Im overall impressed with the way the Volvo's handle ice in general. I have a 98 S70 with every option except for TRACS (guess its because mine is a 5spd). My friend with his ASC (Active Stability Control) equipped BMW could not get up his steep ice covered driveway where my Volvo had no problem driving right up. Then again I was using a low gear and allowing the clutch to slip as I was going up. Im not sure how the Volvo TRACS would have handled the situation. The BMW would start up the hill and then start loosing traction. When the wheels slipped even the least bit the car backed off the power to the point my friend had the car floored and was standing still with no reaction from the engine. My car did a little sliding but I was able to control what was going on and get up the driveway without your typical burning front tires sliding backwards uncontrollably situation .

In a way I think the traction control on the first S70's was a bandaid in some ways. If you have ever driven an early model S70 with an automatic and any kind of turbo sudden acceleration causes the front wheels to outright spin. It gets worse on wet surfaces. A freind and I have coined the term "dumb transmission" for these early model cars as a more well equipped microprocessor controlled unit replaced it (he had one of the "smart transmissions" in his first 2000 C70 HPT Convertible and now has a really good 5speed automatic in the "lemon law mobile" a 2001 C70 HPT convertible)

In any event be glad you have TRACS be really really glad. Perhaps you might be unlucky enough to get a 1998 Low Pressure Turbo Loaner car with the older Transmission. You will really begin to understand why this option should not have even been an option. The "dumb transmission" is easy to spot with its "sport" and "normal" buttons.