That Volvo's current generation V70 is the definitive large estate car isn't something many people would argue with. In recent years however, German rivals like Audi's A6 Avant and BMW's 5 Series Touring have been running it uncomfortably close and traditional Volvo buyers have begun to look around.

The marque's pricing structure hasn't helped in this regard. There used to be clear blue sky between the price of a V70 and a comparable A6 or 5 Series. When the latest generation V70 was launched featuring a starting figure the best part of £27,000, that was no longer the case. Hence the importance of the 145PS £24,995 2.0P model we're looking at here.

You don't buy a Volvo estate to throw it around the lanes, so this variant to my mind makes a lot more sense than the larger-engined 2.5 and 3.2-litre petrol variants. Which only leaves the question of diesel. At the same time as introducing the 2.0P, Volvo also announced a 136PS 2.0D version which sells for around £500 more. Though apparently less powerful, the fact that it develops 320Nm of torque instead of 190Nm for the 2.0P means that the diesel will feel a lot pokier. If that's not a problem and you simply don't like diesels, then the 2.0P remains a sensible choice. Fuel consumption is 32.8mpg (as opposed to 47.9mpg for the 2.0D), while CO2 emissions are 206g/km (157g/km for the 2.0D).

If you haven't yet checked out Volvo's latest generation V70 models and have a rather old fashioned idea of 'boring' Volvo estates, then this car might come as a bit of a revelation. But let's start with the practical stuff. The rear end looks a little more svelte than before but Volvo hasn't been diverted from this car's raison d'etre - lugging gear. Lots of it. The clever trick is that the Swedes have disguised the car's inherent boxiness with neat detailing like the split high-level tail lights.

There's a class-competitive 540-litres of virgin space back there and a massive space can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. The 40-20-40 three part split/fold rear seat offers 16 different combinations and the loadbay floor itself features aluminium rails and movable anchoring points. A sliding load floor is also offered as an option, as is a powered tailgate.

". in order to attract new customers to the fold, this generation V70 needed to adapt. It has."

The V70's front is pleasantly curvy in-keeping with models like the S80, C70 and V50 which have reinvigorated Volvo's reputation for stylish design. The car's designer cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end. It's unmistakably a Volvo and the look is a long way removed from the lithe, purposeful lines of some Germanic rivals. The blacked out side pillars, C30-inspired tail lights and a slightly more raked tailgate angle nevertheless mean that it has enough about it to hold its own from a design perspective.

Of course, its prospects will be helped by a very competitive list of standard equipment. DSTC dynamic stability and traction control is standard. As well as speed-sensitive power steering with three settings, the V70 also features an intelligent power parking brake that automatically disengages when the accelerator is pressed. There's also an innovative dual-stage integrated rear child booster seat that works in tandem with the V70's extended curtain airbags to provide unparalleled child safety.

So far, so sensible. But in order to attract new customers to the fold, this generation V70 needed to adapt. It has. This is now a car that is more rewarding to drive. If you simply have to press on over a twisty route, this Volvo, unlike its predecessor, won't require a packet of travel sickness tablets to make the journey bearable.

Overall, though the changes may have been mellow on the outside, with a keener chassis, a cleaner range of engines and better safety provision, the V70 is unquestionably a more capable car than before. And the 2.0P engine? My view is that for around £500 more, the 2.0D is a better bet. But if petrol it must be, then it's the 2.0P for me.