Getting there in style might not be the top priority if ‘there’ is a bit off the beaten track.
Of course there are literally hundreds of vehicles out there that will ‘get you there’ with very little effort but when the need to marry this with some real luxury arises, then the choices start to become a little more limited.
The XC70 has been around for a little while now in one form or another, since 1996 in fact when one of its predecessors, the V70 XC was launched, and the philosophy remains the same – to provide rugged all-road capability, uncompromising safety features, stylish and luxurious interior and nowadays exceptional economy and performance. The V70 XC evolved into the XC70 in 2001 and in 2007 was re-launched in its current identity. Perhaps slightly overshadowed in recent years by the emergence of its younger sibling, the imposing XC90, it remains a versatile, luxurious, and tough alternative to its competitors.
Despite the fact that it is not really a newcomer on the scene, the new XC70 is right up there technologically speaking. Some of the features are in common with the top models in their ranges. I particularly like the ‘adaptive’ cruise control, which I described when I drove the S80 last year. It’s a wonderful feature which makes absolute childsplay of busy motorways by matching your speed with that of the vehicle in front if the traffic slows below that which is set on the cruise control, even to the extent that it will put your brakes on for you if the traffic ahead is slowing down very quickly. The Bluetooth communications suite was incredibly easy to use too. Once I had done the first pairing with my mobile phone, it was simply a case of answering it with the button on the steering wheel once on the move. No subsequent setting up was required thereafter when getting in and out.
The XC70, luxurious as it is, is a tough cookie. Externally, the lower part of the bodywork and the wide wheel arches are encased in a scratch-resistant plastic trim to prevent the little chips and bumps that can so easily be picked up when out on those less-than-perfect tracks out there in the country. Though not really what I would describe as a true off-roader, it is certainly not going to be confined to the asphalt when out exploring. The high ground clearance and large wheels make it capable of handling an awful lot that a conventional saloon or estate car wouldn’t even dream of being able to cope with. However, even with its rugged capabilities and tough credentials, it was still first and foremost in my impressions a luxury touring estate car, smooth and quiet on the road, very easy to drive, economical on fuel and with an excellent range of technological features including a superb MP3 compatible audio system and a built-in navigation system. The interior of the model I drove was all cream coloured leather with inlaid woodgrain trims. So all-in-all it ends up an extremely ‘nice’ place to be while getting from A to B.
In common with all of Volvo’s estates, there’s a vast amount of luggage space and with the rear seats folded down, it’s practically the stuff of house-moves!
One feature I particularly like with Volvo’s newer cars are the integrated height-adjustable child booster seats, which make the whole issue of getting the little ones in and out a piece of cake. In fact, for those Mums and Dads who need to regularly ferry their brood around, the combination of huge baggage capacity, superb safety features and built-in child friendly seating make this a fantastic choice. Even the hatchback is self-powered. With hands full, all that’s required to close it is the push of a button. Brilliant!
There’s very little I can say on the negative side except perhaps to make reference to its size. The XC70 is not a small car. It isn’t the sort of car which can just be slotted into an available space. On a couple of occasions we commented on how the car protruded from your average car park bay like a St Bernard in a Poodle’s kennel. But with a name like the XC (cross country) what do we care anyway? This is a car for the great outdoors. It’s not a ‘shopping’ car. It’s far too good for the Tesco run anyway!
Nigel Crawford
January 2009
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The Ford Kuga
