Spring is the time when the asphalt disappears along with the melting snow. Country roads turn into something that one would not dare call a road. A mixture of snow, sand, and soaked earth sucks in everything from cars to tractors. In such conditions, only owners of all-wheel-drive vehicles felt confident. And why are we worse? The Volvo XC70 has all-wheel drive, ground clearance that many SUVs would envy, and a powerful engine. In short, we decided on an experiment: to drive where most drivers would abandon their car and walk.
First, we tried the car on a dirt road. Liquid mud 15-20 centimeters deep on a solid base was not an obstacle for the car. The car swayed slightly from side to side, tossing from rut to rut, but this did not cause concern. The XC70 moved forward confidently. All-wheel drive allowed easy maneuvering, choosing harder sections. True, sometimes the traction control system choked the engine, hindering full movement. When we turned it off, driving became spectacular: roaring with the engine and throwing mud two meters above the roof, the solid station wagon flew through the mess like a seasoned SUV. The XC70 passed the first test brilliantly, which prompted us to take on more complex tasks.
Huge puddles with soaked edges and, apparently, the same bottom looked completely impassable. Branches and other handy materials lying on the roadside hinted that someone had already gotten stuck here. But there was no turning back — a test is a test. However, before getting into the water, we probed the bottom with a pole just in case, so as not to hit a boulder and crack the oil pan — changing the oil in this slush was not appealing at all. The ford turned out to be clean. Bubbling with exhaust and leaving a muddy trail, our subject easily climbed out onto the opposite bank. From the marks on the sides, we determined that the puddle was about thirty centimeters deep.
Next was sand, and this test dragged on. At first, the car moved confidently over the loose surface. But then it seemed to be pressed into the ground like a cookie cutter. We didn't even have time to react. We were thoroughly stuck. There was no one to pull us out, nothing to dig with, nothing to put under the wheels. Fortunately, the kit includes a standard jack that can be slid under a car resting on its belly. But it also let us down: when lowered, the handle started to twist around its axis during lifting. We had to dig out the sand by hand to place the jack deeper under the sill. It took about two hours to free ourselves. However, the time was not wasted: we gained experience and once again realized that the more serious the SUV, the farther you have to walk for a tractor. By the way, in a real SUV, we would most likely have gotten stuck just the same — the sand was very loose. Also, before the trip, a black cat crossed our path. So don't believe in omens after that.
Driving
Undoubtedly, on relatively bad roads, the XC70 behaves much better than a regular station wagon. But still, it should not be compared to a full-fledged SUV. The geometric off-road capability is not the same, and there are no rigid locks here.
Interior
Quite well adapted for trips through mud. At least, dirt brought into the cabin can be easily shaken off or washed off the trim materials.
Comfort
Even on terrible roads, the suspension provides passengers with decent comfort.
Safety
High.
Price
Acceptable.
Advantages and disadvantages
- + Versatility, comfort, excellent highway behavior, decent off-road capability.
- - Inconvenient standard jack.
Specifications
Make and model — Volvo XC70
Dimensions — 4838/1861/1604 mm
Engine — petrol, 3192 cm³, 238 hp/6200 rpm
Transmission — automatic, 5-speed
Dynamics — max 215 km/h; 8.6 s to 100 km/h
Competitors — Subaru Outback, Audi Allroad.
Our opinion
Miracles do not happen. Any station wagon is a reasonable compromise, and it cannot fully embody any single quality. Therefore, the XC70 can be called an SUV only with a stretch. But where roads do exist — even bad ones, even crooked ones — it will clearly not let you down.