Volvo XC70 D5 SE | Road Test Review

“With its ‘beefed up’ looks the XC70
is unexpectedly eye-catching, a blend
of Volvo’s XC90 off-roader and its S80
premium saloon. As such, it offers
a practical and versatile mix of their
attributes in a versatile, comfortable
family-friendly package capable of
taking you safely down roads less
travelled...”

TALK TO NON-VOLVO OWNERS about Volvo's V70/XC70 range of estates and the consensus of popular opinion is probably best categorised as 'boxy but good'. 'Built like a tank' also figured strongly in their descriptions. Obviously there's not much point in asking fans of the marque because they are already well aware of the virtues or they wouldn't be driving a Volvo. But having recently driven the very latest XC70 AWD, they're right on all counts. But not in quite the way they might think.

Boxy? Not externally. Not any more. But internally, Yes. In a practical, make-use-of-every-inch load-carrying sense. Good? Definitely. Built like a tank? Doesn't everybody today want to keep himself and his family as safe as possible? After several hundred test miles — many in rather appalling conditions, weather- and traffic-wise — we really did feel a wrench when the time came for the XC70 to go back. Yes, we'd been Volvo-ed!

Back, for a minute, to that 'boxy' comment. Not to put too fine a point on it, the new XC70 could be looked at as essentially a 'jacked up' V70 estate with all-wheel drive and attitude. Smoothed-off corners are wrapped around a five-door, two-box design that has a hint of SUV/off-roader styling about it. But not enough to mess up the overall sporty design headlined by a sharply raked windscreen and bold, vertical C30-inspired tail lights.

Visually, the XC70 is a 'crossover' version of the V70 estate. Hard-wearing, scratchproof cladding runs along the its flanks and around the wheel arches to protect against rocks and trees. Other tough external features include sturdy wraparound bumpers with noticeable corner pads, and chromed skid-plates. The wide, chromed protective scuff-plate at the front has been integrated to take on a spoiler-like shape, but is primarily there to protect the engine and underside of the front of the car during more arduous off-road work. A chromed skid-plate also protects the tail. Together with a higher ride height, these body mods give the XC70 AWD a usable off-the-beaten-track capability. The all-wheel drive system adds will-do to the can-do looks.

And so far as that 'built like a tank' tag goes, it is. Unashamedly so. Every XC70 AWD comes with a suite of safety features as standard, starting with the electronically-controlled all-weather, driveability-enhancing all-wheel drive system, an electronic stability and traction system (DSTC) that stops skids and slides, ABS and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist to help the driver to stop in the shortest possible distance in emergency situations). There's also Ready Alert Brakes where, if the accelerator is released suddenly, RAB is deployed. The brake pads are instantly positioned very close to the discs, reducing braking response time and braking distance. And Fading Brake Support: In long, hard braking, such as on a lengthy, mountainous descent, there is a risk of brake fade. FBS uses the hydraulics to gradually build brake pressure, maintaining pedal feel.

Volvo recently introduced a world innovation in the field of child safety with a height-adjustable booster cushion. Integrated into the XC70's rear seat, it can be set at two heights, allowing children of different sizes to see out of the car while also benefiting from optimal seatbelt support. Not only that, it makes children (and parents) happier: and when children complain less, it stands to reason — and has been proven — that parents drive more safely.

Hill Descent Control is another useful feature — HDC regulates the vehicle's speed on steep downhill gradients in all conditions so that all the driver has to do is steer. In addition, occupants are well protected by Volvo's side Impact Protection System: dual-chamber side airbags and inflatable side curtains. These are a new type of side airbag with two separate chambers — one for the hip section and one for the chest. The hips can withstand greater force than the chest, so the lower chamber inflates with up to five times more pressure than the upper section. The front seats also have integrated headrests and built-in whiplash protection.

So Yes, it could be called 'boxy' — but in the nicest possible way. And, for your safety, it's built like a tank. Or rather, to quote Volvo, it's 'engineered to be the safest car in its sector'.

But it's the cabin that really sells the XC70 to non-Volvo drivers. How good you feel when you're sitting there! In fact, every passenger who travelled in our test model came away impressed. One was so smitten, he went out and bought one! Yes, we thought he was joking, too, until he drove round to show us. It turned out that he had never considered a Volvo before because he thought they were staid; so he'd never taken a test drive.

Standard equipment on the XC70 entry-level SE model includes leather-faced upholstery, 8-way electrically adjustable driver's seat with three-settings memory recall, 8-speaker audio system with a single CD player and 160-watt output and iPod/MP3 compatibility, automatic rain-sensing wipers, multi-function steering wheel controls, remote key with push button start/stop feature, electronic climate control air conditioning, cruise control, power-adjustable and heated door mirrors with auto-fold function and front and rear electric windows all with auto one-shot up/down operation and drive-off automatic central locking. There's also a set of chunky six-blade 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with 235/55 Pirelli Scorpion Zero tyres.

Thanks to a tasteful combination of quality materials — for example, the smart cross-brushed aluminium fascia and door trims — and an appealing layout, the cabin ambience is definitely 'Scandinavian'. Thibnk restful and 'open-plan'. Volvo's 'floating' centre console-cum-centre stack — which contains most of the important switches and controls — does much to add to the stylishly functional interior.

And in an XC70 you're never lost for a control or switch — everything is sited where you expect to find it and instantly identifiable. The white-on-dark grey faced rev-counter and speedometer are easy to read, and there's a neat digital bar graph fuel gauge incorporated in the speedo. A driver's information display shows range to empty, average mpg, external temperature, etc.

The leather-clad seats, based on those of the luxury S80, are large and very comfortable — they feel soft when you first sit in them but beneath the softness is a relaxing, supple support that stays with you over the longest of journeys. Both front seats have manual lumbar support. The driving position is commanding and makes placing — or parking — the XC70 an easy job. A digital compass inset into a corner of the auto-dimming rear-view mirror seems superfluous — until you venture off the beaten track. And if you're only going as far as the supermarket car park, you'll appreciate the ticket holder at the base of the windscreen.

An electronically operated parking brake is also standard. Located on the fascia, it is engaged by pushing a button to the left of the steering wheel just below the headlamp control cluster. It can be manually disengaged by pulling out the same button with your fingertip. A useful function is that it is automatically engaged once the key is removed from the ignition. And when you select a gear and drive away, the handbrake disengages itself automatically — particularly convenient for hassle-free hill starts.

As we're talking Volvo, it can be taken for granted that there's bags of room for adults travelling in the front and the back — including several inches of headroom for six-footers — and that even rear passengers are cosseted.

Good headlamps are essential for safe night driving but are even more critical in a car that's designed to go to out-of-the-way locations where the only light comes from the moon and the stars. Our test car was fitted with the optional active bending headlamps — the light from the headlamps follows the steering wheel movement in order to provide maximum lighting in bends and junctions. They swivel up to 15 degrees in either direction, and can light up a longer stretch of road as it twists and turns. They worked a treat. Another clever touch: the headlamps are cleaned using an electromagnetic, high-pressure system that washes one headlamp at a time so that you always get the best possible illumination under all conditions.

More user-friendly functions include the ability of the driver to adjust the car's comfort functions to suit his or her personal needs. These settings are altered in the car's information system and the menu includes the seats, rear view mirrors, climate unit, audio unit and, where fitted, the navigation system. What I liked most was being able to turn off the automatic three-flash indicators and return them to single flash operation. Another selectable function is the automatic operation of the rear defroster that enables you to set the defroster to automatically come on when the outside temperature reaches 9 degrees C or below.

Volvo estates are some of the most accommodating large estates on sale today, so the size of the XC70's load bay comes as no surprise. With five seats in use, the boot capacity is 575 litres; with the rear seats folded away there's 1,600 litres. Aluminium rails are fitted to the floor and their adjustable anchorage points make it easy to secure items. The boot's side panels also have built-in load anchorage eyelets and, in addition, the side panels can be fitted with multifunctional rails to attach hooks, load-anchoring nets and cargo space dividers. A sliding floor is also available.

Handy boot touches include the low lip for easy loading and a self-supporting flip-up false floor that can be raised to make a widthways partition. You'll also find a large, 46-litre lockable storage area under the false floor for valuable goods. Furthermore, this can only be accessed when the tailgate is open, so if a thief breaks a window (not easy because laminated glass is fitted all round to prevent smash and grab thefts and break-ins), your valuables will remain exactly where you left them.

The 40:20:40 split rear seats fold completely flat into the floor in one movement, without the need to remove headrests or separately fold the seat squabs, and the front passenger seat's backrest also folds down flat. With sixteen different seating combinations you can have a five, four, three, two or even single-seater as the seats fold and carrying space increases.

There are just two engine options available for the XC70: a 235bhp 3.2-litre straight six petrol or Volvo's trusty five-cylinder 2.4-litre D5 turbodiesel that kicks out 183bhp. The D5 is the big seller in Europe and gets a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission.

We chose the 'clutch-and-stick-shift' diesel because the clean-shifting six-speed manual improves both performance and fuel economy. For most drivers this will be the better set-up to go for due to the significantly superior economy and higher engine torque: a muscular 295lb ft compared to the 236lb ft mustered by the larger capacity 3.2-litre petrol engine. Maximum torque is available between 2,000 and 2,750rpm and the all-aluminium, five-pot turbodiesel revs keenly (all the way to the red-line if you feel the need) and delivers ample in-gear punch to get the XC70 off the line to 62mph in 9.3 seconds. The turbodiesel runs to a top speed of 130 and, despite its extra 52bhp, the 3.2 petrol only goes 4mph faster.

Obviously the XC70 is first and foremost a family car. Spend a busy week with one, as we did, and you'll appreciate the fuss-free manner in which it carries out a full range of real-world family tasks — be it a long-distance family trip, a half-term outing for the children (including several of their bikes), an everyday commute or the weekly superstore shop. Whatever you're using it for, the XC70 remains resolutely quiet and refined in the cabin, with no wind or road noise intruding — and the diesel can only be heard if you're running at full tilt.

There's also lots of cabin storage space including a large, lined centre armrest between the front seats with a padded lid that opens 180 degrees and can be used as a tray by the rear passengers, a spacious glovebox, good-size door pockets (those in the rear have cut-outs in the door pulls to accommodate bottles), small soft pouch storage bags along the front seat bases of both front seats.

Family drivers will appreciate the official combined fuel consumption figure: 37.7mpg (compared to 24.8mpg for the 3.2-litre petrol engine). The diesel also returns 29.4 on the urban cycle and 44.8mpg on the extra-urban cycle. Our test average worked out to 32.1mpg; so it's quite likely that the average driver will be able to match Volvo's 37.7 figure.

It's also nice to know that your family's transport is helping to keep the world a cleaner place for you and yours. For a start, in addition to the manual D5 diesel engine's official combined fuel consumption figure of 37.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 199g/km, the D5 is also one of the most advanced and cleanest diesel engines in the world. It has a particulate filter that reduces exhaust particulates by 95 per cent and has less than half the permitted level of carbon monoxide, beats NOx (oxides of nitrogen) levels by 25 per cent and has only a fraction the permitted level of particulates (0.001g/km when the limit is 0.025).

Furthermore, the interior trim materials are allergen-free, the air-conditioning system always ensures that the air is cleaner inside the car than outside (a cabin air filter prevents dust, pollen and exhaust gas particles from entering the car) and all new Volvos are 85% recyclable and 95% recoverable.

Contrary to expectations, you're not aware of the extra ride height when driving — the XC70 has 74mm more ground clearance than its less adventurous sibling, the V70 estate. There is 210mm (8.4 inches) between the XC70's underbody and the road or track below. Body roll is well managed and the ride is very comfortable, and if one does need to press on across country, the XC70's AWD traction helps to ensure everything stays shipshape on the handling front. In fact, the XC70 can make surprisingly good progress on B-roads — better than you might give it credit for.

The XC70's AWD system automatically sends torque to the wheels with most grip, although in normal conditions on a dry tarmac road almost all the power is distributed to the front wheels. However, as soon as any slippage occurs, torque is diverted to the rear wheels to boost grip. The AWD system can also detect loose or slippery surfaces and switches drive from front to rear (or vice versa) to help with standing starts.

The XC70 is intended to be taken off-road. While it is genuinely all-road capable, it's not a direct substitute for a serious off-roader. That said, the XC70 will serve their owner well. The ride height, minimal overhangs and approach and departure angles that let the XC70 clamber up or down steep slopes off-road without scraping its nose or tail and the 300mm wading depth (enough to get it across shallow rivers and fords) will keep you safe and in control.

And with Hill Descent Control fitted as standard, the XC70 actually does much more — and more competently — on off-road terrain than most people expect. Any off-roader worth his rocks will tell you that slippery downhill tracks are among the most dangerous of all off-road situations. HDC allows you to descend slippery slopes with complete peace of mind while focussing fully on the steering.

Activating the HDC is a fingertip task: simply press the appropriate button on the centre stack and the system automatically applies the brakes when descending steep downhill gradients, holding the vehicle's speed to a maximum 6mph without the need for the footbrake. The vehicle's speed is modulated, irrespective of conditions, throughout the descent. Touching the brake will still slow the car but won't disengage the HDC. The HDC also works in reverse, maintaining a steady 4mph and making it ideal for tricky manoeuvres such as hitching up a boat trailer on a steep slipway.

With its 'beefed up' looks the XC70 is unexpectedly eye-catching, standing out nicely from the crowd. Perhaps the best way to think of it is a blend of Volvo's XC90 off-roader and its S80 premium saloon. As such, it offers a practical and versatile mix of both vehicles' attributes in a versatile, comfortable family-friendly package capable of taking you safely down roads less travelled. — MotorBar

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