Preview: 2008 Volvo V70/XC70

ON SALE: NOVEMBER (XC70); JANUARY 2008 (V70) / $36,777 (XC70); $34,000 (V70, EST.)

Volvo's mainstay wagons, the front-wheel-drive V70 and the all-wheel-drive XC70 (Cross Country), are all-new and ride on the S80's platform. The wagons adopt the S80's Swedish mod-look interior design as well as all of its safety features, including the Blind Spot Information System and precollision warning and braking. Although their exterior dimensions are smaller, the wagons have roomier front and rear seats (a rear-facing third-row seat remains a dealer-installed option). The old five-cylinder engines have been replaced by a 235-hp, 3.2-liter six. Volvo's high-performance R models are gone, but those with a need for speed might hold off for a year, when the V70 will gain an optional 282-hp, 3.0-liter turbo six.