Volvo V70
| Volvo V70 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volvo Cars |
| Production | 1996–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size car / Executive car |
| Body style | 4-door wagon |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Volvo P2 platform |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Volvo 850 |
| First generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1996–2000 |
| Assembly | Torslanda, Sweden Ghent, Belgium Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.4L 162 hp I5 2.4L 190 hp I5 |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 104.3 in |
| Length | 186.4 in |
| Width | 69.3 in |
| Height | 57.2 in |
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1999–2007 |
| Assembly | Torslanda, Sweden Ghent, Belgium |
| Body and chassis | |
| Platform | Volvo P2 platform |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.0L 180 hp I5 2.4L 140 hp I5 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic 6-speed automatic 6-speed manual 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2755 mm (108.5 in) |
| Length | 4710 mm (185.4 in) |
| Width | 1804 mm (71.0 in) |
| Height | 1491 mm (57.7 in) |
| Third generation | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Production | 2007–present |
| Assembly | Torslanda, Sweden |
| Designer | Thomas Alvoid |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car |
| Platform | Volvo P24 platform |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.5L 200 hp I5 3.2L 235 hp I6 |
| Transmission | <6-speed automatic 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 4840 mm |
| Width | 1860 mm |
The Volvo V70 is a mid-size car / executive car produced by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars since 1996. The V70 is a five-door station wagon closely related to the S70, S60 and S80, which are sedans. Stylised four-wheel drive versions of the V70 have been sold as the Cross Country (XC) trim line and as the XC70 model. Over 80% of V70s are sold in Europe, one third in Sweden. The Volvo V70 has been the best selling car in Sweden for many years.
Versions
The offroad vehicle of the V70 lineup is the XC70, which is a V70 with a slight lift in ground clearance along with sturdy plastic body cladding in the front, on the sides, and on the back of the vehicle. The highest-performance version of the V70 model lineup is the V70R, which sports a turbocharged 300 hp engine and a rear spoiler.
First generation (1996–2000)
The original V70 was a development of the Volvo 850 station wagon and sedan series. The new name reflected Volvo's new strategy of naming vehicles depending on size and body style. Thus, the 850 was deemed to be a relative size 70. The name is then appended with the type of vehicle. So the station wagon adopted V (for Versatility), S (for Saloon) and C (for the new Coupé. These cars are retrospectively known as V70, S70 and C70. There were 1,800 improved and new parts in the design from the original 850, including upgraded passive and active safety, better handling and new engines, but as a whole this was the same car.
Second generation (1999–2007)
In the end of 1999 (2001 for North America), Volvo released the all-new V70 based on the new P2 platform which itself was first used for the entirely Swedish-designed Volvo S80 sedan in 1997. This new car dispensed with the boxy shape of Volvos before it to take on a curvy profile much like the 240 series, and added a new aggressive front end. The second generation of the V70 will finish production for model year 2007.
The V70 shares the same sheet metal ahead of the B-pillar with the Volvo S60, although the grilles are different and the front bumpers are mildy different. The dashboard and the majority of the interior of both cars are the same.
As was the case with all P2 platform Volvos, a minor refresh of the V70 occurred across all markets for the 2005 model year, which brought minor styling changes to the front facia, tail lamps, along with several improvements and changes to the interior fittings.
Third generation (2007-present)
The third V70 was officially unveiled by Volvo on 2 February, 2007. The car was developed to be a slightly more up-market car than the previous model, but remains the same size. Despite this, rear-seat legroom is increased two centimetres and a revised tailgate design increases the load area volume by 55 L.
As with the second-generation V70, the new car is a unique design sharing little externally with other Volvo models. The Ford EUCD platform and much of the interior (other than the rear seats and loadbay) are shared with the new S80. The new V70 will have a 3.2 L I6, a 3.0 L turbo straight-six, a light-pressure turbo 2.5 L I5, and two 2.4 L I5 diesel engines. Only the last two are offered with manual gearboxes.
- A third generation XC70 is featured on the television program Desperate Housewives driven by the character Susan Mayer.
Technical
The V70 is available as front or all-wheel drive (AWD) with manual, automatic or Geartronic, semi-automatic gearboxes. As before, there is an AWD only variant with raised suspension, plastic body cladding and an interior grab handle. This version was known as V70 XC (Cross Country) for the older cars, but was renamed XC70 for the new models.
Also following on from the previous generation was the use of five-cylinder, 20 valve inline transverse-mounted engines. All but the bottom range 2.4 employ turbochargers with either low or high pressure depending on the model. The most powerful vehicle in the regular range is the T5 (popular with UK police forces). This same engine is used in a variety of Volvo and other vehicles, and the level of power and performance produced is limited strongly by the computer systems. The V70 T5 can be chipped to deliver easily around 280 bhp and up to 315 bhp with custom fine tune. That is one reason why the vehicle is popular as a high speed vehicle with the police forces. [citation needed] The V70R, using the same engine, offers 300 bhp as standard for the demanding driver. The V70R also comes with Volvo's 4C multi-mode suspension, developed in conjunction with Öhlins, to allow the driver to vary the cars handling depending on driving style and conditions.
Comfort and luxury
The front seats and the rear bench are of orthopedic design to provide maximum comfort and support for all occupants. The V70 also features a high-end audio system. Dolby Pro Logic systems and sub-woofers are also available as upgrades to the standard audio system.
Options include DVD navigation with map data and remote control, a rear seat DVD entertainment system with two headrest monitors, headlamp washers, integrated child booster seats, an integrated home link remote control garage door opener, rear-door child-safety locks, rear park assist, power-adjustable passenger seats with 3-position memory and lumbar support, heated front seats, an integrated grocery bag holder, a rear view mirror compass, an integrated sunglass holder, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a power glass moonroof, 12 volt power outlets, leather seats, rear tinted windows, and a rain sensor.
Anti-submarining seats and overhead-mounted seat belt reminder lights come standard. Other standard features for 2007 include Volvo on call roadside assistance for four years, rear window deactivation, safe approach and home safe lighting, a security system, engine immobilizer with encrypted ignition key, key integrated remote control with central power door locks, an outside temperature gauge, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, a trip computer, driver information display, a power-adjustable driver seat with 3-position memory and lumbar support, ergonomically designed seats, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, flat-folding front passenger seats, aluminum integrated handle bar for front passenger, illuminated vanity mirrors in driver/front passenger sun visors, four reading lamps, cargo security cover, front center armrest, rear seat ventilation outlets on B-pillar, dual-zone electronic climate control, power windows with driver and passenger auto up/down with anti-trap feature, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with illuminated controls, remote audio controls in steering wheel, and much more.
Safety
As standard, the vehicle is equipped with driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags. Also featured is the WHIPS whiplash prevention system on the front seats. The S60 (sedan version) scored four stars out of five in the EuroNCAP safety testing, gaining particular praise in the side-impact tests. The V70 scored five stars in the NHTSA safety testing.
Later cars have the option of the BLIS blind-spot sensor system, that can detect vehicles otherwise hidden from view of the driver due to being just off to one side of the car.
As is typical for Volvos, all models feature daytime running lights to improve driver visibility and safety throughout the day. If an XC70 owner desires to have their daytime running lights turned off, they may do so at any authorized Volvo dealership.
Latest revision of the XC70 includes DSTC (standard on all models) - Dynamic Stability and Traction control, that combines the functions otherwise known as Electronic Stability Program and traction control.