Volvo V50

The old V40 T4 was unruly in the dry (and even worse in the wet), the new V50 comes with the option of Haldex drive to all four wheels (the same kind of thing that's in the Audi TT quattro), or with front-wheel drive only.

There's a good chance that in the V50 range the oil-burner will be the best option - unless you really don't care about fuel consumption, in which case it'll be the T5 AWD.

Although $57,950 is a lot to find for a small wagon, the T5 AWD package you get in return lacks nothing. As well as an impressive kit count, there's as much power on tap as you'll ever need in the real world. That's why it's important to opt for your T5 power to be fed to both ends - chicken out and take the front-drive only option and you'll be replacing the front tyres every other week.

Whatever speed you drive the V50 at, both road and wind noise are kept to an impressive minimum. But give the T5 some gas and the five-cylinder engine gives a guttural roar, despite the weedy exhausts poking out from under the rear valance. For something that's supposed to represent the sporty option, Volvo could have made a bit more effort with that back end detailing.

Press on and the reserves of grip are more than enough, unless you're verging on the criminally insane. The nose pushes predictably wide if provoked, but the brakes are hugely capable and, with electronic aids everywhere, the car should keep you out of trouble.

Despite the T5 engine being turbocharged, the power delivery is linear, and, as you punch through each of the six ratios, the speed builds while the car continues to feel stable and reassuring - those dimensional revisions really make themselves felt.

Richard Dredge