Earlier this year we reviewed the impressive $117,000 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Sportwagon. It was an experience that simply blew us away. But at just $48,225, so did the Volvo V60.

Base / Loaded: From $45,150 to $48,225

Powertrain: 3.0L 325 horsepower engine with 354 lb ft of torque, 6-speed transmission

Fuel economy: 22 mpg combined (19 city / 28 highway)

Annual Fuel cost: $2,400

It’s no secret that today’s Volvo is a far cry from Volvo’s former tank-like design that was so admired by frumpy, overweight parents with the sole concern of safety. In fact, now that the brand is comfortable in its reputation for having mastered the element of safety, performance and longevity, style has risen in the ranks, as is quite apparent in the V60’s visual standouts such as racy lines and other visual enhancements of the R-Design. To further compliment the theme, the addition of the $750 set of 19-inch rims boast “Hot Daddy” all over it. Heck, it even works for me and I have no kids!

But the real thrill comes from spending time behind the wheel to discover the amazingly powerful and always smooth response delivered during acceleration. V60 effortlessly propels itself with a fierceness to almost match its $117K German counterpart—at a fraction of the cost with your theme song playing in your ear, courtesy of the powerful 1600 watt, eight speaker audio system. The shift is as smooth as butter as the T6 goes up and down the scale to deliver pure power

Volvo is known for a straightforward interior design. The V60 plays right along with the theme, adding a touch of brilliance with bright (not polished) metal enhancements for an upscale accent that’s just enough to appeal to add further appeal to a timeless contemporary landscape design. Best of all, you get the cargo space of an SUV, the feel of a luxury car and the performance of a super-car all in one vehicle, loaded, and still priced under $50K!

Also, beginning with all 2015.5 Volvo models–which are currently in showrooms and on sale — the brand offers several groundbreaking industry firsts by way of smartphone applications that come standard. For example, with compliments, Volvo On Call allows Volvo owners to determine vehicle location, overview recent trips, perform remote start and more from either an iOS, Android or Windows phone. Again, this is an industry first available in all Volvo models.