The V70 will be replaced by an all-new model by the end of the year. That new car will have a lot to live up to, as the V70 is justly popular with caravanners.

The D5 version is the pick of the bunch. Given its 182bhp and 295lb/ft of torque, you wonder why anyone bothers with a thirsty petrol model. The D5 should return 41.5mpg in solo driving, yet pulled an 85% match from 30-60mph in just 10.3 seconds: quicker than any other car in this weight class.

It’s no good pulling confidently to the legal limit if the outfit isn’t stable when you get there, but the V70 never felt anything less than rock-solid, even through our lane-change manoeuvre. Braking performance was excellent, too.

Unlike its little brother, the V50, control at high speeds did not come at the expense of comfort, smoothing away bumps with ease. In fact, the V70 rides more comfortably with a caravan on the back than it does by itself.

Choosing the larger of the two Volvos means there’s much more luggage room, rising from 485 litres to 1641 litres when the rear seats are folded. It’s a shame there’s not a little more space in the back seats, although this is one area the new V70 is likely to address.

We wouldn’t normally recommend buying a car which is about to be replaced, as that can put a dent in future resale values. However, there are big discounts on offer, around £3000 now and likely to increase as the new car’s on-sale date draws closer. Used examples make great buys, too.

Our advice? Haggle hard and pick up one of these superb towcars at a bargain price.