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- Des Plaines, IL
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- autoshopper.com
2003 volvo xc70 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. A full range of wagons for all types of drivers. introductionvolvo wagons have never been better. Volvo's flagship 70 series wagons range from comfortable sophistication to off-highway capability to high-performance barnstormer. the volvo cross country can be a great substitute for a sport-utility. It boasts an elevated chassis for ground clearance, no-dent body armor to brush aside trail debris, and all-wheel-drive traction for slippery conditions. Their interiors are elegant and well designed. All are practical wagons with an adaptable seating arrangement and a cavernous cargo compartment complete with tie-down hooks and other useful accessories. Unlike many suvs, the cargo floor is flat when all the seats are folded. add to that volvo's traditional dedication to safety: occupants are shielded by a safety-cell structure and active seats designed to prevent whiplash injuries. Airbags are positioned ahead, beside and above. Responsive steering, electronic brake enhancements, and optional traction control help avoid accidents in the first place. volvo has reduced prices across the entire v70 range, from $2155 to as much as $3355, depending on model. It comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional 1000). The five-speed automatic is standard on this model, while volvo's geartronic automatic with manual override is a optional 200). Befitting its extra brawn, the 2. 4t comes with wider tires on 16-inch wheels, and adds power seats and automatic climate control. v70 t5 33,870) comes with 247-horsepower 2. 3-liter inline five-cylinder engine with high-pressure turbocharging and a five-speed manual gearbox. The geartronic is available as an option 1200). The t5 also comes with firmer suspension settings and wider (p215/55r16) tires for a sporty flavor, and adds a few more comfort/convenience items to the standard-equipment list. Volvo's dstc (dynamic stability and traction control) is standard. xc70 cross country 33,870) features all-wheel-drive, a higher ground clearance, a front skid plate, and unique appearance and trim items. It is powered by a 2. 5-liter inline-5 with light-pressure turbocharging, developing 208 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque. Cross country comes standard with the geartronic automatic transmission. In its luxury appointments the xc70 resembles the t5, but it uses a simpler traction control system (called tracs, with the more sophisticated dstc as a $695 option) and slightly taller p215/65r16 tires. v70 2. 5t awd 32,620) shares cross country's all-wheel-drive system, as well as its 208-horsepower 2. 5-liter turbocharged engine and geartronic transmission. Otherwise the 2. 5t awd is equipped the same as the front-drive v70 2. 4t a long list of additional options and option packages is available. A navigation system 1895) is optional on all models. Also available is volvo's new on call telematics system with a mobile phone 835). all v70s uphold volvo's tradition of safety, with dual-threshold front airbags, dual side-impact airbags, front and rear head-curtain airbags, whips active whiplash protection, and both iso-fix and latch anchors for child seats. . walkaroundthe overall shape of the volvo v70 looks boxy at first, but closer scrutiny reveals styling innovation for such a large package, and an aggressive stance due to a relatively wide track. There's also something here that was missing from the typical tank-like shape of previous volvo wagons: shapely curves. the v70 stretches long to form a wedge silhouette that's cocked high at its boxy tail but slammed low in front for a tapered nose, capped by volvo's signature diagonal-slash grille. Hard creases in the bowed hood thrust the grille forward as the leading edge of the vehicle. Headlight clusters unified behind curving polycarbon lenses notch into recesses flanking the grille, while body-colored bumpers trimmed with black molding wrap around the v70's face to meet the front wheel wells. roof pillars and side glass curve inward to meet the roof panel, softening hard corners and diminishing the visual massiveness of the wagon's rear bay. The rear liftgate also bows slightly in a curvy profile, but maintains an essentially vertical plane to maximize interior cargo space. Composed of steel-reinforced polyresin fiberglass, the back door tucks between two thin vertical taillights that boldly extend from bumper to roof. We pulled an empty car trailer with a cross country and appreciated the high-mounted taillamps. on the cross country, protective cladding rings the base of the body, matching deep front and rear bumpers, wheel-well flares and door sills. The molded cladding contrasts with the painted metal upper surfaces to create the illusion of an even higher stance. The plastic compound is tinted a dark shade so off-road scrapes and scratches will not be obvious. On the roof, a pair of rails linked by two sliding cross braces form a flexible car-top carrier for extra cargo or sports equipment such as bicycles and kayaks. . interiorthe stylish interior of the volvo 70-series models features rich appointments with an understated air of elegance. Muted tone-on-tone colors are enhanced by sparing touches of ersatz redwood trim (optional on 2. 4, standard on the others). It's a clean design, with buttons and switches in logical positions and analog gauges housed in an uncluttered instrument panel. A leather-wrapped steering wheel is now standard in all v70 models, along with a single-disc in-dash cd player. the v70 2. 4 we drove featured a nice interior, fully trimmed in leather. It was well appointed and nicely trimmed, though not at the levels of the t5 model. Like the other models, the v70 2. 4 has great heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controls on volvo's nicely textured, flat-charcoal panels. Controls for front and rear defrost and seat heaters were easy to find. Volvo's cupholder for the driver is cleverly designed and takes up little room when not being used. the cross country we drove came with the premium package, which includes leather upholstery, eight-way power for both front seats, a power tilt-and-slide moonroof and a trip computer. The seats were plush and luxurious. Their dark brown color was very appealing to most people. While some of us prefer lighter shades, others loved the dark brown in the cross country. The seats are extremely comfortable. They are intelligent seats, loaded with technology designed to enhance safety. The front seatbacks incorporate mechanisms to guard against whiplash from a rear-end impact. During such a crash, the seatback moves rearward to reduce acceleration forces on the rider's back and neck, as the headrest pushes forward and upward slightly to meet the neck and head as they are thrust backward. the broad rear bench fits three adults comfortably, and features three-point safety belts for all three positions. It splits 60/40, and each individual section can be flipped forward to form an extension of the flat cargo floor to the rear. The rear bench also provides anchors for securing two different types of rear-facing child's safety seats. One style fits infants weighing up to 20 pounds and another suits a toddler up to 40 pounds. the cargo area is perfectly flat, unlike that of many suvs. The back cargo bay can be fitted with available convenience items from volvo, like a container for shopping bags or a table that pops up from beneath the second-row seat, for use with an optional third seat sized for children. A versatility package 1250-$1300) includes the third seat with integrated booster seat, the folding table, and a 12-volt outlet. appointments in the cross country we drove included power operation for virtually everything, as well as automatic climate control. Volvo has its own approach for channel presets, understandable once learned, but most of us don't need to save 20 stations. Audio controls on the left side of the steering wheel work well, with cruise control buttons on the right. . driving impressionthe driving experience of the volvo v70 wagons varies by model. The v70 2. 4 is soft and smooth. The v70 t5 is firmer and sportier. The cross country is firm, but doesn't have the sporty crispness of the t5. Engine response varies by model as well. the volvo v70 2. 4 rides very nicely. Cruise Control✔ Climate Control✔ Power Seats✔ CD Changer✔ CD Player✔ Navigation System✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
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