CD Article: 2009 Volvo XC70

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


A newly available turbocharged six-cylinder engine in the 2009 XC70 improves its performance significantly, says contributor Peter Bleakney.  An attractive interior, large cargo area, off-road ability, and a high level of safety are its strong points, he says.
 More: View the photos | All the Test Drives

[Eric Green]

No doubt a nice car under warranty- but for the price of modest house in many parts of Canada.

Our family having owned six Volvos over the past two decades (still own two), we were loyal to the marque. But today's Volvo just puzzles me. Andrew English at telegraph.co.uk (02.December.08) has a great analysis of why Ford/PAG, and especially Volvo, has failed spectacularly: Ford's sales November/08 total plummeted 31 percent to 123,222 units, with sales falling at all four US brands. The biggest decline was 46 percent for Volvo, which Ford is considering selling.

Sube and Audi quattro are technically better AWD systems; MB and BMW have a hammerlock on perceived status; many other marques offer similar safety capability according to the IIHS. I dunno. I no longer "get" the Volvo story.

[random006]

Photos 2 and 3 have their links swapped.  The rear profile photo points to the photo showing the console through the driver's side door and vice versa.

[Thinking Out Loud]

No doubt a nice car under warranty- but for the price of modest house in many parts of Canada.

Our family having owned six Volvos over the past two decades (still own two), we were loyal to the marque. But today's Volvo just puzzles me. Andrew English at telegraph.co.uk (02.December.08) has a great analysis of why Ford/PAG, and especially Volvo, has failed spectacularly: Ford's sales November/08 total plummeted 31 percent to 123,222 units, with sales falling at all four US brands. The biggest decline was 46 percent for Volvo, which Ford is considering selling.

Sube and Audi quattro are technically better AWD systems; MB and BMW have a hammerlock on perceived status; many other marques offer similar safety capability according to the IIHS. I dunno. I no longer "get" the Volvo story.

And Saab had 'quirky' and turbo fours as it's calling card back in the 900 days.  Now it is just another sporting fwd sedan.

Saab and Volvo together.......a set of Swedish Twins!   

[ktm525]

Everytime I check one of these out the less I like it. Volvo added around 500 lbs of bloat over the previous generation. I am not sure what this weight gain has achieved.  I found the seats flat and the headrests were hard. Compared to my current V70R the interior seemed step down. The interior is wider in the new model but this is eaten up by the Dodge Ram center console. It doesn't feel any more open than the previous generation. The rear seat has a smidgen more room and that is about it. To top it off they quit offering the third row option.

For your big bucks you get a car that drives like an SUV and mileage to match. The XC90 is actually shorter (although wider). At least with the 90 you get three rows of seats and much more utility with similar mileage.

If I had Volvo on the brain I would be looking for a Certified Pre-owned V8 XC90 for my $53k. IMO.

[adjutor]

Hi. In this 2009 test drive it was said that one of the strong point of this car was his safety features and level. In fact most of car journalist think the same way.  In theory I agree. In practice I dont.
Testing a car for a few days and owning one is a different story .
In the last few years Volvo cars became so unreliable that they can be consider as ''unsafe''. The S60R i've bought in 2004 was my forth and last Volvo At first I thougt  I was an unlucky guy who bought a lemon but I've met many angry customers while at my dealer for different problems. The most common problems were : transmission, suspension, brakes, sudden acceleration or loss of power ( a problem that seem very difficult to solve )and of course sensor problems.
Did you know that this year in France Volvocorporation was sentenced for involuntary homicide. Two children were killed in a car accident. Volvo (corporation not the dealer) knew that the car had a brake problem but did not correct it. I have seen better in term of safety
Safety features dont make a car safe if they are not working.
So dont wonder why their sales drop  47% and their cars have one of the lowest resale price.
P.S.  IMO , 53k is way too much for a used Volvo if it has more than 10 km on the odometer!

[ar_ken]

Hi. In this 2009 test drive it was said that one of the strong point of this car was his safety features and level. In fact most of car journalist think the same way.  In theory I agree. In practice I dont.
Testing a car for a few days and owning one is a different story .
In the last few years Volvo cars became so unreliable that they can be consider as ''unsafe''. The S60R i've bought in 2004 was my forth and last Volvo At first I thougt  I was an unlucky guy who bought a lemon but I've met many angry customers while at my dealer for different problems. The most common problems were : transmission, suspension, brakes, sudden acceleration or loss of power ( a problem that seem very difficult to solve )and of course sensor problems.
Did you know that this year in France Volvocorporation was sentenced for involuntary homicide. Two children were killed in a car accident. Volvo (corporation not the dealer) knew that the car had a brake problem but did not correct it. I have seen better in term of safety
Safety features dont make a car safe if they are not working.
So dont wonder why their sales drop  47% and their cars have one of the lowest resale price.
P.S.  IMO , 53k is way too much for a used Volvo if it has more than 10 km on the odometer!

Your post is pointless unless you got facts (links maybe?) to back it up. Just because you met some angry customers at the dealer, doesn't mean the whole brand is down the toilet.. I mean, people don't go to the dealer just to say hi to the service advisor... It's kinda like going to a jailhouse and asking the inmates what they think about cops...

Food for thought on a snowy GTA night. 

[sailor723]

Volvo seems like a classic example of  "It takes a long time to build a good reputation and a short time to lose it"
I think the days of Volvo being able to coast on thier reputation are over.

[Greg B.]

Volvo seems like a classic example of  "It takes a long time to build a good reputation and a short time to lose it"
I think the days of Volvo being able to coast on thier reputation are over.

Our family owned a pair of Volvos years ago (simultaneously). One was dead-solid reliable, the other, bought new, was the worst car we ever owned. Ever since I have felt that Volvos were a gamble in terms of quality and I have avoided them. It only takes one bad experience to spoil a reputation.

[MKII]

  I found the seats flat and the headrests were hard. Compared to my current V70R the interior seemed step down.

I agree with your comment on the new seats being used in the new Volvo cars. Wonder why Volvo has changed the seat geometry so much. Very bad decision IMO.

Volvo offers this so called Sport Seat http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080508.012/mini9/volvo-v70-r-design-revealed in the V70 R-design option , but sure doesn't look he same as the Sport Seats I had I my S60 SE http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/images/04s60_4.jpg now those were comfy seats .
Maybe Steve Mattin (Volvo's new head designer ex-MB designer) is the cause.

[adjutor]

Hi ar-ken Obviously if car's reliability was an exact science nobody would buy lemons (or Volvo these days). I'm not allowed to post links until I have ten posts. Check the auto123.com review on the 2001-2007 V70 by Justin Pritchard. Also on google try ''Volvo condamnée à 200 000 euros''
 
For other ''facts''It would take too many pages to send my invoices. Car dealers dont want to buy used Volvo. ''Too much problems'' .This is what I was told when I tried to change my car. I've paid it 63K in 2004. They offered me 11K. They should replace '' Volvo (problems) for life ''  by ''Never been damaged but always broke''  as the new Volvo's motto.
So i'm looking for a more reliable car, a pontiac astre maybe?

[adjutor]

Hi ar-ken, I forgot to mention the  canadiandriver Used Vehicle Review:
Volvo V70/XC70, 2001-2007  from Chris Chase  (January 10, 2008 ). More interesting facts.