2008 Volvo XC70

The cargo floor’s aluminum rails have movable anchorage points that fold away when not in use, the side panels have built-in eyelets, there’s generous lockable storage under the floor, and a new available power tailgate adds convenience. While the new V70 and XC70 come well equipped, buyers can choose from a variety of options including 17-inch alloy wheels, a high-performance sound system, a dual-screen rear entertainment system, rear-seat headphone jacks, Sirius Satellite Radio and Volvo Navigation with HDD, DVD map data and remote control. The only negative note: no instrument-panel 12-volt outlet. The nearest one, on the console between the seats, requires a long cord stretch for anything mounted on the dash.

Volvo Safety

While all modern U.S.-market vehicles do an outstanding job of protecting their occupants in crashes, Volvo continues to build on its reputation of doing more than required. In addition to a full set of six airbags, including deeper side curtain bags to better protect children, its standard safety features include a next-generation Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), enhanced impact protection for pedestrians and cyclists and (a world first) integrated height-adjustable rear-seat booster cushions that can improve safety for belted-in kids of almost any size. New safety related options include adaptive cruise control, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and a Personal Car Communicator (PCC) with Keyless Drive, two-way car communication and a heartbeat sensor that can detect intruders hiding in the car.


Beyond all that, a newly available Collision Avoidance Package can help avoid, or reduce the severity of, accidents caused by driver fatigue and distraction. It includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which maintains a set distance from the car in front; Collision Warning with Auto Brake (CWAB), which automatically brakes when its senses that a rear-end collision is imminent; Distance Alert (DA), which helps keep a proper distance from a vehicle in front when cruise control is not engaged; Driver Alert Control (DAC), which monitors the distance between the car and road lane markings and sounds an alert if it senses that the driver risks losing control; and Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which alerts the driver if the car crosses road markings without an obvious reason, such as use of the turn signal indicator.


Premium Euro-wagon-based CUVs are rare in the U.S. market these days, and Volvo sees the V70 and XC70’s primary competitors as BMW’s 3 Series wagon and Audi’s A6 Avant but fails to mention fellow Swedish maker Saab’s new 9-3 Sport Combi. We’ll bet that even as the sales race for these high-image wagons heats up, these new Volvo entries will do just fine. (www.volvocars.com)

About the Author
Former automotive engineer Gary Witzenburg has been writing about the auto industry, its people and its products for major magazines, newspapers and web sites for more than 20 years.