Wagon Reviews

Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI and Volvo V60 D3 go head-to-head in this comparative review.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering would you buy one?What is it?One of the most underrated cars on the road. The Superb wagon is a large practical car, with super fuel economy.How much? Prices for the wagon start at $40,990. Our 4x4 version is $43,990. Not sure you need it but it's still a good deal?What are competitors? Commodore wagon. Diesel Mondeo or Peugeot 508 wagons. Hyundai also makes a diesel i40 wagon now. Mazda6 is available as a diesel as is the Volkswagen Passat  but the latter four are all smaller. What's under the bonnet? Volkswagen's sterling 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel. Puts out 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque from a low 1750 revs.How does it go? Very well, but the drivetrain is not as smooth as it might be. Gets the 6-speed DSG box instead of the newer 7-speed box due to the higher torque output of the engine. That's a shame because it's not as smooth or well behaved.Is it economical?This is the one area in which the Superb really excels. Fuel economy is a claimed 6.4 litres/100km and this is achievable in real world driving. We were getting 6.2. Is it green?Gets 3.5 stars out of five from the Green Vehicle Guide. The benchmark hybrid Prius sets the pace with 5 stars. Is it safe?Superb gets a full five stars for crash safety. Comes with all the latest technical aids including 9 airbags and electronic stabilitycontrol.Is it comfortable?Roomy with a huge boot and plenty of room in the back seat. Rides and cruises easily and is a great long distance tourer, with the added safety of all-wheel drive.What's it like to drive?Easy to drive but the engine lugs a lot thanks to the transmission. The result is some shuddering and odd noises. The up side of this is excellent fuel economy.Is it value for money?Dual-zone climate, multi-function trip computer, Bluetooth, AUX socket, cruise control, light assistant, front foglights with corner function, rear parking sensors with acoustic warning and optical display, chrome interior trim and a leather package for the four-spoke multi-function steering wheel, gearshift lever and handbrake grip. The wagon also gets the Park Assist parallel parking system which includes front parking sensors. Would we buy one?Yes. Looks better than the sedan. The wagon is a very practical, well equipped alternative to some of the more traditional offerings in our market.

THERE is a very simple solution to worrying global overpopulation: Stop having sex. But that's not going to happen. Instead, we build congested cities with rabbit-warren accommodation, invent two-storey trains and prams with tiered seating, and play computer games in the living room because there's no playgrounds downstairs.Thankfully, you can escape all this by buying cars with as much space as a family apartment. The Mazda CX-9 will seat - and possibly sleep - seven people. You won't have room for sex, though.Multi-seat vehicles are usually inflated tissue boxes with the aerodynamics of a brick and the driving thrill factor of diazepam.The US-inspired CX-9 seats seven and is loaded with features, cupholders, storage spaces, cupholders and some extra cupholders. It's big, comfortable and at $56,225, affordable - even more if you forgo the all-wheel drive and save $4500.The CX family - now with its third member, the CX-5 - has clear genetic links and even telling the CX-7 from the CX-9 can be difficult. It's a no-fuss, attractive and large wagon that boasts more room than rivals Kluger and Territory.Big points for the sliding centre row, easy-fold third row and split-seating so versatility is practically unmatched. The spare wheel is under the body.Simple stuff here, with the 3.7-litre petrol V6 transversely mounted under a wedge-shaped bonnet. The AWD gets on-demand drive to the rear wheels.There's no manual transmission available so the CX-9 gets a six-speed automatic and even hydraulic steering remains while many rivals have sought the fuel saving benefits of electric-assist steering. Probably a good move by Mazda.Hmmm. No Australian crash rating for this car. The US crash testers rates it five stars but ANCAP and the European NCAP haven't shot it into a concrete wall to test it out. But the CX-9 has six airbags, mandatory electronic stability control with brake assist, and has a roll-over mitigation system.There's also a rear camera, the seven seats all have lap-sash belts and the spare is near full-size rubber but rated only as a temporary wheel.Vast cabin room makes for a comfortable, loungeroom-feel driving position that's ideal for long journeys. The V6's 204kW/367Nm looks potent on paper but the figures arrive very high in the rev range and inaccessible to most owners. Obviously, push the 2-tonne wagon hard and fuel consumption soars.It's built for hauling seven people in comfort and serenity but the high stance and body mass clip its wings through fast corners. It will take to firm sand trails and gravel roads, but it's no offroader and best steer clear of boggy stuff.

Bingo! It's been a long hard slog but Skoda could finally have a winner on its hands. The compact off road segment is where it's happening and the Volkswagen off-shoot has come up with a little beauty in the form of the Yeti. Yeti (love that name) not only looks good, it goes well and is priced well too, which is half the battle.POWERThis one is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine. You can also get a 2.0-litre turbo diesel but it's considerably more expensive  and all wheel drive too. The turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI engine develops 77kW of power and 175Nm of torque. It's available with a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed DSG transmission, with drive through the front wheels.ECONOMYCombined fuel consumption is a claimed 6.6 litres/100km for the manual or 7.0 litres/100km for the DSG, a twin clutch box that functions like an auto. We were getting 8.3 according to the trip computer.OFF ROADBeing the two-wheel drive version we wouldn't be planning any major off road excursions. But with short front and rear overhangs and 180mm of ground clearance it will make short work of dirt roads.HOW'S IT GO?High seating position with plenty of vision. Nice to see a large digital speedo can be displayed. Surprisingly nippy for such a small engine. We really need to start thinking in terms of power and torque instead of outright capacity.HOW MUCH?Prices start from $26,290 plus on-roads. The DSG transmission which we heartily recommend adds an extra $2300. It's a lot for the auto but the engine really shines under its stewardship, with seven cogs to spread the load.SAFETYGets a full five starts for safety in crash tests. Seven airbags are standard including a driver's knee bag to protect your lower legs in an accident. It's also fitted with all the latest electronic driver aids to help prevent an accident including electronic stability control.WADDAYAGET?All the usuals including aircon, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, remote central locking,  16 inch alloys and a full size steel spare. The steering wheel is height and reach-adjustable, with phone and audio controls. Bluetooth is standard along with an eight-speaker audio system is standard with an AUX input.The flexible three rear seats can be adjusted independently or removed completely. The two outside seats move backwards and forwards, the centre seat folds down to form an arm rest or can be removed all together allowing the two outside seats to be pushed together.VERDICTWe like it. We like it a lot. Easy to drive, easy to get in and out of. Reminds us a lot of the original Forester. Nice and safe in the event of an accident too. Boot is not huge but that's the price you pay for a full size spare.

Just because I'm thinning of follicles and on the other side of 40, doesn't mean I have to start driving Volvos - but the new V60 is one you actually don't mind driving.Having grown up driving the shovel-nosed Swedish Valiants (bless Dick Johnson and his mid-race Bathurst comments), I'm familiar with the boxy, safety conscious history of the brand.Once it would have been almost obligatory to trade in something that drivers would enjoy steering for the safe, secure Swedish family transport, but this new-generation Volvo wagon bears little resemblance to its forebears, thankfully.VALUEThe V60 model range kicks off in the car on test, the T5, which starts on the yard with a $54,950 pricetag. That gets a two-litre direct-injection turbo four that produces 177kW and 320Nm under the more sculpted snout - more than enough to see off its direct price competitors.Features on offer in the entry-level V60 include a good-quality eight-speaker sound system with wheel-mounted controls and USB/MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth phone link, power-adjustable driver's seat, leather seat trim and gearshifter, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dipping centre rear vision mirror, rear parking sensors, trip computer and cruise control (also with wheel controls).The absence of automatic headlights is odd (given the availability on lesser models) but the headlights have an auto-off function, allowing the lights to be left on - yet another safety tick that harks back to the old-style Volvo running lights.TECHNOLOGYThe heart of the V60 is an all-alloy two-litre 16-variable-valve turbo engine with direct injection - not uncommon now - but the company is claiming a world-first turbocharger housing and manifold made of sheet steel (the material also used for the exhaust manifold) rather than cast iron. The powerplant is teamed with a double-clutch "Powershift" six-speed automatic that slips cleanly between cogs although sometimes it's not as quick as you'd expect from this type of transmission.DESIGNThe new-look Volvos offer a striking exterior for the right reasons - a far cry from the flying bricks of the 1970s and 1980s, with stumpy overhangs, a strong shoulder line and a slightly aggressive road presence. The cabin is functional and flexible, with 430 litres of loadspace (to a maximum of 1241 litres when the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seat is folded flat) and clever features including one-touch child door and window locks and the in-built boosters for the outboard rear seats.SAFETYThe Swedish brand (now Chinese-owned) has become synonymous with safety and it's no different with the V60. The company has put the active safety systems within the central infotainment screen, which makes switching off the stability control a more involved process and as a result you're less likely to do it - score one for safety there.The V60 has City Safety (the low-speed accident avoidance system), as well as anti-lock brakes (with the emergency brake assistance and brakeforce distribution systems), stability control, dual front and front-side airbags, full-length curtain airbags among the safety features. There are also pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners front and rear and the driver is alerted to which seatblets are in use.Optional safety features abound when skimming through the pricelist - adaptive cruise control and a collision warning system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian sensing ability adds $4175. The lane departure alert pushes the pricetag up to $2075 and the blind spot warning system - fitted to the test car - adds a further $1275.DRIVINGThe switch from S60 to V60 was a pleasant change - in many ways the wagon is preferable to the sedan and some of the more expensive V60 variants. The new turbo powerplant is almost spirited - revving freely and showing a willingness to work with the six-speed auto to good effect.Lined up against similarly priced rivals, the fuel use is a little higher but the performance in areas like open-road overtaking is better. Press-ahead driving is not beyond the T5 (the T6 is quicker in a straight-line) and its suprisingly capable of punching out of corners without masses of squirming torque-steer coming through the steering.It's not going to poach people from the T6 R-Design sport wagon but swifter progress is achievable. There is a manual shift option on offer to the driver but given it's able to be over-ridden by the car you're better off in D. Completing general duties, the V60 T5 doesn't lay claim to acres of space but parents and a couple of offpsring are comfortably encased within the Volvo, although the ride is on the firm side and not quite what you'd call supple. It is well-set-up for children in the back seat with built-in boosters and one-touch window and door locks. The climate control system is clever - the test car had the optional "Clean Zone" air quality system that vents the stale cabin air on unlock. The rain-sensing wipers (on this and other Volvos recently driven) were prone to false-wipes of a dry windscreen; something it seems was due to sunlight at odd angles tripping the sensors.VERDICTThe Swedish brand has well and truly put itself back in the hunt for more sales volume in this prestige wagon segment. The V60 T5 wagon has the looks, safety gear and cabin flexibility to give its (predominantly more-expensive German) rivals a hard time, as well as some heartburn in the performance stakes. The staid and stodgy image of its forebears is fading and this newest addition to the Volvo line-up will only accelerate that "hat-wearing Volvo driver" concept's passage into automotive history.VOLVO V60 T5 Price: from $54,950 (as tested $60,295)Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmResale: 68%Service Interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 8.7l/100km, on test 12.3l/100km, tank 68 l; 205g/km CO2Safety: six airbags, ABS, stability control.Crash rating: 5 star Euro NCAPEngine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre 16-valve DOHC direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4628mm (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1568kgTyre size: 215/50 R17Spare tyre: mobility kit

YOU buy a wagon for practical reasons. It's a bonus if that wagon has sporty spirit. It's a negative if its daily duties are compromised by its sporty nature. That's the dilemma with the 535i Touring. The 535i sedan is a delightful sporty saloon on the civilised side of an M3. In the 70kg heavier wagon, the turbocharged three-litre straight six is still a potent mill. However, the twin-scroll turbocharger has short, but annoying lag that makes city driving difficult - and isn't that where wagons will spend most of their time? Wagons are for dropping off and picking up the kids and doing the shopping. In the cut and thrust of city traffic, the "nothing, nothing, everything" acceleration of the 535i is useless. In traffic, you need to make split-second decisions about merging or entering a roundabout. You can't do that with turbo lag.VALUE The 5 Series Touring range starts at less than $100,000 for the first time since 1997. The diesel-powered 520d Touring arrives at $92,800, saving about $5000 on the luxury tax because its fuel economy of 5.3L/100km is well under the 7L/100km threshold. It comes standard with head-up display, adaptive headlights and most of the features available in the 7 Series. The petrol-powered 535i Touring (from $143,800) adds 18-inch wheels, gearshift paddles, auto tailgate, keyless access, rear sun blinds, fully adjustable electric seats, ambient lighting, Bi-Xenon headlights, a better hi-fi and high beam assist. Our test vehicle had a sport pack and several other options fitted, bringing the price up to $169,700. You can also get an optional digital radio for $900. TECHNOLOGY The twinscroll turbo engine in the 535i Touring has the same power (225kW) and torque (400Nm) as in the sedan and is faster than the 540i wagon it replaces. Economy is claimed to be 8.5L/100km with 197g/km of CO2. On our test, which included mainly city driving duties, it was just over 10L/100km. Fuel savings are achieved through a variety of means including use of lightweight aluminium in panels and chassis; electric power steering that uses energy from the engine only when cornering rather than hydraulic which uses energy from the engine all the time; eight-speed transmission; air flaps behind the kidney grille that close to quickly heat the engine on start-up and open for better aerodynamics on the highway; low rolling resistance tyres; and battery charging only when decelerating. Technology abounds in the wagons including the standard addition of parking assistance for automatic parallel parking, iPhone and iPod Integration and an "Office" infotainment package that integrates email, calendar, notes and text message functions from a mobile phone. SAFETY It's not only wagons and SUVs that need rearview cameras as a safety measure. All cars have blind spots and should be fitted with rearview cameras as standard. However, this car is fitted with optional "surround view" ($1300) with cameras all round providing a bird's-eye view of the area around the car. This means you can see how far you are from the kerb or any other obstruction on any side of the car. It's great for parking. There is also an auto-parking function for foolproof parallel parking that isn't even available on the 7 Series. That's all very good for slow-speed parking maneuvres, but the birdseye-view doesn't provide vision far enough at the rear when you are reversing out of a driveway and this is where most children are run over. Apart from that, the 535i comes with a hefty suite of primary and secondary safety gear. Optional safety features include adaptive cruise control with a semi-automatic emergency braking function to avoid rear-end collisions, lane departure warning and night vision. Euro NCAP has awarded a maximum 5-star safety rating, thanks to a pedestrian-friendly bonnet and a raft of safety features. The wagons have not yet been safety tested in Australia. DESIGN Not all wagons are ugly. This is a case in point thanks to an elegantly swooping roof line. For the first time a BMW also has a split tailgate where the top glass half opens remotely with the keyfob and the cargo cover folds back electronically or the whole tailgate can open as one unit. In the 535i, the tailgate also opens remotely. Cargo space is 560 litres, increasing to 590L with the rear seats tilted forward or 1670L with the rear seats folded down almost flat. The rear seats can also be folded down in three variations thanks to the 20/40/20 split, allowing four occupants with a set of skis to be stored down the middle. In the front, it is similar to the sedan with a driver-oriented dashboard. Outside, the diesel and petrol models can be distinguished by the larger front air dam on the 535i and by the twin tailpipes on either side of the 535i and together on the left on the 520d. DRIVING The greatest accolade I can give the 5 Series Touring is that it doesn't feel like a wagon. It handles like the sedan which is a driver's delight. I also liked the auto split tailgate, the 20/40/20 split rear seats and the very handy (optional) adaptive cruise control which works right down to full stop. Apart from grumbles about the turbo lag, my only other concerns are the lack of centre console space, serviceable cup holders and cubby holes. The centre console is largely taken up by a phone dock, but with most people these days having Bluetooth phones, it just wastes space. VERDICT Great for a sprint through your favourite canyon pass, but not really suitable for day-to-day traffic.BMW 535I TouringPrice: $143,800Warranty: 3-6 years, 50,000-100,000km (optional)Resale: 73%Service interval: Varies with warranty optionEconomy: 8.5L/100km; 197g/km CO2Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, DSC, dynamic braking. Crash rating: 5 star (Euro NCAP)Engine: 225kW/400Nm 3-litre twinscroll turbo six petrolTransmission: 8-speed autoBody: 5-door, 5-seat wagonDimensions: 4907mm (L); 1860mm (w); 1462mm (H); 2968mm (WB)Weight: 1770kgTyre size: 245/45 R18 (run flat tyres, no spare)

Cubic capacity is still the definitive measure of engine performance and luggage space. Package them together and you have the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate (Euro-speak for wagon). It's a leather-lined load lugger that will take the family on holidays at hyperdrive speeds.The Merc wagon's $154,800 price may be more than two year's average wages but it's also good value for money. No one else competes in this field - the closest you can get is the BMW 335i M Sport Estate at $112,600. The Beemer is a very, very capable car but it can't touch this.HSV's R8 Tourer isn't in this league either - it can't handle or hustle like the C63 can and the Commodore-based interior doesn't pretend to be this luxurious. Audi doesn't play here either - the wicked RS4 Avant isn't sold in Australia. That leaves the C63 Merc sitting pretty... unless you want to upsize to the biturbo 5.5-litre E63 Estate at $244,500.A seven-speed automated manual transmission endows the Merc with the ability to sip fuel at a modest 12.3 litres/100km. Not that most owners will ever see that - the temptation to drop the boot into the 6.2-litre V8 and provoke an exhaust snarl that humbles local V8s is just too much to resist.This is the best-sounding engine in the Mercedes-Benz garage and with 336kW and 600Nm on tap, it goes as hard as it sounds. The Carsguide test vehicle was fitted with the $14,900 performance package, which adds 22kW thanks to lightweight engine internals and puts composite brakes inside a set of 19-inch rims.Sexy and wagon shouldn't be used in the same sentence, but the Merc has enough panache to satisfy the fussiest fashionista. The tapering roofline removes the traditional slab-sided wagon look without sacrificing load capacity.Front on, it sets the standard in this class, which helps explain why the C-Class is the best-selling prestige range on the market. The red leather interior is as subdued as the exhaust note and reminds passengers and passers-by that this is a performance car.A three-stage stability control program is standard on the AMG and gives owners the option taking to the track and setting the program to their level of competence. The default mode keeps everything reined in; the next stage lets the tail hang out and all bets are off when the system is deactivated.The composite brakes - complete with red calipers - are neck-achingly good and won't fade this side of an assault on the Phillip Island circuit. The taut suspension sacrifices compliance over ruts and bumps for virtually no body roll and optimal tyre positioning when the pressure is on - just what you'd expect from a sports car. Xenon headlights have enough range to match the C63's pace and the safety pack is rounded out with adaptive cruise control, a fatigue detection system and nine airbags.Express delivery has never been so much fun. A dial on the centre console sharpens the transmission response from .2 of a second in the regular mode to .1 of a second in Sport +, and then there's launch control if you want to go from rest to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds. Queue manic laughter and looks from passengers that range from startled to outright scared. Don't put the dog in the back to test it, though, unless you've got Velcro paw mitts - the poor beast won't be able to deal with the G-forces. The steering is light on centre but weights up nicely with pace and cornering angle and if you can afford to fry the 30-profile rear tyres, this is a wagon built for precision drifting.

Volkswagen Passat 125TDI and Hyundai i40 Premium go head-to-head in this comparative review.

The LandCruiser is as much a part of the rural uniform as an Akubra. In just about any town with proximity to paddocks, you'll see 'Cruisers crawling the streets in a lineage that sometimes stretches back to their 1960s origins.They've gained a reputation for offering a combination of offroad ability and onroad comfort that has made them the wheels of choice out there. And they clamber over the competition in the sales charts, repeatedly beating the nearest rivals who aim to offer the same 'bush and blacktop' blend.VALUEThe LandCruiser tested here in V8 turbodiesel Altitude spec will set you back from $90,440 --  not cheap.It's about $2800 more than the same drivetrain in the GXL on which it's based. For that extra ask, it adds in quite a bit of upmarket kit from the top-spec Sahara version, including 18-in wheels, leather touches on the shifter and seats, powered front pews, and a colour touchscreen satnav/audio system with four-disc CD stacker, MP3 and Bluetooth.The Cruiser gives you eight seats, an astonishing 650Nm of torque and towing capacity of 3500kg. Its only real offroad rival in the large SUV class is the Nissan Patrol - although if you step into the luxury SUV section there's the Merc G-Class, but at more than twice the price.The Patrol is more affordable at $72,690 for the Ti with a capable 3.0-litre turbodiesel and dual-range 4WD - along with leather and quite a few luxury features -- but with one less seat, only 354Nm of torque and a similarly lower tow of 2500kg.Cherry-picking the tougher contenders out of the medium SUV class puts you in the turbodiesel Mitsubishi Pajero Exceed for $77,690, which gets you back up to 441Nm and a tow rating of 3000kg. It also seats seven, but it's going to feel a bit snugger than the Patrol if you fill every seat.And still with a big fan club is the turbodiesel Jeep Grand Cherokee, which in Overland spec at $69,500 gives you a whopping  550Nm with the five-speed sports auto, and 3500kg of towing capacity, but only seats five. But it comes with a heritage and -- even if it doesn't quite live up to every bit of the legend these days - people still love it.TECHNOLOGYUnder the bonnet is a 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8, developing 195kW of power at 3400rpm and the 650Nm of torque from a low 1600-2600rpm, with the drive going to all four corners via a six-speed automatic transmission with 'manumatic' shifting.Those are the kinds of numbers that bring smiles to a lot of faces, but they'll broaden into big bright grins at the mention of the 10.3L/100km fuel economy.  It might start as a smirk of disbelief at that official figure - which we didn't manage to achieve - but the 16.2L we finished with in a mix of highway running, city jousting and dirt crawling showed the engine is pretty efficient for its size.While the LandCruiser has constant four-wheel drive, it also has high and low ranges that use a Torsen limited-slip diff -- selected electronically using a dash-mounted switch -- and crawl controls for up and down steep hills.Unfortunately, the Altitude is one of the few LandCruisers that doesn't get as standard kit the Aussie-developed Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System -- which limits body roll with coupled hydraulic cylinders on the stabiliser bars, and uncouples the cylinders to allow full suspension travel in offroad crawling. You can have the KDSS added as an option, but it will set you back another $3250.SAFETYIt gets a four-star crash rating, and is fitted with eight airbags, ant-skid brakes with brake assist for emergency stops and brakeforce distribution to counter uneven load weighting, plus stability and traction controls.DESIGNThe LandCruiser's looks send a serious muscle message, starting with the hefty grille and its outright size. It's long, big and tall, with good ground clearance, and that means you have to climb up into it. But once you get there, you'll find acres of room for the first two rows, with the split-fold second row having slide adjustment for extra leg room.Even the side-mounted third row pews are more or less workable - although adults wouldn't like to be there for a long trip. Some buyers will look at it as being perfect for the weekend school soccer circuit, and to some extent that's a shame because this is not an ideal vehicle for town life.DRIVINGWe felt awkward driving the LandCruiser in the city, and wanted to slap a pony club sticker on the rear bumper so people would think we'd just blown in from the bush.It bullies its way through lane changes and narrow streets, is a trial in low-roofed underground carparks - and threatens to block out the neighbours' sun if you do manage to find a spot for it outside.Admittedly, it's smooth and quiet enough to not invoke any council noise regulations, and manages corners and roundabouts very well for something of its size, although there's a considerable amount of body roll with the standard suspension.But on the highway and into the dirt it really comes into its own, giving you a comfortable ride no matter what you throw it at: scrub, fire trails and creek crossings all vanish into the rearvision mirror with never a falter.We didn't get the chance to tow anything, but with 3500kg braked capacity it would have hauled anything in our sights. boat, horse trailer, caravan or camper. Hell, you could probably stick a wheel under each corner of your house and do a bit of relocation.VERDICTIt's the perfect vehicle for carry a troop in comfort around the country, towing big loads and getting far off the beaten track. Just keep it outside the city limits unless you're picking up the month's supplies.

Station wagons - as Australians term sedans with a bum - are becoming sexy. The Europeans and the Japanese knew this but we weren't listening.We were too wrapped up in the sugar-coated gloss of all things American, a place at the centre of the universe where only Moms piloted family wagons while Pa was seen in something snappier.Well, for those left a bit jaded by SUVs and still want a bit more room for hauling stuff like garage sale bargains, mud-caked mountain bikes or Fido the Fluffy, there's a growing list of sharp-edged station wagons that won't turn you into Mrs Cunningham.The Volvo V60 here is a stunner - both in looks and how it functions. I didn't want to get out of it and neither did the wife nor the kids. How's that - a wagon that doesn't embarrass children.VALUEAs a Euro-built wagon, you can put it against similar haulers such as the Volkswagen Passat ($40,990), a Skoda Superb ($40,990), BMW 3-Series (320i from $59,300) and Audi A4 Avant for $57,900. It's $54,950 price slots right in here and though the Passat and Skoda clearly appears to be the value winner, accept the fact that the Volvo is quicker, has more features and until the new Passat wagon arrives, is prettier.It has more features for your bucks than the BMW and Audi and entices prospective wagon owners to looks to Japan for even better value - but arguably less panache - at Mazda and Subaru. There's also very good value and quality at Skoda, so competition is keener than you may first believe.DESIGNSleek, wedge-nosed and almost seductive with its chamfered tail, it is a car that - like the C30 coupe - is as far away from what a Volvo used to be as possible. The good thing is that it all works. Perhaps the only downside is the invisible grille - a common problem - which may make the $325 front park sensor option a good deal.TECHNOLOGYBig news is the same 2-litre engine that will, later this year, be an option in the Ford Falcon. The four-cylinder, direct-injection turbo-petrol is rated at 177kW/320Nm and claims 8.3 l/100km and 194g/km CO2, though city/suburb/highway on test wouldn't get better than 10 l/100km.It's a great engine mated to one of the industry's best dual-clutch transmissions - one that doesn't hiccup and lag and pause and die when you hit the loud pedal, as some Volkswagen Group models tend to do. These oily bits bolt to a delightful chassis that loves a fast run through winding roads as much as a leisurely cruise down the highway. The mind-numbing crawl down the freeway is helped only by a decent audio system.Things that matter include the two flip-up child booster seats within the rear seat. There's two heights so children have a view out the windows. Safety gear is excellent but there's still no spare wheel as standard. A space-saver tyre is optional and bolts on top of the cargo floor where it eats into available luggage space.SAFETYHard to go past this one. Standard gear includes a full complement of airbags, a five-star crash rating, clever electronic stability control, big four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and City Safety - the radar-sensor system that automatically brakes the car at low speeds to prevent rolling into the back of another car or into your garage door.DRIVINGThe V60 puts the exhilaration of driving ahead of carrying loads of gear. If you want cargo room, buy Volvo's bigger V70. Even driving down the street, feeling the way the transmission's cogs replace each other so quickly, hints at how responsive the wagon is to a driver's demands.It constantly feels like a dog on a leash and that's a big change for a carmaker often accused of being safety-driven masters of lethargy. But it's not only the way the V60 responds. It feels good from the driver's seat. It has a simple, Ikea-like simplicity but you can see it has lots of features. It is quiet and comfortable and feels rock solid - all inspiring confidence which makes it a car to at least consider for the family. As I said, it's a car I always felt safe and comfortable in and never tired of enjoying how it performs.VERDICT One of the better wagons on the market that is a must-see for families as much as for the person who enjoys to drive. The S60 sedan has the same qualities.VOLVO V60 T5Price: $54,950Warranty: 3 years, 100,000km, roadside assistResale: 65%Service Interval: 15,000km or 12 monthsEconomy: 8.7 l/100km; 205g/km CO2Safety: six airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre turbo-petrolTransmission: Six-speed dual-clutch autoBody: 5-door, 5 seatsDimensions: 4628 (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1653kgTyre size: 235/45R17Spare tyre: None