New V70 moves upmarket

Volvo has introduced the third generation V70 to the Australian market, but far from being the entrée to the XC70 range -- as in the past -- the new car is positioned above the SUV.

To use a lazy analogy, the new V70 is to the XC70 what the Commodore SS wagon was to the Adventra. It's a high-performance wagon that doesn't even pretend to be an offroader. With its turbocharged inline six, the V70 will appeal to young buyers who are more interested in on-road performance and yet also need to transport a family.

Priced at $67,950, the V70 is a lot of car for the money, which is not to say you can't spend a truck-load optioning it up further.

The basic spec comprises a 3.0-litre six-cylinder with twin-scroll turbocharger -- developing 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque -- driving through a six-speed sequential-shift ('Geartronic') Aisin-Warner automatic transmission to all four wheels. Peak torque, in keeping with other Volvo turbo engines, arrives quite low in the rev range, from just 1500rpm and keeping on song until 4800rpm.

Volvo makes a claim of 7.2 seconds for the 0-100km/h acceleration time and an 11.3L/100km combined cycle fuel consumption figure in accordance with the ADR81/01 standard.

Locally, the Swedish company doesn't forecast massive volume for what is effectively a niche market model, citing a prospective sales figure of approximately 10 units a month for the high-performance variant.

"Effectively, the wagon market is certainly shifting," said Matt Braid, Volvo's Marketing Manager in Australia.

"The SUV segment, as we've clearly seen, has now become the family vehicle -- and has seen the whittling down of the luxury wagon segment."

Only one grade of V70 will be available locally, with just the one drivetrain specification, although in other markets the V70 is available with a five-cylinder diesel and 2.4-litre five-cylinder petrol turbo-motor.

That one level of trim can be optioned up with a long list of features, some of which, such as the BLIS system (Blind Spot Information System), may be a boon to the car's future resale.

Even in standard trim, the V70 offers a swag of features, including: Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS), Personal Car Communicator (PCC), Dynamic Stability & Traction Control (DSTC), 18-inch alloy wheels, electro-chromatic auto dipping  mirror, front and rear park assist sensors, rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, six-stack CD audio system, heated front seats and a self-opening tailgate.

Standard safety features comprise the patented Four-C ('Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept'), all-wheel drive, DSTC stability control, Emergency Brake Assist, 'Ready Alert Brake' system, 'Fading Brake Support', two-stage integrated child safety seats, dual front airbags, twin-chamber side impact airbags, side curtains (extended downwards 60cm for children in the rear seat) and WHIPS anti-whiplash protection system.

Improved safety and packaging have been major goals for the V70 design team. The new car offers enhanced passive safety, better interior room and Volvo has also configured the inline six to fit snugly within a smaller space.

Torque for the power steering pump and air conditioning compressor is taken from a gear-drive system at the end of the crankshaft. Two coaxial shafts (one shaft within another) provide different rates of speed for the camshaft drive and the ancillaries. The alternator is driven directly from the crankshaft.

Luggage capacity has been increased by 70 litres over the previous model V70 and now measures 555 litres. Ease of loading is facilitated by wrapping the top of the tailgate over the roof, with the hinge located forward of the roof's trailing edge.

Spaciousness in the cabin has been improved in all dimensions over the old model. Rear-seat leg room is increased by 48mm to 880mm and front shoulder width is up by 30mm to 1457mm.

The development work carried out to upgrade the V70's passive safety includes the introduction of a stronger side structure and implementation of differing strengths of steels to tune the crumple rates.

Twin-chamber side-impact airbags deploy from the lower chambers with five times the force of the upper chambers, since the hips can absorb greater energy than the chest.

Convenience features fitted include a power-operated tailgate with an anti-pinch system, an electronically controlled parking brake and a triple-split-fold rear seat.

The parking brake is activated by a finger-pull right of the steering column (push to engage manually, pull to release) and automatically releases the brake for hill starts, as well as automatically engaging once the key is removed from the ignition or the driver's door is opened.

Options include: a subwoofer for the audio system, different sizes and styles of alloy wheel, laminated side glass, dark tinting, Clean Zone Interior, electrically adjustable front passenger seat, ventilated seats, Bluetooth connectivity, glass sunroof, compass, satellite navigation, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), adaptive cruise control with collision warning and auto brake facility, road-speed sensitive power steering and integrated telephone.