1998-2000 Volvo S70/V70: Year-to-Year Changes

1999 Volvo 70 series: Volvo's mainstay duo returned in base, GLT, and sporty T5 versions with front-drive, and in V70 R and XC (Cross Country) wagon form with all-wheel drive. An AWD GLT sedan joined the lineup this year. Output of the strongest engine rose from 236 to 247 horsepower, when installed in the R wagon. New electronic brake modulation helped optimize performance in normal stops. Volvo's traction-control system now included throttle as well as brake intervention. A starter interlock was added to models with manual shift, automatic transmissions gained "adaptive" shift logic, and an engine immobilizer became standard. Dashboard airbags got new two-stage sensors that matched deployment force to road speed and belt use; they also automatically unlocked doors after the bags triggered.

2000 Volvo 70 series: Volvo trimmed its V70 wagon lineup for 2000, dropping the base AWD version and the front-drive performance-oriented T5. Seat-mounted side airbags were modified to help protect the head as well as the chest. Newly standard was Volvo's WHIPS system, designed to move the front seatbacks and headrests rearward in a rear-end collision, to minimize whiplash. The potent engine in the V70 R AWD now was rated 261 horsepower.