A neat halfway house between your capacious V70 estate and XC-90 sports utility, XC-70 is made for those who need just a little more ground clearance and permanent four wheel drive, but that do not need the real off-road capability of a sports utility.

Regardless of the higher ride position XC-70 can deal cleanly with cornering chores, and also the long-reach suspension makes short work of rutted farm tracks and gymkhana fields.

Well suited for towing horse boxes or caravans, the model neatly crosses within the blurred boundaries, being a firm favourite of the country set, and meets all requirements because of a sensible selection of engines and transmissions.