Most significant is a more powerful engine lineup; the C70 now sports a 2.4-liter engine producing 197 hp. A 2.3-liter engine generating 242 hp drives the pricier C70 2.3. The 2.4 comes with just 5-speed automatic transmission, but buyers get their choice of automatic or a 5-speed manual in the 2.3.

The traditional collection of safety features are nestled about the vehicle; traction control, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, front airbags, leather upholstery, and heated front seats are standard in any trim. This safety entourage is accompanied by an excellent 240-watt sound system, leather-upholstered seats and dual-zone climate control to make any journey safe and pleasurable.

The C70 looks fantastic too. It might be personal preference, but I can’t stop looking at the C70. It’s certainly a classical design, but there’s an edge and newness to it that makes it a real head turner when driving down a street.

There is very little wrong with the C70. Volvo has quietly produced one of the finest convertibles on the market, which is why it’s tough to imagine the 2009 Volvo C70 being beaten for performance, features, looks and price any time soon.

Let’s get the givens out the way to begin with: The C30 is decently built, has a well configured interior and looks great. The basic models also lack all but the most common entertainment and luxury features. Volvo won’t mind me pointing out; the C30 is all about the drive.

So how does it drive? Pretty good, as it turns out. From the broad choice of engines available, one of the best (in terms of price and performance) is the 2.0D, which produces around 134hp with 236lb of torque. It takes around 9 seconds to hit 60. Decent performance, then, and the handling is equally tight. The wide berth of the wheels combined with the low set body provides a very clingy ride, it’s difficult to fault the handling.

Overall, the 2009 Volvo C30 is a great entry into the market, and shows some promise to fulfil Volvo’s desires for the brand. Though initial price is lower than competing products, adding extras can quickly increase the price. We advise buyers to price their configuration of C30 and then check the competition, they may find the C30 is less competitive than it initially seems.

Safety and space are the two primary concerns of the XC90, and it excel’s at providing these with ease. The large cabin has seating for everyone and the kitchen sink, while the tough bodywork and high ground clearance make it a veritable tank of the road.

This comes at a cost though: The basic model uses a 3.2-liter, 235-hp 6-cylinder engine which can be ramped up to 311-hp by a 4.4-liter V8 engine. Neither of these engines have enough oomph to create a particularly edgy or sporty ride, but they do haul the XC90’s considerable weight with relative ease, and the mileage is surprisingly good, weighing in at a very respectable 34.0mpg.

The 2009 Volvo XC90 is in hot competition with the likes of Audi’s Q7 and the new BMW X5, and it holds up fairly well. Luxury fixtures and fittings, kid friendly fabrics and entertainment systems and an overall high build quality make it a welcome addition to the large SUV market. Not doomed to extinction quite yet, then.

Like its predecessors the XC70 is an extravagant fusion of luxury, power and space. Typical of Volvos literal naming scheme the ‘XC’ part stands for cross-country, and sure enough 4-wheel drive comes as standard on all trims. There’s also an impressive 9.1 inches of ground clearance to help the XC traverse some very tricky surfaces indeed.

Far more civilized and high quality fixtures and fittings inside the cabin encase the typical collection of utility and entertainment systems; integrated DVD player, wireless headphones and remote, satellite radio and so on.

The XC70 T6 version is a notch above the basic and features a 3.0-liter turbocharged engine, which produces 281 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s more responsive than the basic setup, and we wouldn’t recommend anything else.

You can do a lot worse than the 2009 Volvo XC70. It’s crafted for safety, style, power and handling in equal measure –although admittedly the handling is nothing to write home about, it is decent for an estate SUV. If you are going to spend big bucks on a luxury estate SUV then the Volvo is one of the best looking, and most comfortable.

Much of the V70’s interior remains the same also, the few tweaks to dashboard and fabrics make little difference to the original styling. The most notable new feature is the inclusion of new safety systems including: ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags.

The V70’s only available engine is a 235-hp 3.2-liter 6-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It’s an unrefined beast, which features bad acoustics and frankly terrible fuel efficiency. The V70 is rated for just 16 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, that’s an atrocious 20 mpg combined; a figure which puts it squarely in the efficiency range of the Chevrolet Traverse SUV.

All importantly the 2009 Volvo V70 offers excellent storage capacity with 71 cubic feet of cargo room. Unfortunately it only seats 5, which is lacking compared to competing vehicles. There are better wagons and SUV’s to spend your money on. Although the Swedish design is excellent and the chairs are a comfort marvel, the V70 falls short in too many areas to make it a recommended purchase.

The first thing noticeable about the V50 is its uncompromising build quality. Volvo has seemingly made a decision early in development to build the car they want and then price it accordingly. This results in an absolutely uncompromised performance, handling, fixture and fitting quality, but it does thrust the car into the high price range for the market.

Though the V50 may impress with its uncompromising quality, it is smaller than most competing wagons, and the expense for all the extra features and design might put people off when BMW and Audi offer perfectly suitable cars at less of a premium.

The V50’s basic five-cylinder engine is standard for the 2.4i trim level and provides 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It’s decent performance, but doesn’t warm the blood like the turbocharged 2.5-liter which comes with the V50 T5 models. This beast of an engine cranks out a substantial 227 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.

Overall, the V50 is a tricky bundle to rate. The 2009 Volvo V50’s uncompromising engineering and design results in a generally excellent machine which sports great handling and performance even at basic trim levels. The usual luxury internals and entertainment systems suffice, but shoppers should ask themselves if they are willing to pay the premium for a machine like this. In the end, it might just come down to how much space you need.

The trim options include the front-wheel-drive 3.2, an all-wheel-drive T6 and the AWD V8. The 3.2 slopes in with a reasonable 235-hp 3.2-liter 6-cylinder engine, while the T6’s feature a turbocharged 281 hp 3-liter 6-cylinder engine. The V8 rounds out the collection with a high end 311 hp 4.4-liter engine.

All models come with a reasonable compliment of safety features which include ABS, traction control, front side airbags, curtain side airbags and an antiskid system. Volvo also includes its own ‘BLIS’ (Blind Spot Detection System) which warns of nearby objects that are likely to be unseen by the driver. GPS navigation, DVD entertainment and a raft of other higher end options are available in all models. All of the above is included as standard in the V8.

The 2009 Volvo S80 retains its trophy as one of the finest midsize luxury sedans on the market. A good price point and high end fixtures and fittings will certainly help shift units and that’s before you even consider the generous engine performance.

Volvo’s latest midsize sedan comes with two trim levels; 2.5T and the sportier T5. Both have turbocharged 5-cylinder engines and come with front or four -wheel drive options. 2.5T models have 208 hp while the T5 produces 257 hp. unfortunately the only transmission available is a 5 speed automatic.

The S60’s standard safety features are well realised and compete well with cars in its class. Included are front side airbags, curtain side airbags, and antilock disc brakes. Traction control is also standard on all S60s, though you won’t need it on the lower end models. The T5 features an anti skid system which is optional for other models. The S60 scored four stars for driver and front passenger crash tests, while side-impact scores come in at five stars for front-seat occupants and rear-seat riders.

All the models of the 2009 Volvo S60 come with dual zone climate control, power-fold rear headrests, tilt and telescoping steering wheels and many other luxury affectations. Overall the Volvo sits comfortably toward the top of its midsize sedan class, and it’s inclusion of entry level luxury features make it a good value purchase.

The S40 features a 5-speed automatic transmission which runs from a turbo 4-cylinder engine creating 170 hp. Disappointingly, the 2009 S40 drops the manual transmission option in favour of the 5-speed automatic, this clashes a little with the sportier stylingís of the car but if it means a cheaper drive then that has to be Volvoís main objective.

Inside each S40 is some reasonable quality furnishing with good fabrics and well fixed plastics used throughout. The built in entertainment and communication utilities are slim, but decent. Still, donít expect heated seats or Bluetooth under any configuration.

The 2009 Volvo S40ís suspension and handling have been tightened up, resulting in a more sports like ride and putting the S40 into competition with Audi’s A5 and similar sporty hatchbacks, unfortunately this sportiness isnít reflected in the base engine which lets the overall drive down. Previous owners shouldnít be put off though, as the S40 is a more than worthy update to the model line.

The base model of the XC90 is the 3.2 and it starts out at $36,210. Despite being on the low end of the price totem pole, it’s jam packed with all of the standard safety and comfort features that people have come to expect from Volvo. For example, Anti-locking Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Assistance (EBA). It also has Roll Stability Control (RSC), front fog lights and side marker lights.

The mid model of the XC90 is the V8 AWD, which has a manufacturer’s suggested retail base price of $48,505. It comes with everything that its XC90 3.2 counterpart comes standard with, as well as a few other options and standard features that aren’t available on the 3.2. For instance, the child safety seats have an integrated center booster cushion in the second row and the third row has its own air conditioning. Additionally, the V8 AWD comes standard with speed dependent steering, something that isn’t even an option for the 3.2.

The top of the line model is the 2008 Volvo XC90 V8 AWD Sport, which starts out at $49,870. Unlike the other two models, it has a sport tuned suspension and steering, as well as a sport grille and sport exhaust tips. The XC90 V8 AWD Sport is also the only model that owners can add the Technology Package onto, which includes Sirius Satellite Radio, a premium sound system and Active Bi-Xenon Gas Discharge Headlights.

The base model of the ‘08 V50, the 2.4i, starts out at $26,185 and is packed with more features than most would expect at that price point. The high positioned rear brake light alerts those following the car to slow down and is highly visible to everyone on the road. Rear fog lights with Auto-Off and daytime running lights are additional preventative safety measures that Volvo made sure not to overlook.

The middle model of the V50, the T5, has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29,715 and comes equipped with all of the features that the 2.4i has. Unlike the 2.4i, however, the T5 has optional Active Bi-Xenon headlights (ABL), keyless drive and a Homelink remote garage door opener. Another cool feature that the T5 can have that the 2.4i can’t is a rear view mirror that automatically dims and has a digital compass.

The third and final model of the V50 available to consumers in 2008 is the T5 with All Wheel Drive (AWD), which starts at $31,565. This car is almost identical in available and standard features as the regular T5 model. The only notable difference between the two is that the T5 AWD sports All-wheel Drive with Instant Traction. This Haldex system constantly monitors the engine speed, brakes, throttle, engine torque and speed of the wheels. This helps the tires to maintain a good grip of the road, even as conditions change and become less than ideal.

On the preventive safety side of the aisle, the ‘08 C70 offers rear fog lights with Auto-off, daytime running lights, emergency brake lights (EBL), front fog lights, a rear glass window and side marker lights. The car also comes standard with the DSTC Anti-skid System and an Anti-locking Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Assistance (EBA). For an additional $700, purchasers can add Bi-Xenon Headlights.

When it comes to protective safety, everything comes standard and there’s nothing to tack on to the overall bill of the vehicle. From Volvo’s Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) to an energy-absorbing interior and Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS), it’s all included. Other features like the reinforced passenger compartment, head restraints for all seats and side impact airbags for both the driver and front passenger also comes equipped with the ’08 C70.

The C70 is also strong on security. The emergency trunk release, remote controlled central locking system, door mirrors with puddle lights and lockable covered storage in front doors are details that the engineers at Volvo made sure not to overlook.

An optional Homelink remote garage door opener is a nice addition that purchasers may want to make, and prevents the driver from always having to tote around a separate garage remote control. Finally, the C70 comes with a fantastic standard warranty that will cover the car for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Besides looking cool, the ‘08 S40 is packed with features that are as innovative as they are useful. For example, the car allows drivers to operate the vehicle without actually inserting a key into the ignition. This is a handy feature for those who like their manicures but hate having to wait for their nails to dry. Suddenly, drivers no longer have to dig through their purses to get to their keys, as long as it’s somewhere on the person the car is good to go.

Besides that, the ’08 S40 sports intuitive controls that give the owner superior comfort. The free floating center console adds to the unique design of the car, proving that it’s not just pretty on the outside but on the inside as well. The Dynaudio sound system is among the best in the audio industry and the Volvo Navigation System (VNS) ensures that nobody gets lost on the way to Grandma’s house.

There are various engine options for this year’s S40 that owners can choose from. To be sure, none of them disappoint. Buyers can customize the engine so that it has four or five cylinders and up to 227 horsepower.

One of the coolest features that drivers can add on is the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS). For only an additional $695, drivers can be treated to rear facing digital cameras that connects to a discreet speaker that beeps as a vehicle enters the blind spot of the 2008 Volvo S40.

Each car comes with a five-cylinder turbocharged engine that has variable all valve timing and 227 horsepower. Despite being so powerful for such a small car, it complies with even the most stringent emission standards, including California’s ULEV II.

That said, there are some significant differences between the C30 Version 1.0 and the C30 Version 2.0. For example, Version 1.0 comes with a high performance audio system, while Version 2.0 has a standard premium sound audio system, featuring 10 speakers made by Dynaudio (some of the best in its class). Also, Version 2.0 has a Sirius Satellite Radio with a six-month free subscription.

Besides those differences, the C30 Version 1.0 is delivered with a standard chassis, while its counterpart has a dynamic chassis. Both come with Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC). DSTC makes sure that the tires hang on to the road, even in slippery and otherwise less than perfect driving conditions. Drivers even have the flexibility of setting the system a specific way to make sure there’s plenty of traction in snowy conditions.

For an extra $675, ’08 Volvo C30 purchasers can add on a Climate Package. This package includes heated front seats, a rain sensing windshield and headlight washers. The latter come in handy during snowstorms when snow, slush and salt can build up and decrease the brightness of the headlights. Also, a cabin filter is offered, free of charge, which prevents common allergens like dust and pollen from entering the cabin through the ventilation system.

This car, like many others in the 2008 line, features the unique Scandinavian design that Volvo enthusiasts have come to love and expect in new models. Although it’s safe enough for new mothers to tote their little ones around in without worry, it’s also sporty and muscular looking on the outside.

The ’08 S60 gives drivers enhanced vision on winding roads and has stability enhancing technology that ensure the tires grip the road unlike any sedan most drivers have experienced. In the unlikely event of an accident, the S60’s Side Impact Protection System helps reduce the impact of something hitting the car from the left or right side.

Other unique safety features include Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), head restraints for all seats (not just the front two), a collapsible steering column, seatbelts with pre-tensioners, inflatable side curtain airbags and anti-submarining protection. To be sure, the S60 is incredibly safe.

On the security side of the aisle, the S60 also shines. Emergency trunk release, rear window deactivation, Homelink remote garage door opener, private locking, immobilizer and theft protected locks all come as standard features. Additionally, every S60 owner gets to enjoy Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance for four years, even on the base model.

Still, just because the 2008 Volvo S60 is safe and secure doesn’t mean that owners have to sacrifice any of the creature comforts that they’ve come to expect from Volvo. From rain sensors to grocery and sunglass holders, there’s a little bit of everything to please even the most discriminating consumer.

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.

For example, the ‘08 V70 is extremely safe. While the Active Bi-Xenon headlights, front fog lights, Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning are options that will cost consumers a bit extra to add on, there are a ton of other excellent safety features that come standard. Rear fog lights with Auto-Off, emergency brake lights (EBL), side marker lights, SCTC anti-skid system and the Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) are all included in the $32,465 base price.

The features listed above were all designed with preventative safety in mind, but the ’08 V70 also has a ton of protective safety benefits as well. The Scandinavian design of the car does more than just look sporty, it protects all of the passengers inside the cabin. From the reinforced passenger compartment to the energy absorbing frontal structure, in the unlikely event of a collision, the odds are those inside will be fine.

The security offered by the 2008 Volvo V70 is also superior. The side glass is tempered, the central locking system is remote controlled and the locks are protected from theft. The warranty that comes standard with the vehicle lasts for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. Additionally, drivers can rely on Volvo’s On Call Roadside Assistance for four years, ensuring that they’re never alone and stranded if a tire goes flat or a gas tank runs empty.

The next model is the ‘08 S80 T6 with All Wheel Drive (AWD). This version starts at $42,045 and comes equipped with everything that the 3.2 version does, plus several more features that add to the design and overall quality of the base model.

For example there are watch dial instruments, Canicula 7 by 17 inch alloy wheels with Run-Fat, self supporting tires and visible dual exhaust tips. Of course, the most notable difference is the six-cylinder turbocharged engine. Despite being so powerful and quick to respond, the engine is highly evolved and complies with even the most stringent environmental standards, like California’s ULEV II.

The third, final and most high end S80 model is the V8 with AWD. This vehicle starts at $49,210 and has everything that the T6 has and then some. It is the only model that can come upholstered in Sovereign Hide in either Off Black (2400) or Sandstone Beige (2412). Additionally, it comes standard with a humidity sensor, classic wood inlays and a classic wood gear shift knob clad in either Charcoal or Soft Beige leather.

No matter which model of the 2008 Volvo S80 consumers decide on, they’ll be treated to a superior design, unsurpassed handling and all of the safety and security features that Volvo enthusiasts have come to expect from the company. This includes Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance for four years, free of charge.