2001 Volvo V70 - Consumer Guide Automotive

Category	2.4, auto. Rating (See All Ratings)	Premium Midsize Car Average Rating

Acceleration	4	6.1

Fuel Economy	5	4.7

Ride Quality	7	6.4

Steering/Handling/Braking	6	6.3

Quietness	6	6.7

Controls	6	6.1

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)	7	7

Room/Comfort (rear)	6	5.1

Cargo Room	7	4

Value within Class	4	4.7

Total Score:	58	57.1

Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category

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2001 Volvo V70 Review

These V70 wagons are Volvo's best-selling line. They ride a slimmed-down version of the flagship S80 sedan platform and use an inline 5-cyl engine. Base 2.4, turbo 2.4T, and sporty T5 versions have front-wheel drive. The XC ("Cross Country") has all-wheel drive, a raised suspension, SUV-flavored styling, and the 2.4T engine. Base 2.4 and T5 offer manual or automatic transmission; the others are automatic only. The automatic is a 5-speed; a manual shift-gate feature is optional on the 2.4T and included with the automatic on T5 and XC. Traction control is standard for T5, available for 2.4 and 2.4T. An antiskid system is optional for 2.4T and T5. All V70s feature antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, and antiwhiplash front seats. Options include a rear-facing 3rd seat, navigation system, and 17-inch wheels.

Competition

This hotly contested segment has a clear benchmark; it is the Acura TL (and its 2-door cousin Acura CL). The TL succeeds in blending comfort, style, luxury, and sport into an efficient package at an affordable price. If you are leaning more toward the luxury scale, the Lexus ES 300 might be a more practical purchase.

We also recommend the sporty and Euro-flavored Audi A6, the comfortable Buick Park Avenue, the affordable and fast Infiniti I30.

News

Because they've just been redesigned, Volvo's midrange wagons won't see any major changes soon. However, a lower-priced XC with front-wheel drive and fewer standard frills is being rumored for Sunbelt buyers who don't need or want all-wheel drive. Look for it as a 2002 addition, assuming it gets the green light.

A higher-value model might help V70 sales, which despite the redesign fell nearly 22 percent year-over-year in calendar 2000 (to about 55,500). The sudden year-end economic slump was no doubt largely to blame, as some other cars in this price class slipped too.

2001 Volvo V70 Road Test >

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