We were shopping for a used car last year, wanting to replace our Jeep Grand Cherokee (leased) with a CAR, not another SUV. Living in the upper-Midwest, we wanted AWD, which obviously limits the used-car choices quite a bit.

As soon as we drove the V70 XC, we fell in love with it. Finding little discernible difference between the '98 and '99, we decided to go with the '98 and save about $3000, even though this was the first model year of redesigned (and AWD) Volvo wagons and sedans.

Simply put, the car is beautiful to look at and wonderful to drive. The seats are excellent, the interior is richly appointed, and the stereo is one of the best I've heard. There's plenty of room for two kids and the dog in the back as long as your stuff goes in the cargo carrier on the roof. Our XC came with the fold-down third seat which comes in handy when you need to haul more kids or just want to separate the your own on trips.

The AWD performs as well as any 4WD I've had in snow, ice, and slush. Our gas mileage has been about 24 mpg city/hwy combined -- much better than the 18 mpg in the Jeep. In all, we really love the Volvo.

The only trouble we've had is of an electrical nature. Bulbs in the radio, in a couple dash-mounted buttons (fog light, rear fog light), and in the gear selector ("PRND3L") either went out or flicker randomly. That doesn't leave you stranded anywhere, but it's a pain in the butt and they're expensive to fix (the radio, for instance, has to be replaced as a unit).

We knew it would cost more to fix the Volvo than a comparable American or Japanese car, but it's a more-than-fair trade off in terms of luxury, handling, safety, and comfort.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 22500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1998
Model and Options: V70 XC