The best looking estate car you can buy. Confusingly, based on the new S80, but replaces the 'old' V70. Satisfying to drive. Wide range of engines including petrol turbos up to 250 bhp, Audi's 140 bhp straight five TDI and a new TDI. Widely praised for convenience features. XC is a four-wheel-drive cross-country version on raised suspension with 200 bhp petrol turbo engine. 200 bhp V70T is a nice drive. Excellent medium wave radio reception and a really good integrated hands-free mobile phone system (£900 option). All you have to do is slip in the SIM card from your pocket cellphone, key in your pin and you're in business. 250 bhp T5 model very popular with police forces, so look out for bargain high-milers in white from 2002. LPG and CNG options from June 2001: V70 S LPG £24,455; V70 SE LPG £26,255; V70 S CNG £25,255; V70 SE CNG £27,055. Volvo's own D5 lightweight 163bhp common rail diesel from Summer 2001 offers 251 lb ft (340Nm torque)from 1,750rpm, combined consumption of 42.2mpg, C02 of 177g/km and prices of £23,955 for the S or £25,955 for the SE. Insurance Gropup 13. V70 AWD four-wheel-drive gets diesel engine early in 2002 and diesel automatic option from summer 2002. Should be an excellent towcar. 300bhp V70R from September 2002. Joint 20th from Top in 144 car 2002 JD Power / What Car? Customer Satisfaction Survey of V and W reg cars. Awesome 300bhp V70R with active suspension dor 2003 does 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, tops out at 155mph and costs £37,660 for manual or £38,910 for Geartronic. 200bhp 2.4T upgraded to 210bhp 2.5T in May 2003. 6 speed manual box for XC70 and V70 D5 AWD from April 2004. Entire V70 range RECOMMENDED. Self-help site: www.brickboard.com Volvos generally had slightly below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 90.54 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk Facelifted in May 2004 with new bumpers, new alloys and soft nose. T5 engine upgrades, 2nd generation Four-C Active Chassis, blind spot information system, water repellent glass, switchable passenger airbag, new seats, new look dashboard, new look tail lights.
Road and track test V70R at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=89
Road test Summer 2004 update V70 and XC70 at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=131
What's Bad
See S80. Poor steering lock can make it difficult to swing into a parallel parking space. Police drivers prefer the handling of the previous V70. Bright, quartz iodine daytime running lights can dazzle and infuriate other drivers, especially at 'traffic calming' points. If you switch to sidelights to avoid this you get no 'lights on' warning when you leave the car. If you leave the daytime running lights on they eat bulbs. Serious reliability problems reported by ADAC (the German breakdown organisation) in its 2001 report. Getting a reputation for flattening batteries due to some kind of immobiliser fault which Volvo dealers seem unable to trace (see April 2001 recall which could be the culprit). Also a locking problem, which particularly affects the rear hatchback lock. Resonating exhaust manifold/car converter heat shields seems to be a problem on some models. for breakdowns but poor for problems and faults in 2003 Which survey. Reports of out of wsarranty failures of front suspension a`rms and bushes requiring work costing as much as £1,000.
What to Watch Out For
See S80, but depreciation will always be lower for an estate car. Make sure all the door locks work properly, especially the rear hatchback lock (see recalls). Booming noise at 2700 - 3000 revs in four wheel drive XC70 can be caused by out of balance propshaft.
Recalls
August 2000: V70 models recalled because front suspension ball joint can work loose or fail. 2-4-2001: Possible faults in rear door wiring harnesses may prevent child safety locks working. Check for effective operation and replace wiring harness if necessary. 2-4-2001: left and right rear outer seatbelt bottom fixing bolts and rhs child restraint anchor bracket may be loose or may have been incorretly torqued. Re-torque as necessary. TSB issued early 2002 to fix intermittent fault with remote central locking. 10-1-2003: Under certain conditions the detachable towbar may work loose resulting in the bar becoming detached from the car. Replace the tow ball and housing with a calibrated unit. 8-10-2003: On 1087 cars VINs 388138 to 393194 possibility of a restriction in a T-piece in the fuel return line which could lead to a pressure build up which could blow the pipe off. T-piece to be replaced. February 2004: Recall of S60, V70s and S80s build during 2003 to check/replace balljoints in the steering. Not dangerous. Owners informed by letter. September 2004: Worldwide recall of 500,000 S60s, V70s, XC70s and S80s built 1999-2001 because radiator fan could overheat and start and engine compartment fire.