Volvo V70 wagon mixes new aggressive look with traditional values

Volvo V70 wagon mixes new aggressive look with traditional values

2008 Volvo V70 Wagon
By: Jim Robinson

COLOGNE, Germany: Almost as long as there have been Volvos, there have been Volvo wagons going back some 54 years.

The Swedes are a practical lot and the utility advantages of a wagon have not been lost at Volvo which just introduced the next generation 2008 V70 wagon and XC70 crossover utility vehicle.

Volvo nomenclature labels all wagons with a "V", sedans with an "S", and crossovers with an "XC". And while the V70 and XC70 are almost identical under the skin, Volvo sees the two as separate vehicles with differing demographics.

The V70 is aimed primarily at families and upscale ones at that.

"With the all-new Volvo V70, we want to mark our position in the premium segment even more clearly than before," said V70 project director Tomas Ahlborg. "In addition to design and safety, we've given top priority to areas such as driving pleasure, flexible function and high comfort."

Lofty words these, but taking on the likes of the Audi Avant and BMW Touring are not adversaries you pick haphazardly, so Volvo has done a lot or work on the V70 from the ground up and that starts with the styling.

While the Volvo wagon look is definitely there to differentiate from the competition, designers concentrated on a more aggressive look.

The Volvo wagon signature taillights that run up to the roofline are now grafted into a noticeably larger, hexagonal tailgate that greatly improves rear vision and visibility.

"With the help of the intelligent overlapping tailgate, which takes the tail lamps up with it when it is opened, the space inside the cars is larger than before and easy to load," said Volvo chief designer Steve Mattin.

Besides a three-part folding rear seat plus a fold-forward front passenger seat for maximum cargo storage, the liftgate is now powered and the cargo floor slides, make loading easier.

The suspension system has a very substantial feel. With stability/traction control and ABS standard, you can push the V70 hard.

I drove the European spec T6 in Cologne on highways no wider than my driveway in the midst of morning rush hour with commuters who did not suffer hesitation or slowing to look for street signs.

If I can use the same impressions gained on a 3.2-litre XC70 driven the same day as a yardstick, the six-speed automatic transmission reacts very swiftly. If you switch to the Geartronic sequential mode, gear engagement is instantaneous. With the enlarged window in the rear liftgate, rear vision is like looking out a picture window.

The seats on any Volvo are superb, almost works of art, but they have more of a function then just looking good. They are part of the Volvo Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) that sees the front seats slide back and down when the XC70 is hit from behind. The headrest cups the head like a catcher's mitt while the seat reduces the g-force load on the back and soft tissues.

New to the safety array are height-adjustable integrated child cushions that are part of the two outside rear seats. These can be set at two different levels allowing children of different sizes to be in the best position to benefit from wearing their seatbelts.

But my favorite is the optional Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) that uses rear facing cameras on the bottom of each outside mirror. When a vehicle enters the driver's blind spot, a rear light glows on the A-pillar. Rolling along at 140 km/h, BLIS let me know when faster vehicles (and there were lots of them) were approaching. It meant I could pull into the passing lane with a lot more confidence.

Another option is the Volvo Personal Car Communicator (PCC). More than a remote entry key fob, from as far away as 100 metres, PCC alerts the key holder if the XC70 has been broken into.

PCC can also detect a heartbeat if someone is hiding inside. I asked what if a dog, not a highjacker, was in the car and was told the PCC is intelligent enough to know that difference.

The V70 launches first in Europe with a variety of normally aspirated, turbocharged and diesel engines, but we will only get one engine initially.

When the first V70 arrives in early in 2008 it will have a 3.2-litre inline six-cylinder with 235 hp and 236 lb/ft of torque. Instead of the usual "north-south" configuration, it is mounted transversely and drives the front wheels. By next summer, we will start getting the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbo with 282 hp and 295 lb/ft of torque called the V70 T6. This will feature all-wheel-drive.

No Canadian fuel consumption figures are available but the European estimates given were 15.4L/100 km city and 7.7L/100 km highway for the V70 3.2 and 16.7L/100 km city, 8.1L/100 km highway for the V70 T6.

Worth noting is an option passed down from the flagship S80 sedan called Collision Warning and Brake Support. It alerts the driver if the front-facing radar detects a vehicle on a collision course. It can also pre-charge the brake system to shorten the stopping distance when the driver hits the brakes.

The V70 I was driving has a rear-view camera with monitor that popped up out of the top of dash whenever reverse was selected. It not only showed what was back there, but projected lines to help steer in the right direction.

I got lost a lot on this trip and had to change directions a number of times. Having to pick tight spots to pull in and turn around where I could find them, the camera more than proved its worth. I hope it won't be long before this is available or standard on all cars and trucks.

Because we don't get the V70 until February or so, pricing was not announced but I was told $43,000-$48,000 is a safe bet.

If there is one drawback to the V70 it's how long it's going to take to get here, but like all good things, the wait should be worth it.
 

VOLVO V70 2008 AT A GLANCE

BODY STYLE: Full-size luxury wagon.

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front-/all-wheel-drive.

ENGINE: 3.2-litre, inline DOHC six-cylinder (235 hp, 236 lb/ft); 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder (282 hp, 295 lb/ft)

FUEL ECONOMY: (European estimates) V70 3.2, 15.4L/100 km city, 7.7L/100 km highway; V70 T6 16.7L/100 km city, 8.1L/100 km highway.

PRICE: Est. $43,000-$48,000.

WEBSITE: volvo.ca
 

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