Since being acquired by Ford, Volvo has successfully shed its stodgy image by redesigning its entire line of cars both visually and mechanically. In doing so, it has emerged as a very serious competitor to the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes, as well as Ford’s own Jaguar line. And no vehicle showcases that in-your-face competition like the new All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Volvo S60.

I’ve driven this car five different times within the past year — in all its configurations — and like it more each time. They included the typical week-long test drive on my home turf, as well as the AWD version’s press introduction where we got to put it through its paces in the area around Rockport, Maine, and a couple of other times in Florida. Most recently, I specifically requested the AWD version of this car for a ski trip I took from Seattle to Mt. Spokane, which is near the Idaho border. I came back more impressed than ever.

Volvo has always been known for its boxy, safe, dependable, but generally boring cars that had little or no appeal to anyone under 50. Recognizing that the average first-time Volvo buyer was 45+ years old, and because of their dependability, generally bought only two over the course of time, the “Volvo for Life” strategy was born.

By introducing the S and V40, a pair of entry-level sedans and wagons aimed at young professionals and families, the Volvo line now offers a vehicle for every price range and lifestyle. Most other European manufacturers have adapted a similar strategy after seeing how much market share Volvo gained — at their expense — with it.

The S60, which debuted in 2001, replaced the boxy S70 design and completed the restyling of the entire Volvo line. Besides the aforementioned S and V40 sedan and wagon, in the last few years Volvo has debuted the stylish C70 coupe and convertible, the V70 wagons, and the top of the line S80 sedan.

The S60 is built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the V70 and S80, and consists of three sedans — all with inline 5-cylinder engines. The base model puts 168 ponies to the pavement and offers spirited acceleration — especially with a 5-speed manual gearbox — for a very reasonable $26,500.

But the top dog is the T5. With its high-boost turbocharged 247-horse powerplant, the T5 is simply a hot rod that boasts neck-snapping acceleration, doing the 0 to 60 drill in 6.5 seconds.

The base model and T5 come with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic, which is the only choice in the midrange 2.4T. The $1,200 Geartronic automatic, which can be used like a clutch-less manual is offered as an option on the T5.

Both turbos are smooth with almost zero turbocharger lag, and the high-performance T5 has very little front wheel-drive torque steer during hard acceleration on dry roads. A traction control system to help keep tires firmly planted on the road is standard for the T5 and optional for the other two models.

All the S60s have excellent road manners and offer lots of interior comfort — which is more of a priority than absolute world-class sport sedan handling. Although all three S60s deliver more than respectable handling, the T5 handles the best of the trio.

But it’s the AWD system that makes this car a real stud.

Our AWD test car was equipped with the turbocharged 2.4T with the Geartronic. It delivers 197 horses to the highway and provides much livelier acceleration than the standard 168-horse version. Including the AWD, Geartronic, premium sound, sunroof, et.al., it stickered at $37,800.

I drove it from Seattle to Spokane across I-90 and found the performance excellent, the ride quiet and so comfortable that after six hours behind the wheel I wasn’t tired — or stiff. However, the trip included lots of snow and ice both ways, as well as heavy rain. The AWD system is so seamless that you almost don’t even feel it grip the part of the road requiring extra traction.

On the way up the mountain at Mt. Spokane, we encountered heavy snow and road hadn’t been plowed. Not a problem for the AWD S60. It just kept right on going with no slip at all while other vehicles — including some big dollar SUVs — were sliding all over. At one point we had to stop due to the road being blocked by an accident. Once we were able to proceed up, a lot of the vehicles in front of us slid trying to gain traction from a stop.

The S60 had a momentary slip, but that was it. Again, the AWD was all but seamless as it gripped and carried us the rest of the way up the mountain.

On the way down, again in heavy snow, using the J-gate function in the Geartronic, the car held the road while others slipped trying to slow down. I managed to negotiate the entire 8 miles of twisting mountain road only touching the brakes momentarily, twice.

Interiorwise, much of the quiet, roomy no-nonsense interior is borrowed from the V70 wagon — Volvo’s top seller. Although the front seats are very supportive and comfortable and the rear has two nicely formed passenger areas, typical of cars in this segment, rear legroom is a little tight with the front seats shoved all the way back. Rear-seat headroom under the sloping roof isn’t bad either.

Instrumentation is easy to read, and the controls work smoothly and are large and easy to decipher.

The trunk is long and deep and features a low opening with the deck lid hinged on struts for easy loading of large objects. The rear seatbacks can also be folded forward which makes the already impressive cargo area even larger. There also is a fold down pass-through for long items (like skis).

It wouldn’t be a Volvo without an impressive array of safety features such as side airbags and side curtain airbags, and whiplash-protection front seats. Anti-lock brakes are also standard on all S60 models.

Whines: I found the brake pedal a bit mushy, but emergency stopping distances are short. I also found the power steering a bit light, but quick. The front power windows are annoyingly impossible to stop until completely lowered or raised after the switch is activated. The pass-through is a bit difficult until you figure it out.

Applause: In the traditional Volvo fashion, the new S60 is built for the long haul and is an exciting car that divorces Volvo from it’s stodgy past. The S60 offers slick, contemporary styling that’s both attractive and functional. This car handles extremely well in both the front-wheel and all-wheel drive versions. It’s very roomy and comfortable and offers an impressive menu of standard safety items. The T5 version is a genuine hot rod sedan.

Bottom Line: Volvo boasts that the S60 has a “coupe profile and sporty soul.” That’s not hyperbole, it’s a fact. The AWD system makes this fine car even better. The S60 is very definitely not your Uncle Olaf’s Volvo — he never had it this good. How much did I really like the Volvo AWD S60? So much, I decided to buy one.