By Alex Dykes
July 20, 2007 -
In 1998, Volvo was SUV deficient. As they didn't have a truck chassis upon which to build, those crazy Swedes grabbed a station wagon, raised it a couple of inches and added all wheel-drive. Since then, the XC70's ground clearance has risen, transforming a slightly jacked-up joy rider (6.5") to a Jeep-wannabe (8.2"). The move leaves Volvo with a fully-fledged… something. Whatever it is, it is what it is. And now that Volvo has a "proper" SUV, the question must be asked: is the XC70 an anachronism whose time has come and gone?
On the outside, Volvo's anti-stylists went for Eddie Bauer off-road chic: front and rear skid plates, flared wheel arches and enough protective side cladding to fend off a flotilla of angry supermarket shoppers. The designers also swiped the side mirrors off an XC90, creating an elephantine addendum that's more Dumbo than dirt devil. In sum, the result is as intended: a cross between a V70 wagon and a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.
The XC70's interior architecture is bog standard Volvo, save the area between the armrest and the shifter. That hallowed (hollowed?) space offers front seat passengers a grab handle for forays into the rough stuff, whether it's speed bumps in Neiman Marcus' parking lot or genuine off-road action. The leather seat's "rugged" stitching provides a welcome alternative to French seams, while the Berber floor mats' thicker, tighter loop is more durable and less likely to show footprints than standard surfaces– which is, you know, important for a station wagon cum mud plugger.
Despite being seven years old, the XC70's interior's fit and finish is superb, with panel gaps and materials that wouldn't seem out of place in an Audi. The XC70's wood inlays (real or simulated, your choice) are applied with perfect restraint, and the doors close with more of a thud than you'd imagine for a vehicle once famous for schlepping college professors to liberal arts universities. The only blot on the copy book: the made-like-Rubbermaid instrument cluster cover.
On the road, the XC70 pitches and wallows like pre-oil embargo American land yachts. While you would expect whale-like manners from a Jeep product, the XC70's car-like interior atmos clashes with the SUV ride. Fortunately, Volvo's [optional] Four-C active chassis system banishes the high seas body roll, as well as nose tip and dive– without detracting from the XC70's off-road prowess.
With 208 turbocharged ponies and 236 ft.-lbs. of twist on tap, the XC70 isn't slow. Nor fast. Volvo's corporate 5-cylinder mill's rabid tip-in will no doubt make XC70 owners feel quick. But after half throttle is engaged, even Scottie can't get any more power (Captain). The five-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly enough, but when it comes to downshifting, it's inclined to decline on an incline. It's a pity Volvo's parts sharing party didn't include the 257hp or 300hp versions of this engine. [Next year's U.S. model gets the 3.2-liter 236hp engine shared with the S80 and XC90.]
And yes, I did say off-road prowess. The XC70's approach, break over and departure angles (16°, 18° and 20° respectively) are none too shabby for a glorified grocery getter. The wagon's ground clearance makes short work of streams and dismisses small boulders in a single bound.
On rough dirt roads, the XC70 feels wonderfully well poised and reassuringly secure. The wagon's all-wheel-drive system's front wheel bias also keeps handling predictable when the roads get slick. The system engages so quickly that it's almost impossible to elicit anything more than a slight slip before the electronics shuffle power around (Volvo claims less than one seventh of a tire rotation before power transfer).
In the redwood forests inhabiting the Santa Cruz Mountains, the XC70's stiff chassis, low curb weight and low center of gravity made hooning around the dirt tracks as simple as choosing the correct CD accompaniment. The XC70s rudimentary skid plates provided welcome protection from the rocks and sticks of outrageous scenery. And despite YouTube videos to the contrary, the XC70's Haldex AWD system proved a faithful companion when one or more wheels went airborne.
You could say the XC70 is a slightly underpowered, slightly over-priced, slightly more luxurious Subaru Outback. But then that wouldn't give credit where credit's due. For people who need an extremely capacious go-anywhere wagon, there really isn't any suitable alternative. Now that Audi's Allroad has been deleted from Ingolstadt's lineup (in favor of the grotesque Q7 SUV), there's no vehicle that compares directly with Volvo's $45K wagon-on-stilts.
If you need/want this sort of thing, it's most definitely NOT an irrelevance. Better yet, Volvo is evolving the model for '08, adding the aforementioned more powerful engine, more ground height, better approach/departure angles and hill speed control. The XC70 may fill a relatively small not to say obscure niche, but it fills it very well indeed.
4 / 5 Stars | Volvo XC70 rating summary and performance review
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POWERED
July 20th, 2007 at 9:33 am
I’ve always liked the XC70. Consumers keep saying (I think): give me an SUV with car-like road manners, room for my family and stuff and make it look good. Well here’s Exhibit A. I think it is ironic that SUV’s are evolving (devolving?) towards the XC70. They’re halfway there with CUV’s. Hopefully in about five or ten years, it will no longer be a marketing sin to talk about station wagons anymore and we can have a plethora of XC70 choices to get what many people know deep down, what they really ever wanted was a cool AMC Eagle.
July 20th, 2007 at 9:53 am
My present winter driver is a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, which is nice but unrefined. I’m a rabid Subaru fan so I imagine one of those will replace the Jeep sometime, but were I a wealthier man the Volvo XC70 would be my choice. I think this car is handsome, luxurious, and capable of hauling myself and everything I could ever want across the Upper Midwest come the winter holiday season. I agree that it is basically an upmarket Subaru… boo SUVs, yay wagons!
p.s. I miss the Allroad…
July 20th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Why this product niche hasn’t taken off is beyond me.
A AWD wagon makes the perfect alternative to an SUV. Better mileage, better handling, and just about as much practicality.
Trouble with the XC70 however, is that it really shows its age. The slab slides confirm the “boxy but good” image, while the interior looks like it was hasn’t changed since the early ’90s.
The Outback is far better looking, inside and out. It lacks the caché(?) of the Volvo name.
When did Volvo become associated with “luxury” anyways? Anyone who’s ever been inside a 240 certainly can’t put the two together. People used to buy Volvo 240s because they were built like tanks and reliable as the morning sun.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:08 am
in favor of the grotesque Q7 SUV
Good word for it. Parked beside one the other day. How Audi thought that was a good idea, I don’t know.
Anyway, back to the Volvo. The car does seem like a reasonable compromise between car like and SUV like. However, I think that apart from Volvo’s internal test staff and the press, no one else will ever take these offroad. Ever.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:31 am
New they may be expensive, but a year or two really brings down the price.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:41 am
My Aunt had a 2003 XC70 that was as comfortable as it was versatile. I don’t know if I’ve ever sat in more comfortable seats. As Alex states above, the only feature one could knock was the rubbermaid instrument cluster. H-E-I-N-O-U-S. But the rest of the car made up for it.
Too bad she got side-swiped by a cement truck as she was merging onto good-old I-95.
Kazoomaloo: Check out used All-Road prices online. 3yo models are in the low $20k’s. Your financial planner might not like the idea (or the repair bills out of warranty), but if you like it that much, give it a shot. We only live once…
July 20th, 2007 at 10:43 am
They’re not even that expensive new; since this model is being phased out there are currently huge incentives. I shopped one last month but I didn’t like the 5 cyl. powerplant, too buzzy with bad vibrations. I noticed the monster mirrors as well. I thought the interior was beautiful too.
I bought an XC90 instead. Love it so far.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Nick, you just revealed the problem. Why is it that Americans think that to travel on a gravel road they must have a full size SUV. I know a few people who live down very well maintained gravel roads with GMC Yukons and Jeep GCs, their reason? The road. You could take a Lotus Elise down those roads without a problem. The American mentality seems to be that if its not the size of the titanic, it can’t be good offroad.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:51 am
What a waste, if you need AWD and lots of room, get a Chevy Tahoe. If that is too big try the Ford Explorer. Either would be suited for the task at hand. This Volvo is nothing but an overpriced station wagon for people that have more money than sense.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:55 am
The cure to the ghastly instrument cluster lid is to buy the one that the S60R/V70R get, it’s 100% leather and solves this eye-sore easily. Or you could just get a 1980’s velour dash cover.
I agree that the Subaru Outbacks and Volvo XC70s are just as capable off road as 99% of SUV buyers will ever need. The Subaru’s permanent AWD should logically be more robust, but the Haldex system allows full disconnect for better efficiency. Either way, when I had this mid-size Swede in the Santa Cruz mountains I enlisted the help of a GMC Envoy with locking 4WD just in case someone got stuck. As it so happens, someone did get stuck, and I am honestly shocked to report that the XC70 did a great job of towing the Envoy out of trouble. I have to say I went into this thinking: wimpy soft roader. I came out with the opinion that unless you are on the Rubicon Trail daily, “real” SUVs are a waste of money [and oil]. Pity 99% of XC70 owners in the USA consider parking lots “off road”.