Courtesy Canadian Driver:


1998: Volvo's mainstay duo returned in base, GLT, and sporty T5 versions with front-drive, and in V70 R and XC (Cross Country) wagon form with all-wheel drive. An AWD GLT sedan joined the lineup this year. Output of the strongest engine rose from 236 to 247 horsepower, when installed in the R wagon. New electronic brake modulation helped optimize performance in normal stops. Volvo's traction control system now included throttle as well as brake intervention. A starter interlock was added to models with manual shift, automatic transmissions gained "adaptive" shift logic, and an engine immobilizer became standard. Dashboard airbags got new two-stage sensors that matched deployment force to road speed and belt use; they also automatically unlocked doors after the bags triggered.