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ESTATE MODERN?
What could be better to have thrumming away under the bonnet of your big estate car than a big diesel engine? Steve Walker checks out the Volvo V70 D5.

Is there still a place in modern family life for the large estate car? It wasn’t so long ago that everybody boarded the conveyor belt to big estate ownership as soon as they started a family. Many would hop off at points along the way, electing to keep their brood at a manageable size but those who stuck it out were spirited inexorably towards the inevitable. Suddenly, they’d find themselves with three growing kids, two enormous dogs and the only vehicle that could realistically accommodate them all without provoking the wrath of the RSPCA. Of course, all this was before the MPV boom and the dramatic rise of the 4x4. Today, big estates like Volvo’s V70 have competitors closing in on all sides. Perhaps the D5 diesel engine can help keep it relevant.

Volvo has a great reputation for producing large family-friendly estate cars; this in a market sector where the focus of the leading models has turned increasingly in a sporty, lifestyle-orientated direction. It’s a place where spoilers, roof rails and monster alloys are prized more highly than rear legroom or a well located curry hook. Amidst the cluster of trendy tourers, tourings and sport wagons, the V70 remains unashamedly an estate and the inclusion of D5 diesel power adds to its practical credentials. The D5 is a five-cylinder diesel engine with a 2.4-litre capacity. Its peak power is 182bhp and it’s produced at a relatively low 4,000rpm. The best modern diesels adjust the parameters of their combustion processes to make the best of their power and torque available across a broad band of the rev range but the D5 lags behind a little here. Its peak torque is a muscular 400Nm but it’s generated between 2,000 and 2,750rpm so it often seems like as soon as you hit the sweet spot, you’re out of it again and it’s time to grab another gear. The V70 D5’s performance is average; it can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 8.4 seconds and achieve a 140mph top speed, but its strength is as a long distance cruiser. The suspension is tuned for comfort rather than spiky handling and the rather gruff engine note when accelerating at low speeds dissipates when it gets into its stride and starts munching on some mileage.

"Clean, functional design abounds and safety provision is predictably good"

The D5 diesel engine is available with the standard six-speed manual gearbox or the six-speed Geartronic automatic option. The V70 handles neatly but doesn’t respond with relish when you hurl it into bends so driving in a relaxed manner, perhaps with the Geartronic ‘box doing the shifting is probably the best way to get the most out of the car. A further option is Volvo’s AWD four-wheel drive system and this can give useful extra bite for greater confidence on slippery surfaces and transform the V70 in to a phenomenal ski-drive vehicle. Finally, the Active Four-C chassis option comes with the SE Sport trim level and adapts the V70’s suspension into Comfort or Sport modes on request. The rear end looks a little more svelte than before but Volvo hasn’t been diverted from this car’s raison d’etre – lugging gear. Lots of it. The clever trick is that Volvo has disguised the car’s inherent boxiness with neat detailing like the split high-level tail lights. There’s a class-competitive 540-litres of virgin space back there and a massive space can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. The 40-20-40 three part split/fold rear seat offers 16 different combinations and the load bay floor itself features aluminium rails and movable anchoring points. A sliding load floor is also offered as an option as is a powered tailgate. The V70’s front is pleasantly curvy in-keeping with models like the S80, C70 and V50 which have reinvigorated Volvo’s reputation for stylish design. The car’s designer cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end. It’s unmistakably a Volvo. The interior reflects the individual character of the exterior lines with clean surfaces and a number of creative design touches. Build quality is a definite strongpoint and this is certainly a car that you can load your young family into safe in the knowledge that they destroy its residual value within the first few seconds. Prices start at £27,995 for the V70 D5 SE and the SE Sport model tops the range at £30,845, just £100 more than the SE Lux alternative. The 2.4D engine, a 161bhp version of the D5 is £1,000 cheaper. It’s no surprise to find the V70 bristling with safety equipment even in standard form and all models benefit from traction control, WHIPS whiplash protection, SIPS side impact protection and a plethora of airbags. Even SE models get electric front seats, a 160 watt 8-speaker stereo and 17" alloy wheels. The SE Sport adds speed sensitive power steering, the Four-C chassis, leather seats, 18" alloys and a collection of spoilers. Go for the SE Lux and it’s a case of SE trim plus, leather, wood plus powered and/or heated everything. Bi-Xenon headlamps and silver roof rails are also included. The 183bhp Volvo V70 is priced competitively compared to its German rivals. 177bhp of BMW 520d Touring is going to be at least £1,000 more expensive and you’ll need an extra £3,000 for 170bhp’s worth of Mercedes E-Class. With the Volvo’s superior equipment provision and interior space factored in, it has a crucial edge that will look better still from the perspective of family buyers. The D5 engine may lack the finesse of the top diesels in the executive estate class but it’s a proven unit that should prove reliable and keeps running costs down. The official combined economy figure is 43.5mpg but this drops substantially to 38.2mpg if you opt for the Geartronic gearbox. Do the shifting yourself and you can expect upwards of 50mpg on long motorways runs. The engine produces 172g/km of CO2 or 195g/km with Geartronic so company car users would do well to stick with the manual. The V70 benefits from Volvo’s good reputation in the big estate market and it’s desirability amongst those looking for a practical load carrier helps keep residual values buoyant. The D5 will be the most sort after engine too, so you’re unlikely to take too much of a hit when the time comes to part company with this vehicle. As an antidote to the cold, clinical efficiency of its German rivals, Volvo’s V70 makes a lot of sense. Clean, functional design abounds and safety provision is predictably good. The V70 is a cuddlier family car than rivals from BMW or a Mercedes but on more objective grounds it looks less convincing. The flagship D5 diesel engine feels low tech next to the best units in the sector and the V70 lacks the depth of engineering that sets the very best executive estates apart. Tight pricing and decent equipment levels should still see it achieve popularity with value conscious buyers. A powerful diesel engine is a great fit inside a big, practical estate car it’s just a shame that the unit Volvo has access to is falling off the pace a little. In terms of economy, it’s competitive but performance and refinement leave something to be desired when pitted against the cream of the crop. That said, the V70’s practicality, price and safety credentials will still be a powerful draw and once you’ve settled on the big Volvo for those reasons, the D5 diesel should be the pick of the range.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo V70 D5 PRICES: £27,995-£30,845 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 172-270g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.4s /Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's airbag, side airbags and curtain, ABS, whiplash protection, Isofix child seat mounts, DSTC stability control, rear child booster seat WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4823/1861/1547mm

FUELING HIGHER SALES
Volvo’s latest generation V70 needed an affordable entry-level version. In the 145PS 2.0P petrol model, it has just that. Jonathan Crouch checks it out

That Volvo’s current generation V70 is the definitive large estate car isn’t something many people would argue with. In recent years however, German rivals like Audi’s A6 Avant and BMW’s 5 Series Touring have been running it uncomfortably close and traditional Volvo buyers have begun to look around.

The marque’s pricing structure hasn’t helped in this regard. There used to be clear blue sky between the price of a V70 and a comparable A6 or 5 Series. When the latest generation V70 was launched featuring a starting figure the best part of £27,000, that was no longer the case. Hence the importance of the 145PS £24,995 2.0P model we’re looking at here. You don’t buy a Volvo estate to throw it around the lanes, so this variant to my mind makes a lot more sense than the larger-engined 2.5 and 3.2-litre petrol variants. Which only leaves the question of diesel. At the same time as introducing the 2.0P, Volvo also announced a 136PS 2.0D version which sells for around £500 more. Though apparently less powerful, the fact that it develops 320Nm of torque instead of 190Nm for the 2.0P means that the diesel will feel a lot pokier. If that’s not a problem and you simply don’t like diesels, then the 2.0P remains a sensible choice. Fuel consumption is 32.8mpg (as opposed to 47.9mpg for the 2.0D), while CO2 emissions are 206g/km (157g/km for the 2.0D). If you haven’t yet checked out Volvo’s latest generation V70 models and have a rather old fashioned idea of ‘boring’ Volvo estates, then this car might come as a bit of a revelation. But let’s start with the practical stuff. The rear end looks a little more svelte than before but Volvo hasn’t been diverted from this car’s raison d’etre – lugging gear. Lots of it. The clever trick is that the Swedes have disguised the car’s inherent boxiness with neat detailing like the split high-level tail lights. There’s a class-competitive 540-litres of virgin space back there and a massive space can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. The 40-20-40 three part split/fold rear seat offers 16 different combinations and the loadbay floor itself features aluminium rails and movable anchoring points. A sliding load floor is also offered as an option, as is a powered tailgate.

"… in order to attract new customers to the fold, this generation V70 needed to adapt. It has."

The V70’s front is pleasantly curvy in-keeping with models like the S80, C70 and V50 which have reinvigorated Volvo’s reputation for stylish design. The car’s designer cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end. It’s unmistakably a Volvo and the look is a long way removed from the lithe, purposeful lines of some Germanic rivals. The blacked out side pillars, C30-inspired tail lights and a slightly more raked tailgate angle nevertheless mean that it has enough about it to hold its own from a design perspective. Of course, its prospects will be helped by a very competitive list of standard equipment. DSTC dynamic stability and traction control is standard. As well as speed-sensitive power steering with three settings, the V70 also features an intelligent power parking brake that automatically disengages when the accelerator is pressed. There’s also an innovative dual-stage integrated rear child booster seat that works in tandem with the V70’s extended curtain airbags to provide unparalleled child safety. So far, so sensible. But in order to attract new customers to the fold, this generation V70 needed to adapt. It has. This is now a car that is more rewarding to drive. If you simply have to press on over a twisty route, this Volvo, unlike its predecessor, won’t require a packet of travel sickness tablets to make the journey bearable. Overall, though the changes may have been mellow on the outside, with a keener chassis, a cleaner range of engines and better safety provision, the V70 is unquestionably a more capable car than before. And the 2.0P engine? My view is that for around £500 more, the 2.0D is a better bet. But if petrol it must be, then it’s the 2.0P for me.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo V70 2.0P PRICE: £24,995 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 206g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.0s /Max Speed 130mph [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 32.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's airbag, side airbags and curtain, ABS, whiplash protection, Isofix child seat mounts, DSTC stability control, rear child booster seat WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4823/1861/1547mm

ESTATE MANAGEMENT
If you’re looking for the definitive estate car, look no further. Andy Enright reports on the all-new Volvo V70

What do the Volvo V70 and the Porsche 911 have in common? On the face of it, not too much but you might be surprised. Both cars are the product line around which the respective companies hinge, the very embodiment of their corporate philosophies. Without a successful V70 range, Volvo is unable to finance more adventurous models like the C30 and the C70 so this model has got to perform. Volvo without a big estate car would be completely unthinkable and the latest generation V70 benefits from this heritage but also treads carefully when dealing with its huge responsibility.

Getting too radical in terms of design would alienate existing Volvo buyers without attracting the sort of aesthetes who would normally shop for an Audi or a BMW, so Volvo has wisely played it rather safe with the latest V70, grafting an S80 style front end and a slicker looking posterior onto a very practical basic silhouette. Prices start at around £25,000. Those with longer memories may well remember the time when Volvo first started slipping rather potent engines into their big estates. The old 850 T5 became something of a cult car that spawned the V70R models and this generation V70 counters with a fire-breathing engine that’s never been seen in a Volvo estate before. The T6 six-cylinder petrol engine is a compact and lightweight 3.0-litre unit boosted by a twin-scroll turbocharger. This takes in exhaust gases in two distinct stages with the inflow split in two, each flow feeding three cylinders for an immediate, low lag throttle response. Good for a lusty 283bhp and 400Nm of torque, this flagship V70 model will accelerate to 60mph in 6.7 seconds and keep going until the needle nudges 152mph. There’s also a 235bhp normally-aspirated 3.2-litre petrol engine that uses Cam Profile Switching and a Variable Intake System on the inlet manifold to deliver strong low end torque and keen power at the top end of the engine’s reach.

"…the omens look very good for the V70"

The rear end looks a little more svelte than before but Volvo hasn’t been diverted from this car’s raison d’etre – lugging gear. Lots of it. The clever trick is that Volvo has disguised the car’s inherent boxiness with neat detailing like the split high-level tail lights. There’s a class-competitive 540-litres of virgin space back there and a massive space can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. The 40-20-40 three part split/fold rear seat offers 16 different combinations and the loadbay floor itself features aluminium rails and movable anchoring points. A sliding load floor is also offered as an option, as is a powered tailgate. The V70’s front is pleasantly curvy in-keeping with models like the S80, C70 and V50 which have reinvigorated Volvo’s reputation for stylish design. The car’s designer cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end. It’s unmistakably a Volvo and the look is a long way removed from the lithe, purposeful lines of some Germanic rivals. The blacked out side pillars, C30-inspired tail lights and a slightly more raked tailgate angle nevertheless mean that it has enough about it to hold its own from a design perspective. As well as the 3.0-litre T6 and the 3.2-litre petrol engines, there’s also a 198bhp 2.5-litre petrol option and a bio-fuel E85-compliant version of this engine with 144bhp is also available for order. There’s also an entry-level 145bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit. All of these models will have an important role to play in helping Volvo retain the title of best selling big estate car. In 2006, the final full year of ‘old’ V70 production, this model sold 4,764 cars, seeing off rivals from Mercedes, Audi and BMW. Now you can see why they’re so keen to sing the praises of their new charge. Sales need to take a big upswing from an already competitive baseline. Of course, its prospects will be helped by a very competitive list of standard equipment. DSTC dynamic stability and traction control is standard on all cars while the T6 model features Instant Traction all-wheel drive. As well as speed-sensitive power steering with three settings, the V70 also features an intelligent power parking brake that automatically disengages when the accelerator is pressed. There’s also an innovative dual-stage integrated rear child booster seat that works in tandem with the V70’s extended curtain airbags to provide unparalleled child safety. Fuel consumption is at best so-so, this being a very big and heavy vehicle. The diesels are the best bet if you want to reduce your fuel bills a little, the entry-level 136 and 163bhp 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre variants returning around 40mpg and the 185bhp D5 returning a similar figure. In most of the others, including the 2.5-litre petrol model, you can count yourself very fortunate to see 30mpg averaged over the course of a week. Although it’s still too early to get a definitive impression, the omens look very good for the V70. Ask many existing owners what they would like changed about the car and most will want next to nothing altered but in order to attract new customers to the fold, the V70 needed to adapt. Fortunately, the changes have been mellow on the outside but with a keener chassis, a cleaner range of engines and better safety provision, the V70 is unquestionably a more capable car than before. It’s hard to see how it can fail and Volvo’s bullish sales projections reflect the fact that little can touch it when it comes to doing what big estates need to do. The nearest rival is probably Audi’s massive A6 Avant but the Volvo offers more engine for your money and a less brash look and feel than the big German. Expect it to retain its position at the top of the sales charts.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo V70 range PRICES: £24,995-£37,585 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 15-18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 157-270g/km PERFORMANCE: [T6] 0-60mph 6.7s /Max Speed 152mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [D5] (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's airbag, side airbags and curtain, ABS, whiplash protection, Isofix child seat mounts, DSTC stability control, rear child booster seat WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4823/1861/1547mm

TICKING ALL THE BOXES
Volvo’s V70 2.0D is good enough not only to out-point its rivals but make Jonathan Crouch question the need for large MPVs.…

Buying an Executive estate car just got a lot easier. There’s still a wide choice of course. BMW’s 5 Series Touring, Mercedes’ E-class estate or Audi’s A6 Avant are all tempting choices. They just don’t make quite as much sense as the car we’re looking at here – Volvo’s V70 2.0D, the entry-level diesel option in the line-up.

It helps of course that the £25,495 asking price gives it a £1,500 advantage over the nearest German alternative (which is the Audi if you’re interested). That’s money you can useful put towards the extra equipment items you may not need since the Swedish model is actually better equipped. The V70’s 2.0-litre diesel develops 136PS but it’s the 320Nm torque figure that’s more significant. It gives this car enough pulling power to negate the need for many to pay more for either the 163 or 185bhp diesel V70 models. A CO2 emissions figure of 157g/km is also impressive – and 8g/km better than the comparable Audi. Your Fleet Manager will want to know that it sits in VED band D and return 47.9mpg on the Combined cycle, which if you’re interested is 5% better than the A6. And the V70 itself? Well, if you haven’t yet checked out the latest generation version and have a rather old fashioned idea of ‘boring’ Volvo estates, then this car might come as a bit of a revelation. But let’s start with the practical stuff. The rear end looks a little more svelte than before but Volvo hasn’t been diverted from this car’s raison d’etre – lugging gear. Lots of it. The clever trick is that the Swedes have disguised the car’s inherent boxiness with neat detailing like the split high-level tail lights. There’s a class-competitive 540-litres of virgin space back there and a massive space can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. The 40-20-40 three part split/fold rear seat offers 16 different combinations and the loadbay floor itself features aluminium rails and movable anchoring points. A sliding load floor is also offered as an option, as is a powered tailgate.

"If you’re after a car of this type, then everything you need is here…"

The V70’s front is pleasantly curvy in-keeping with models like the S80, C70 and V50 which have reinvigorated Volvo’s reputation for stylish design. The car’s designer cleverly decreased the amount the side glass curves from front to rear, for maximum style at the driving end and maximum carrying ability at the business end. It’s unmistakably a Volvo and the look is a long way removed from the lithe, purposeful lines of some Germanic rivals. The blacked out side pillars, C30-inspired tail lights and a slightly more raked tailgate angle nevertheless mean that it has enough about it to hold its own from a design perspective. Of course, its prospects will be helped by a very competitive list of standard equipment. DSTC dynamic stability and traction control is standard. As well as speed-sensitive power steering with three settings, the V70 also features an intelligent power parking brake that automatically disengages when the accelerator is pressed. There’s also an innovative dual-stage integrated rear child booster seat that works in tandem with the V70’s extended curtain airbags to provide unparalleled child safety. So far, so sensible. But in order to attract new customers to the fold, this generation V70 needed to adapt. It has. This is now a car that is more rewarding to drive. If you simply have to press on over a twisty route, this Volvo, unlike its predecessor, won’t require a packet of travel sickness tablets to make the journey bearable. Overall, though the changes may have been mellow on the outside, with a keener chassis, a So capable is this car that in driving it, I find myself starting to question why so many people buy large, luxury MPVs. Of course, they offer the ability to carry seven – but then, the V70 can do that if you take up the option of the extra boot-located fold-out bench. It’s not quite as big as a fully-fledged People Carrier when you’re doing something like moving house of course – but then, you have to balance that against the drawbacks in image and roly-poly handling the other 364 days of the year. But though MPV conquest sales would be nice, Volvo’s main task with this car is to take on and beat the Mercedes, BMW and particularly Audi opposition, while easily flattening such as the Saab 9-5 Estate in the process. Achieving this objective has been a rather close-run thing with other V70 derivatives due to rather ambitious pricing, but with the 2.0D variant, it’s a case of job done. Volvo dealers won’t thank me for saying this but after driving the 2.0D, it’s hard to make a case for more expensive V70 derivatives. If you’re after a car of this type, then everything you need is here.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volvo V70 2.0D PRICE: £25,495 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 157g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.9s /Max Speed 121mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 47.9mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's airbag, side airbags and curtain, ABS, whiplash protection, Isofix child seat mounts, DSTC stability control, rear child booster seat WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4823/1861/1547mm