of torque 1,500 to 4,500 rpm Transmissions Eight-speed automatic Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS Tires 235/50VR18 Price (base/as tested) $42,100/$53,000 Destination charge $1,195 Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 9.8 city, 7.6 highway Standard features Start-stop technology, textile upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, power passenger seat, LED daytime running lights, heated front seats, 3-spoke leather steering wheel, City Safety, 7-inch colour display, power driver seat w/memory, Bluetooth and audio streaming Options Climate package ($1,350): heated rear seats, heated windshield, heated steering wheel, heated windshield washer nozzles, interior air quality system. Type of vehicle FWD/AWD four-door wagon/crossover Engine 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder (T5 model) Power 240 hp 5,600 rpm, 258 lb.-ft. As a premium niche vehicle, it’s certainly a car that stands out in a crowded crossover segment. One beef with all this technology is that it makes keeping your eyes on the road a challenge, especially when navigating the numerous buttons on the impressive “floating” centre console and steering wheel.įor those who can get past their irrational prejudice toward anything that looks like a wagon, the Volvo XC70 offers a very safe, practical and comfortable ride that’s fit for Canada, with the caveat being you opt for the more winter-ready and value-friendly AWD T6 model. So, performance displays the tachometer prominently, eco shows a bar that helps gauge how frugal you’re driving, and elegance displays a more conventional layout, with the speedometer front and centre. The latter is a TFT display you can set to three themes (elegance, eco and performance), which will tailor the information behind the steering wheel to your preferred style. Moving up the trim level, however, makes the car feel truly premium. My Premier Plus tester came with the standard options but included soft leather seats, a sunroof, classy dark walnut wood inlays, a power tailgate, and a really spiffy adaptive digital instrument cluster. The FWD T5 version starts at $42,100, and comes well-equipped with some nice features like an automatic engine stop-start feature for saving fuel, City Safety auto brake technology, heated front seats that are also powered, a seven-inch colour display, and Bluetooth connectivity. Luxurious amenities only add to the comfort factor in the interior, which can be best described as “subdued Scandinavian elegance meets cutting-edge”. You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen. There is, however, some body roll when turning, but that’s to be expected with a car this heavy.įull Screen is not supported on this browser version. And, while it’s longer than most crossovers at 4,839 mm bumper to bumper, it doesn’t feel overly unwieldy on the road. The car also benefits from a very sturdy and well-planted comportment it’s a lot more car-like in this respect and not so top-heavy like a traditional SUV. This, combined with the quiet engine, means it’s deceptively easy to sneak above the speed limit, so keep an eye on that (digital) speedometer. Indeed, gear changes were largely imperceptible. It’s a rather smooth affair as well thanks to the car’s quick-shifting eight-speed Geartronic automatic transmission (the T6 trim comes with a six-speed auto). Still, getting up to highway speeds is surprisingly quick, with zero to 100 km/h times of 7.4 seconds in the 2.0L version and 6.1 seconds in the T6 trim. At 1,720 kilograms for the base car, the XC70 is not what you’d call lithe by any means. On the road, the four-banger is a fairly quiet and capable mill, but it needs a firm prod of the pedal to get going and feels a tad underpowered for such a heavy car. Most impressive is the the sharp, sculpted lights mounted to the liftgate. But this third-generation benefits from a nice makeover that includes a refreshed grille, handsome daytime running LEDs, sleeker lines, and an overall muscular appearance that fits with the car’s multi-usage appeal. On the styling front, the XC70 does retain some of the boxy look of Volvo wagons of old. As it stands, AWD is only available in the T6 version (starting at $47,900), which comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0L, six-cylinder plant that makes a very robust 300 hp and 325 lb.-ft. Right off the bat, I’d say shelling out more than $50,000 for a front-wheel-drive crossover is far too much, even with the bevy of options that come in this higher trim (more on that below). Volvo really should make AWD available for the XC70 at all levels to truly back up the car’s rugged styling and justify the premium pricing. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
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