The 2008 Volvo XC70 is the new SUV/sedan crossover vehicle that enables drivers to take their family car off of the beaten path for a little off road action. Starting out at $36,775, it comes loaded with a ton of standard features. What one can’t find standard, he or she can easily add on at a reasonable price.

The most notably awesome components of the ’08 XC70 are the six-speed “Geartronic” automatic transmission and All-wheel Drive (AWD) with Instant Traction. The former allows the driver the freedom and flexibility of leaving the car in automatic mode (freeing up the hands for activities like eating, changing the radio station, etc.) or nudging it into manual mode to control when and how the transmission shifts gears. It even has a separate “winter” mode that makes getting around in slippery conditions a breeze.

The AWD with Instant Traction that comes standard with the XC70 is made by Haldex and electronically manages the engine speed, the speed of the wheels, engine torque, throttle and the brakes. When driving conditions become less than optimal or just generally change, this system automatically sends the most power to the wheels with the best grip on the road. Also, when one of the tires loses traction, the system automatically decreases power to that tire and sends the excess to the other tires that has better traction.

Another feature that comes standard on the 2008 Volvo XC70 is Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC). This works with the AWD Instant Traction to increase the stability of the car when the conditions are slippery. It will automatically cut engine power or slow down individual wheels when necessary to maintain safe control of the car. Add that to the Hill Descent Control (HDC) and it’s a wonder people would buy anything other than the XC70 this year.