XC70 up to whatever cliché thrown in its way
When writing about a Volvo product, a gentleman media-weasel must be careful not to belabour the safety aspect. The Swedish manufacturer is already known as the worldwide benchmark in occupant protection, so relying too much on pressing the point can become kind of cliché.
Not that this week’s tester isn’t chock full o’ safety features, mind you - it is - but the latest generation of the family crossover ute brings a host of other desirables to the table as well.
Like the other members of the Volvo stable, the XC70 has gotten progressively better looking as the line evolved. The car has a solid, muscular look to it; and while it maintains the squared off look of a true Swedemobile, it can be said that it carries an element of style.
Tall rear reflectors extend from the tail lights up the back pillars, and a reworking of the glass and front end for the ’08 model makes for a handsome wagon.
The XC70 now rides on the same chassis as the S80, Volvo’s top-line sedan, but with added height. Higher sightlines are one of the main selling points of the crossover segment, and the expanded body also allowed good headroom and elbow space.
Even with the power moonroof, I wasn’t forced to lean the seat back or adopt an uncomfortable driving posture in the vehicle, which is sometimes the case for a giraffe-like person such as me.
The only engine choice for the XC70 (at least until next year, when Volvo will offer a turbocharged six-cylinder option) is a rock solid 3.2-litre six-cylinder that gives the car a max 235 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque at 6200 and 3200 rpm, respectively.
While I felt a little lag time in between depressing the gas pedal and getting the results from the engine, it wasn’t enough to be worrisome. Volvo doesn’t market the XC70 as a sports car, after all; and the 3.2 never failed to bring the vehicle up to speed for highway driving or passing in reasonable time.
I didn’t pull anything with my tester this week, but I did when I drove one at the car’s introduction last fall in Montana; so I believe the company when it says the XC70 can haul up to 1,500 kg when rigged for trailering.
Steering response is excellent in this car, the test vehicle’s speed-sensitive rack and pinion system left enough feel in the wheel that I always felt tightly connected to the car.
Suspension leans more to the “sport” side of the spectrum, a little on the stiff side, but totally appropriate to a vehicle of the XC’s mass, and with a MacPherson front and multi-link rear (and anti-roll bar) to dampen contact with the pavement, the ride was kept smooth on many grades of terrain.
The interior of the XC is extremely comfortable, particularly from a driver’s perspective. I will admit to being biased, because I have always found Volvo vehicles to be among the best of European makes when it comes to interiors; and the tester was a fine example.
With a good ergonomic layout and all major controls within easy reach, and visuals kept simple by a flowing dash and complimented by touches like the etched aluminum trim applied to dash and doors (and a simple yet comprehensive gauge cluster), I never got tired of the interior.
Driver’s seat comfort rivals anything from Munich, if you catch my drift, particularly with leather seating surfaces. Rear passenger room is adequate for full-size adults, and my tester included Volvo’s two-stage rear booster seats, designed to elevate children and position them for seat belt coverage.
Now to touch just a bit on the safety aspects, one of the features Volvo offers is their BLIS system (Blind Spot Information System is what that stands for, kind of a mangled acronym, but what the heck) – a detection system designed to warn a driver of other vehicles passing on either side by means of a light mounted near the side mirror. The light blinks when a vehicle is detected in the dead zone between mirror and shoulder-check coverage.
And while I liked BLIS, I could have lived without CWAB (Collision Warning with Auto Brake) It’s an option that I wasn’t aware was on the car until it went off when it decided I was in danger of having an imminent crash.
I wasn’t, of course, but when a car in front of me suddenly hit the binders to make a turn, a red strip light started flashing and beeping wildly, startling the heck out of me and bringing great amusement to Edmonton editor Rob Daly who was a passenger at the time.
Apparently the system would have applied the brakes of its own accord as well, if I hadn’t already been braking because I saw the car ahead, and I’m not sure if I like that. Is there such a thing as a car being too-clever-by-half? That is how I would describe CWAB, and I doubt it’s an option I would bother to get if I were buying the car.
That aside, the XC70 is a very enjoyable premium wagon that brings together the advantages of all-wheel drive, good cargo capability with its large rear hatch, and an immaculate interior.
It comes at a price, of course, with the starting MSRP at $46,495 and my tester (which included the “Luxury” and “Convenience” option packages) coming in at $54,695 not including freight.
Summary:
Strong Points
Weak Points
- - Build quality
- - safety
- - capable all-wheel drive system
- - Pricey
- - only one engine/transmission choice
Editors Rating:
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