In the past, Volvo is known as a conservative car manufacturer. They are known for boxy cars with conservative styling cues. Although the safety of their cars is well-known, the conservative styling of past Volvos failed to attract the attention of younger car buyers. The past decade though has seen Volvo making a big change in the design of their vehicles, making them look more radical but these Volvo products still has safety as the main concern. That is very much true with the new Volvo V70 and XC70 vehicles.
The two new offerings from the Swedish car manufacturer have been redesigned by Volvo for the 2008 model year. Both vehicles received new platforms, new engines, new transmission and new technologies. With the upgrading of the XC70 and the V70, Volvo is looking to attract more family car buyers.
Although crossover SUVs are the most popular vehicles in the market these days, Volvo decided not to go with the flow and instead focus on the development of the new wagons. According to the car manufacturer, the 2008 version of the V70 will be released in the fall while the XC70 is expected to hit showrooms by February next year.
The V70 and the XC70 were designed using the Volvo S80 as an inspiration. Both wagons are incorporated with styling cues and features found on the luxury sedan. The V70 and the XC70 will be directly competing with the Audi A6 Avant, the Volkswagen Passat Wagon, and the Subaru Legacy Wagon. With its segment not as crowded as the crossover segment, it is possible that the V70 and the XC70 will carve their niche in the market.
While the V70 and XC70 are offered with new designs and new features, it still has that Volvo feel to it. Although not boxy, the V70 and the XC70 are built to give passengers the sense of safety that one normally finds in a Volvo. Reliability of Volvo vehicles is also a strong selling point for the V70 and the XC70. The two wagons, after all, are made by the same people who engineered the reliable that we find in the market.
Ride comfort and handling are also improved compared to previous wagons made by the Swedish car manufacturer. With European engineering, the V70 and the XC70 both have a responsive handling and a real good stability that can be experienced and noted even on tight turns. With these characteristics, both wagons have what it takes to lead their respective segments.
The wagons are now offered with six-cylinder engines. In the past, Volvo has stirred clear away from V6 engines. Today though, six-cylinder engines are becoming standard for their vehicles. This is an effort to compete with other car manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz in terms of the power that their vehicle's engine produces.
The standard engine for both wagons is a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engines. The same engine is used on Volvo's flagship - the Volvo S80. The said engine can produce as much as 235 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed sequential transmission - the engine can propel the wagons to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just 8.5 seconds.
A drawback though is that the level of noise during acceleration is far from excellent. With not so good engine acoustics technology, engine noise still manages to enter the cockpit of the vehicles. All in all though, both vehicles are a good choice for car buyers.
