Pros: Powerful, elegantly designed, ecologically friendly, and gas saving with ample interior space
Cons: Oversized headrests hamper full lateral visibility.
The Bottom Line: Apart from its headrests partially hampering visibility and requiring more dependence on side mirrors than I would like, the V70 reflects the zenith of automotive handling, comfort, emissions and economy.
Volvo estimates 20 MPG city, 30 highway. They are dead accurate. We began by looking at a Toyota Prius. Admittedly, the V70 doesn't afford that remarkable mileage, but the Toyota salesman told us that the Prius 4x4, due out soon, is estimated to average only about 30 MPG. Volvo comes very close to that, with a great deal more power and solidity than the Prius sedan.
The reserve power (including downshifting above 75 MPH), pickup, hill climbing ability and the silence of the five cylinder engine is remarkable. The car, though singularly devoid of extraneous "bells and whistles" such as key-less ignition, offers just about the best of everything a driver or passenger requires, from seat comfort to its steering wheel controlled sound system. The interior storage is more than ample, particularly with the back seats folded down. Foremost, however, are the remarkable safety features of Volvo - responsiveness, road hugging stability, standard side airbags, seats that rock at impact to avoid whiplash and remarkably smooth anti-lock breaking.
We intended only to take a test drive - ended up owning a new V70 that is now 2500 miles old, unlike Toyota, without a trace of sales pressure - only informed answers. Full maintenance will be gratis for the first 30,000 miles. The 1200 mile break-in period involved only avoiding cruise control and rapid acceleration from a standing stop.
The last Volvo we owned was an 1800 ES sports wagon, similarly classic clean design is back with the V70. We become very attached to our cars, have keep two Jeep Grand Wagoneers looking and running like new for an average of 15 years apiece. I see no reason that the V70 should not be with us for at least that long and make us just as happy.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 32,500
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: V70 automatic
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