The XC in the 2010 Volvo XC70 stands for “Cross Country,” the name originally given to this wagon with boosted ground clearance, beefcake body cladding and standard all-wheel drive. It was meant to be an alternative for folks who wanted the interior volume and all-terrain ability of an SUV without the huge footprint, sloppy handling and fuel swilling that went along with it. Today’s XC70 delivers the same things, but the game has radically changed with the advent of crossover SUVs. In general, the game has moved on, thereby diminishing the appeal of this cross-country Volvo wagon.

The XC70 is a V70 wagon with standard all-wheel drive and 8.3 inches of ground clearance, which is more than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLK crossovers. Notably, the XC70 is also available with a 281-horsepower turbocharged engine, whereas the V70 only gets the weak-sauce naturally aspirated six-cylinder found in the base XC70. The bigger T6 engine provides more competitive acceleration versus compact luxury crossovers, though neither mill delivers a fuel economy advantage. At 18 mpg combined, the five-passenger XC70 returns the same mileage as the seven-passenger Ford Flex.

Compared to other wagons and those compact crossovers, the XC70 offers plenty of maximum cargo space — 71 cubic feet, to be exact. Safety also remains a high priority. Though no government or independent crash tests have been conducted as of this writing, the V70 offers a wide variety of safety features, ranging from the practical (integrated rear booster seats) to the paranoid (a keyless entry system that alerts you to the heartbeats of potential attackers lurking in your backseat) and the preoccupied (driver inattention alert system).

This car costs $37950 USD onwards depending on the models and specifications.