We left a stoplight under full throttle, and the system worked admirably, until we reached the middle of the intersection and surpassed the 25 mph operating threshold of the system. At that point, the wheels began spinning, transmitting severe axle hop into the passenger cabin and frightening pedestrians walking nearby. Volvo needs an all-speed traction control setup, like, yesterday. Clutch action is somewhat heavy, but easy to modulate. Once the front tires, and the driver's feet, are under control, the S70 T-5 zooms along effortlessly.
Brakes are quite effective, with good pedal feel.
Steering is light and nicely balanced, clearly communicating to the driver the activities of the front tires. Wind noise is nicely subdued, and very little tire thump makes its way into the cabin. The car handles twisty mountain roads and flat interstate with equal aplomb, all the while providing the driver and passengers with supremely comfortable seating accommodations. The sound system in our test car handled Sarah McLachlan, Seal, Garbage, and the Dave Matthews Band with no trouble at all, drowning out rather excessive howl from the open sunroof. The V70 AWD, however, feels decidedly different than any other Volvo you've driven recently.