The 2006 Volvo XC70 is perfectly suited to Pacific Northwest lifestyles and driving conditions. It offers a great blend of go-anywhere ruggedness and refined urban commuting. The idea of an all-wheel-drive station wagon has always made sense. It will go anywhere the average SUV goes and it's much more enjoyable to drive. The next time you need to cross the Sahara Desert then you should buy a Hummer H1. Take the kids to school in an XC70.

We've driven the Volvo XC70 in off-road conditions far worse than what anyone who actually owned the car would subject it to. If we were making the payments, we would've stopped, but since it was a test car, we forged ahead. In very deep, super slippery mud the Volvo XC70 got us through every time. The point is the car is far more capable off-road than any situation the average owner will ever encounter.

In the Pacific Northwest the Volvo's ability to safely travel wet, icy, or snowy roads is what counts. The XC70 is a great ski car. The XC70 has added height for easy ski resort parking lot maneuvering, but it's not the kind of SUV height that can make daily ingress/egress difficult.

Safety is a key Volvo focus and the all-wheel-drive system adds to the active side of the safety equation. Airbags and side impact beams are fine, but we'd rather avoid an accident than have to survive one. Active safety features such as AWD, traction control, superior brakes and excellent handling help Volvo XC70 drivers stay out of trouble in the first place.

For 2006 Volvo has improved its AWD system. It's now called All-Wheel-Drive with Instant Traction. The new system instantly delivers up to 50 percent more torque to the rear axle only when needed (e.g. during takeoff). The system works by pre-loading a modest amount of torque, which is available instantly. All this happens without any driver input.

Power for the XC70 is a somewhat unusual turbocharged inline 5-cylinder engine that's rated at 208 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard. As odd as a 5-cylinder sounds, it works fine. The power band is broad and well placed. From a performance standpoint the engine could easily pass for a V-6 or small V-8. Fuel economy is far better than most SUVs with EPA estimates of 19 city and 26 highway. We averaged numbers in the low twenties.

The XC70 interior is standard issue Volvo, which is to say great. The seats are excellent both comfort-wise and support-wise. The steering wheel is thick and pleasant to hold. The audio and HVAC systems are fine. Our test XC70 had the optional heated seats, which should be standard equipment around here. Rain Sensor wipers and headlamp washers are included with the heated seats Climate Package. Both are great NW features.

Volvo isn't known for taking styling risks and the XC70 follows that conservative approach. It's handsome in a straightforward way. It gets the job done nicely, which pretty well sums up the whole car.
   Whines: We don't like the speedometer on the left (and tach on the right), because the steering wheel obstructed our view.

 Bottom Line: The 2006 Volvo XC70 is an ideal Pacific Northwest do anything, go anywhere vehicle. Whether you consider it a beefed up station wagon or a toned down SUV doesn't matter.