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It’s never hard to test a car—especially something as fast and weird as Volvo’s V60 Polestar wagon—but it can be difficult to test cars in novel ways. Almost everything’s been done. And what kind of test is best for the vehicle in question? The Jeremy Clarkson-style, all feelings and shouting and heart? Or should it hew more towards the helpful Consumer Reports method, cold numbers and a reliable, understandable rubric? I’ve never been much for math or the scientific method, which is why I decided the most important test of a sporty station wagon like the 345-horsepower V60 Polestar would be Ultimate Puppy Capacity. That is, how many dogs could we (gently) stuff in the diminutive cargo hold of Volvo’s compact estate?
For a roster of high-quality canines, we turned to Pet Rescue of Harrison, New York. It’s an operation brimming with good people, and their mission—to “aid homeless, abandoned and neglected cats and dogs, to nurture them in the foster care of volunteers, to provide veterinary care and socialization, and to place them in permanent loving and responsible homes”—is even better. Kindly and patiently (note: it’s not easy to wrangle a dozen dogs, no matter how well-tempered), the people at Pet Rescue opened up the kennels and leashed, then unleashed, a bounty of fur and fun and, yes, a little pee. Collies, labradors, pit bulls, whatever breed has that black spot over its eye. That day, I fell hard for a months-old Golden Retriever puppy, most appropriately named Buddy. Dogs, guys: don’t get too close, or they’ll bite you right in the soft, gooey feels.
So, should it be helpful to a serious, serious dog owner, know this: The Volvo V60 Polestar is a stylish, incredibly quick station wagon whose cargo area can comfortably fit 8.5 adorable rescue dogs. That’s the official word from The Drive. (Watch out Consumer Reports.)
Still, I think we all know the real purpose of this exercise: me, holding a sleepy puppy like an infant, slobber in my ears, grinning like an imbecile. The Volvo V60 Polestar is a great car for the off-kilter, sporting driver. Puppies? Puppies are a salve for the soul.
