WHEN it comes to big estate cars, Volvo has always been king and while the latest in a long line might not now be the biggest on the market, its boot is still huge.

The V70 is based on the top S80 platform and has much of its luxurious interior, so you're never short of creature comforts even in lowest ES trim.

I drove the D3 2.0-litre five cylinder turbo diesel, which with a six-speed gearbox, is very economical and reasonably quick and costs almost the same as its petrol brother.

It is wonderfully comfortable over the longest journey and amid the potholes of the town and the engine even sounds good - unusual for any diesel.

The steering is a little overlight, not giving as much feel as I would like, but the fairly soft suspension does not affect handling too much and cornering speeds are quicker than you might imagine.

There's loads of space front and rear for five to travel in comfort and the controls are well designed and easy to use.

: Skoda Superb Estate