By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
From a young child’s point of view, there is probably no car cooler than a station wagon. Whether it’s being picked up from soccer practice or getting to ride in the “way back,” station wagons offer kids a fun-filled and spacious ride around town. Most adults, on the other hand, obviously don’t see them that way, as minivans and then SUVs have replaced station wagons in school drop-off lanes.
Station wagons in the United States are proving to be more difficult to sell, as evident with Dodge’s ceasing production of the Magnum and Pontiac cancelling a possibility of the Pontiac G8-based station wagon, but some manufacturers are not yet prepared to throw in the towel just yet. Volvo’s history with station wagons dates back decades and has persevered through the 1990s when SUVs and crossovers were at the peak of their popularity and there is no sign Volvo will quit any time soon.
As the unofficial vehicle of soccer moms and dads, the Volvo V70 continues to be one of the most recognizable station wagons ever produced. The 2008 Volvo V70 wagon received a complete redesign with not only luxury, performance and safety in mind, but the car also benefits from a more attractive and less boxy look of its predecessors. From the B-pillar forward, the all-new V70 is identical to the Volvo’s flagship, the S80, while the rear of the car shares family traits with the XC90 and C30.
Continuing on its main commitment to safety, Volvo incorporated numerous safety systems into the new V70 including side-curtain airbags that extend lower to help protect smaller children. The added safety comes from multiple crumple zones, numerous airbags and more acronyms for its safety systems than is possible to remember.
While companies like Scion are moving toward more boxy designs, Volvo is using a more rounded and aerodynamic design on its vehicles. The most attractive aspect of the V70 is the curvaceous beltline that runs from the headlights all the way back to the sculpted taillights. The large LED taillights in the back cover the D-pillar adding a sense of style to the increased safety the lights offer.
The only available powertrain for the V70 is a 235-horsepower 3.2-liter 24-valve DOHC inline six-cylinder paired to a smooth-shifting, six-speed automatic transmission. This combination has an EPA fuel economy estimate of 16 city/24 highway. On mixed highway and city driving, our test car perfectly split these estimates by averaging a little over 20 mpg over a week of driving.
Inside, the cabin is simplistic and uncluttered. The layout of the instrumentation and controls are both easy to use and easy to read, and the instrument cluster is simplistic yet useful with two circular gauges for the speedometer and tachometer with all information and messaging systems located in the center. To scroll through the information and messages, the turn signal stalk features an easy to use dial to navigate to the desired data. The waterfall center stack houses all radio and HVAC.
Despite the numerous buttons in the center stack, adjusting the controls require little effort and are within a short reach from the driver’s hands. The A/C modes are easy to figure out since the controls represent a person seated and split into three zones: head, midsection and legs. It really can’t get any easier than that.
The seating surface on this car was comfortable and had a very interesting name: Textile/T-Tec Upholstery. In actuality, the outer material felt like vinyl with a center cloth-like inlay for added comfort. The 40/20/40 split folding rear seats offer headrests and three-point seatbelts for all three passengers in addition to integrated, two-stage adjustable booster seats for both outboard seats. With the seats completely folded, the V70 can accommodate up to 72.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity. If space is needed for longer items, the front passenger is able to fold flat.
While the S80 we test drove a few months ago was loaded to the gills with options and packages for a $56,000 MSRP, this V70 has very few options and is ready to shuttle the kids around for just $34,410.
All photos copyright Jeffrey Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2008