield that has symbolized Volvo since, well, forever, is much larger than before. It now provides a strong visual focus point for the entire front end. And the bright roof rails that were previously optional are now standard.

On the new 2010 V70 R-Design model, the bright metal around and within the grille has a subtle silk finish. There's matching trim on the outside mirrors, while the side windows are highlighted with what Volvo calls black aluminum. A tailgate on the spoiler and bold 18-inch wheels complete the go-fast image.

The V70 body was developed with Volvo's usual attention to impact-dissipating crumple zones, and it features fully laminated glass. The styling pays tribute to Volvo wagons of the past, while at the same time expressing a more fluid, less gangly and visually tighter esthetic. In profile, a single bold character line rises steadily from the trailing edge of the headlights, underscoring the windows before peaking gently just at the trailing edge of the rear door, creating a forward leaning, dynamic stance. The rear glass angles forward slightly toward the front of the car, emphasizing that the V70 is in fact an automobile and not a cargo van. Yet actual cargo space is compromised little, if at all.

From the rear, the V70's hexagonal shape reminds us of Volvo's sporty C30 coupe. The tail lights are very big and bright enough to startle in the dark, and the rear glass window extends down lower than the side windows to improve rearward visibility. The optional, hydraulically operated power tailgate is handy if you approach the back of this car with arms loaded, and it keeps hands cleaner if the tailgate is coated with grime.

Interior

The Volvo V70 cabin is the company's best interior yet. It's understated, elegant and nicely polished. Materials and overall finish are high-grade. While its interior borrows heavily from Volvo's line-topping S80 sedan, taking both design themes and components such as gauges, switches and console, the V70 has its own interior ambiance.

Safety was a priority. Standard equipment includes Volvo's whiplash-limiting seat design, called WHIPS. During a rear-end impact, the seatbacks move rearward to reduce acceleration forces on the occupant's back and neck, while the headrest pushes forward and upward slightly to meet the neck and head as they are thrust backward.

The V70 driver sits before a fat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, looking at big, crisp gauges with bright-white backlighting and number gradients that are easy for the brain to absorb. The standard trim is etched aluminum, but the optional genuine wood is gorgeous. The overall effect is very Scandinavian.

The center stack is a thin panel no more than two inches thick, with open space behind it. Most controls are placed here, with audio above climate and a display at the top, arranged in a neat, symmetrical pattern. The primary knobs are big and raised substantially from the surface, and the airflow controls are fashioned in an icon shaped like a seated person, so there's absolutely no confusion about directing air toward the face, feet or windshield.

In the new R-Design model, the Scandinavian-Modern feel is further enhanced by unique instrument styling that Volvo calls Watch Dial, and by trim inlays the company calls Deco. Steering wheel, shift knob, pedals, and floor mats are also specific to this model and add to its sporty appeal.

Overall, the V70 cabin is elegant and pleasing. Most significantly, measured by function and simplicity of operation, the V70's various controls are better than most other luxury brands, and particularly the German brands.

The navigation screen pops up vertically from the center of the dash, though it's canted forward at what seems like a strange angle. The driver surfs through menus and makes choices with buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes, almost where you'd expect paddle shifters for an automatic transmission. Our initial reaction is that it's better than other systems. The menus are no more difficult to learn, and they're managed without taking hands from the steering wheel and fishing for the controls. Passengers can control the system with a remote. Revisions for 2010 include a new start-up screen with more user-friendly icons and more distinctive menus.

The seats are excellent. It's hard to find a better mix of comfort and support for daily driving. The optional leather upholstery is smooth and stretched tautly over the front seats.

The value of the fold-flat front-passenger seat should not be underestimated as it allows hauling of long items, such as a ladder or a nine-foot fly rod rigged and ready to move to the next spot upstream. The design seems to do nothing to diminish the seat's comfort, yet its back can fold forward to a level on the same plain as the folded rear seat and cargo floor. In-cabin storage tends to be short in modern Volvos, though it's decent in the V70. The center console and glovebox hold quite a bit of stuff. The pockets behind the front seatbacks are handy and the cupholders work well.

The rear seats are not the roomiest, given the apparent size of the vehicle. We wouldn't recommend six-footers sit back there for a cross-country trip. However, there is enough room that someone 5-foot, 9 inches won't get claustrophobic or cramped riding across town, and we think it would be fine for families until the kids are well into their teens. The rear DVD system puts a screen in the back of both front headrests, which we prefer to those that drop from the headliner.

The cargo area is one of the V70's strengths. The rear seat folds easily, 40/20/40, allowing lots of flexibility with passengers and long cargo. Folding just the center section, for example, can work like a pass-through for skis or hockey sticks. This compares favorably with the cargo space in the Mercedes M-Class (72.4 cubic feet) and BMW X5 (59.7) SUVs.

There's a bit of storage under the load floor, though the locking bin there is no more than six inches deep. The cargo floor has aluminum rails with movable anchorage points for securing loads. The anchors can be tucked down into the rails when they're not used, to keep the floor perfectly smooth, and there are more anchorage points in the side panels. There are also a host of load-related accessories, such as hooks, nets and space dividers.

In short, the V70 excels as a cargo hauler. The V70 has a lower liftover height than most, so it's easier to load heavy objects. While a taller SUV can accommodate taller items, we've found that extra height is rarely needed. One of our favorite accessories is a sliding floor that locks into the rails and pulls out beyond the bumper for easier loading. It will easily support 50 pounds. Other accessories include a cargo fence that could add safety when hauling the dog around.