This test drive turned out to be unconventional, so its format will be somewhat unusual for our portal — in the style of a live blog. For the publication, this is a debut experience with cars of the Volvo brand. How successful it was is for you, the readers, to decide. But personally, after a ride in this crossover-wagon XC70, I have mixed feelings. Volvo is a brand you recognize from a thousand. It cannot be confused with anything else. Even the Chinese, known masters of copying, didn't reinvent the wheel and in 2009 simply bought the Volvo Cars (Volvo Personvagnar AB) division from Ford for $1.8 billion. So, already at the end of the first quarter of this year, Zhejiang Geely Automobile will officially become the owner of the Swedish brand. Goodbye, Sweden! Hello, China!▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
According to the plan, the test version was supposed to be all-wheel drive with a 3.2-liter gasoline "six" producing 238 hp. However, at the moment of handing over the car, it turned out that we got a more modest version: front-wheel drive only, a 2.4-liter diesel with 175 horsepower. A sort of economy class. Well, if you call yourself a mushroom, get in the basket: we got in and drove off.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
The badges are in place, but psychologically the three letters "AWD" are sorely missed, which we are used to seeing on such XC70s. However, let me remind you: our example is exclusively front-wheel drive.▲
In my opinion, Volvo is a model of classic and conservative approach in the automotive industry. Such brands can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Times change, eras pass, but Volvo remains a globally recognized and prestigious brand with signature Swedish practicality, reliability, and safety.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
Three things by which any Volvo model can be recognized at first glance: the logo, the characteristic shape of the radiator grille paired with the front optics, and the recognizable silhouette of the rear lights that flows into the contours of the trunk. Even if the car is covered in dirt or painted black, you can unmistakably guess it's a Volvo.▲
The manufacturer classifies the Volvo XC70 as a crossover. I tend to consider it a wagon with increased off-road capability. The large ground clearance, the option to order all-wheel drive, and a solid selection of engines speak to off-road inclinations, while the low seating position and refined comfort in the cabin reveal sedan-like manners.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
The ground clearance also pleased: it's decent, and underneath everything is clean and tidy. Nothing dangles, no diagonal half-shafts or anything else.▲
The rear lights delight with LED content. But the side mirrors frankly disappointed me. From the outside, they look compact and don't stand out from the overall design. But the visibility in them leaves much to be desired: constant blind spots, which is quite stressful while driving.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
However, the Swedish engineers, as always, found a solution: they compensated for this drawback with the smart BLIS system, which signals cars hidden in blind spots. In the cabin, near each mirror, there is a light indicator. When the BLIS radar detects an object in the dead zone, the indicator lights up. This super-assistant can be turned off with a button on the dashboard. For example, in heavy traffic, when you constantly change lanes, the system can't cope with the abundance of information and starts to glitch, nervously blinking indicators.▲
By the way, the new Volvo XC70 is now available with laminated glass all around, including the rear side windows and the tailgate. This option makes it harder to break into the cabin through a shattered window. But with the tinting, the "Volvo folks" overdid it, in my opinion. Perhaps this is a purely subjective impression (my personal car has no tinting at all), but driving a tinted-laminated XC70 in the dark is a serious strain on the eyes.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
▲ Light body — light interior. Perforated leather, front seats with ventilation for cushions and backrests. Words cannot describe how comfortable these seats are — they are, according to Volvo itself, among the best in the world. The center console stands out with a unique design, although the Koreans have already tried to copy it in their 2010 models. Stylish lines, perfect fit of parts. Nothing creaks, rustles, or rattles. But the spirit of conservatism still lingers even in the modern cabin: for example, the monochrome three-line LCD display of the stereo reminds me of the electronic toy from childhood "Nu, pogodi!" where the Wolf caught eggs.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
The silhouette of the "little man" on the climate control unit, assembled from buttons, is Volvo's signature style that you can't confuse with anything else.▲
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
As a father of two lively daughters, I was pleasantly surprised by one detail from Volvo's safe comfort arsenal. I'm talking about the built-in "booster" for a child in the rear row, which is installed with one hand movement. No need to fuss with a bulky child seat — just pull the lever. But attention: such seats are only suitable for older children, about 5 years old, who are already cramped in a seat.▲
The rear bench folds in a non-standard scheme. Usually, a 60-40 ratio is used. But in the XC70, the Swedes offer a 40-20-40 split. The photo below clearly shows: only the center section (20) is folded, and a large piece of luggage conveniently fits into the resulting opening. At the same time, the side sections (40) remain full-fledged seats for passengers — whether adult or child.▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
A separate story for the Volvo XC70 is the navigation system. Here you get pleasure from the "process" itself. Nothing hints at its presence in the car until you find the magic button on the steering column, or rather, under the steering wheel. One press — and from the dashboard under the windshield, a navigation monitor slowly emerges, slightly tilted toward the cabin (I wanted to fix that crookedness).▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
Unlike the onboard computer and stereo, the navigation interface is only in English. Even when selecting Russian, you get a kind of "Russian/Eng" hybrid: all labels on the map are transliteration. Control is via a joystick, which, like the power button, is hidden on the right under the steering wheel. Honestly, after driving with the monitor up for about ten minutes, I understood why irritation was growing and the view ahead of the car was worsening. I pressed the cherished button again — and the irritation disappeared. Conclusion: a panel without "bumps" is the key to a good forward view.▲
We start our song anew. Or one song is good, but two are even better? We all know how convenient Bluetooth® technology is for connecting a phone to a car's multimedia system: it simplifies conversations while driving and, more importantly, increases safety. But the Swedes found this insufficient. Perhaps they simply forgot about Bluetooth® and decided to invent their own method of communication. Moreover, not just communication between the driver and the car, but communication between the driver and the whole world — a built-in GSM phone, for which a SIM card is installed in the glove box. The handset itself is conveniently placed on the back of the central armrest lid. ▼
Volvo XC70. Photo and collage: Maxim Fatkin. Auto.Ytro©
I didn't dare experiment with my own SIM card, and I didn't have a spare card on hand. So I couldn't fully enjoy communicating with the outside world through the new model of the XC70 "phone" from Volvo. I apologize for using my own device of another Scandinavian brand during the test. ▲
Overall, the car turned out excellent, even too excellent, maybe even excessively. And here the question arises: "How is that possible?" Everything is too perfect. No creaking plastic, no uneven seams, no extraneous noises. In the cabin of this "Eden on wheels," you don't even want to leave trash behind — I put the used wet wipe in my jacket pocket.
"P.S."
The Swedes have always surprised the world and continue to do so with some pedantic sophistication and the calm spirit of great Vikings. Suffice it to recall the Swedish wall and the Swedish family, unusual tastes in food or interior design, legends of pop music (ABBA, Europe, Ace of Base), cinema (Greta Garbo), sports (hockey) and business — multinational corporations and brands: Ericsson, Electrolux, IKEA, SAAB and, of course, Volvo. And Volvo is status, your «Status quo».
We thank Volvo Cars Russia and personally Yuri Tregubov for providing the car.
This and other Volvo cars can be purchased from official dealers!
Maxim Fatkin
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