Life as a rep isn't so bad these days. The quality of the Little Chefs is better. There's the Birmingham Toll Road to make cross-country commuting more bearable. And the standard of the kind of medium Range motor the fleet manager's likely to give you for the journey has changed beyond recognition.

Think back ten years - then ten years before that. Motorway marathons were things you psyched yourself up for with a stock of Mars bars and a few bottles of Red Bull. No longer. At the wheel of a car like our Volvo S60 saloon, you've the kind of luxury normally reserved for Managers higher up the career ladder.

Of course it helps that the version we tried was the powerful diesel D5 equipped with most of the toys any executive might desire. Having said that, even the most basic repmobile these days comes with things like air conditioning, front and side airbags and a decent stereo. To these things, our S60 test car added power steering, leather trim, a CD player, ABS with EBD, central locking, an LCD instrument panel and body-coloured addenda. It's well equipped, as we said. As for the price, well this particular version is priced from £23,255.

Despite the S60 saloon's boot appearing something of a vestigial appendage, flip it's lid and you'll find a gaping chasm capable of swallowing an amount which, to put things into perspective, isn't far off that of a BMW 5 Series and more than you'll find in the back of, say, an Audi A4 or a BMW 3 Series.

"To overlook the S60 as a compact alternative for the executive user-chooser would be a mistake. Any Sales Rep who's tried one will tell you that..."

Five versions of the S60 are offered in D5 guise. Initially, there's the S entry-level version at £23,255, the sporty Sport at £25,105 and the more luxurious SE trim which weighs in at £25,755. Then you have the £27,555 SE Sport and the Range-topping SE Lux for £28,005. All of these feature an equipment list that includes cruise control, 16" alloy wheels, a CD player, cruise control, wood-effect trim and an upholstery upgrade. The SE weighs in with additional leather, chrome and other extras. There are airbags everywhere: two at the front and two at the side, all of which have been programmed to activate less aggressively. Plus there's an inflatable curtain which covers the side windows and protects the occupant's head in a lateral impact.

Giving all 185bhp their head is certainly an impressive exercise as, unlike so many diesel engines, there's a useable amount of flexibility to be had near the top end of the rev band - although a bit of a dip exists at the bottom end. So, a diesel that revs like a decent petrol engine and sounds like one too - does it have the performance to match? To be frank, no it doesn't. Those chaps at Volvo may be clever but they can't manage the impossible, especially when you factor in the S60 D5's 47mpg average economy figure. Still a sprint to 60mph in 8.2 seconds is hardly lethargic and a top speed of 143mph will be enough for all but the most gimlet-eyed autobahn stormers. The S60 D5 is, however, a car for the long run, its 15.4-gallon fuel tank giving it a cruising Range of over 925 miles - a distance that could be covered for less than £65 in fuel!

The main focus of the last set of changes brought to the S60 package was that of boosting the car's sportiness, both actual and perceived. The Dynamic chassis was introduced across the Range with revised components, while Sport models get a Sport chassis and the SE Sport derivatives benefit from the active Four-C set-up. Outside, indicators are integrated into the larger mirrors, there's a low front spoiler and the grille has a wide chrome surround. Inside, there's more chrome and aluminium detailing with cruise control standard on all models.

In a compact executive saloon market sector dominated these days by excellence, it's easy for motoring journalists and Fleet Managers alike to ignore manufacturers like Volvo when considering alternative choices for business user-choosers seeking an alternative compact car choice. That would be a mistake. Any sales rep who's tried an S60 will tell you that.