Review Cars

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2012 Volvo XC60
Despite the companys storied rally history, Volvo seems to have eschewed building its line of R-Design vehicles into street-legal racers in favor of simply creating design packages that give the companys sedans, crossovers and hatches some much-needed attitude. In the case of the 2011 XC60 R-Design, that means the vehicle evolves from a mild-mannered high-rider into a machine begging to be seen delivering a load of equally well-dressed ladies to an exclusive night spot. It may not be able to reduce its tires to a cloud of carcinogens or successfully execute a Scandinavian flick, but this CUV is a much more attractive offering than its straight-laced siblings.
INTERIOR

• Power driver’s seat


• Dual-zone automatic climate control


• CD stereo with USB input


• Optional premium stereo


• Optional heated front and rear seats


• Available leather upholstery


• R-Design models include unique instruments, steering wheel and sport seats

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2012 Volvo XC70
The Volvo XC70 is an impressively versatile wagon. Its smooth, stable, secure, fast and very comfortable on the open highway. Most come with all-wheel drive, which makes the XC70 a good choice for foul weather, be it torrential rain, deep snow or glare ice.
But its on primitive roads where the Volvo XC70 shines. It handles gravel and dirt roads very well, with stable, predictable handling and excellent traction. Indeed, it can dispense with unpaved roads quickly and ably. The XC70 is engineered for serious gear hauling rather than posing at the mall. And of course its equipped with all the active and passive safety features that form Volvos well-deserved reputation for safety engineering.
For 2011, XC70 gets a horsepower boost in both engines. The 2011 Volvo XC70 3.2-liter inline-6 gains 5 horsepower to 240 hp, and the 2011 Volvo XC70 T6 gets a 19-hp boost to 300 hp from its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6. The turbocharged T6 engine was named one of Wards Ten Best engines for 2011, a prestigious award. Its the first Volvo engine to ever win.
For 2011, Volvo XC70 3.2 is available with front-wheel drive for the first time. That should appeal to flatlanders in warm weather, for example Texans and Floridians, although it seems a shame to pass on the all-wheel drive.
For 2011, Sirius satellite radio become standard equipment and comfort and convenience packages have been upgraded. 2011 also brings some amazing price drops, by nearly $4,000 for the 3.2 and more than $6,000 for the T6. All-wheel drive comes standard in those models. The XC70 3.2 comes with a powerful inline-6 rated at 240 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The high-performance XC70 T6 boosts the power to 300 turbocharged horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, the latter an increase of 30 lb-ft for 2011. Its maximum cargo capacity of 72.1 cubic feet is on par with mid-size SUVs, and slightly better than the Subaru Outbacks 71.3 cubic feet. The seating arrangement is flexible and the cargo compartment has tie-downs and other useful accessories. With the rear seats folded, the XC70s flat floor and low lift-over height make loading bulky cargo easier than with many SUVs. Its rated to tow up to 3,300 pounds, enough for a small boat or camper or a couple of snowmobiles.
The XC70 is prepared for serious travel in unpaved areas. It comes with full-time all-wheel drive, and its suspension is raised to increase both movement range and ground clearance. Dent-resistant lower body cladding and protective skid plates underneath protect it from damage. Standard Hill Descent Control makes ascending steep, slippery trails easier and safer.
We found the handling of the Volvo XC70 on primitive logging roads to be excellent. This would be a good car to drive to the top of Alaska in the middle of the winter. We know, weve done it. More recently, we drove an XC70 over 120 miles of logging roads in the unpaved wilderness of northwestern Montana. The all-wheel drive made driving around corners easy and predictable on gravel, dirt, mud, and snow. The suspension had just the right amount of compliance to keep the tires on the trail yet gave the driver lots of control. Bumps in the middle of turns never upset the handling. The car was comfortable, whether creeping along over rugged trails or hurtling down an unpaved road at rally speeds.
On paved roads, the XC70 is stable and comfortable. It isnt as sporty as the pavement-oriented Volvo V70 wagon, but the XC70 makes a good grand touring car and great daily transportation. It rides smoothly and doesnt float or lean excessively through the curves, and it should deliver better real-world gas mileage than most mid- and full-size truck-based SUVs. We think its the most compelling car in the Volvo lineup.
Inside is one of Volvos best interiors: Scandinavian in style and elegantly understated. Its easy to master its multitude of controls, and its simpler and more efficient than many of its European luxury competitors.
INTERIOR
The Volvo XC70 cabin is understated, but elegant and nicely polished. Materials and overall finish are high grade. The XC70 interior uses design themes and components from the S80 luxury sedan.
The leather upholstery is smooth and stretched tautly over the front seats, and the seats themselves are excellent. Its hard to find a better mix of comfort and support for typical driving. Visibility outward is good, forward and aft. The rear-most side windows are imbedded with their own electrical grid for defrosting.
The XC70 driver sits before a fat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, looking at big, crisp gauges with bright-white backlighting and number gradients that are easy for the brain to absorb.
The standard trim is called dark fineline. Order the Premium Package and this is replaced with what Volvo calls modern wood, while the T6 is trimmed in classic wood.
The center stack is a thin panel, no more than two inches thick, with open space behind it. Most controls are placed here, with audio above climate and a display at the top, arranged in a neat, symmetrical pattern. The primary knobs are big and raised substantially from the surface, and the airflow controls are fashioned in an icon shaped like a seated person, so theres absolutely no confusion about directing air toward the face, feet or windshield. Its all clean and pleasing. Most significantly, measured by function and simplicity of operation, the XC70s various controls are better than most other luxury brands, particularly German brands.
The navigation system is well worth the price of the Multimedia Package. The screen pops up vertically from the center of the dash, though its canted forward at a strange angle. The driver surfs through menus and makes choices with buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes, almost where youd expect paddle shifters for an automatic transmission. We think its better than many other systems. The menus are no more difficult to learn, and theyre managed without taking hands from the steering wheel and fishing for the controls. Passengers can control the system with a remote. The system was improved for 2010 with more user-friendly icons and more distinctive menus. For 2011, a rearview camera was added to this package.
Cubby storage is decent, better than other Volvo models. The center console and glovebox hold quite a bit of stuff. The pockets behind the front seatbacks are handy and the cupholders work well.
The rear seat is not the roomiest, given the apparent size of the vehicle its in. We wouldnt recommend it to six-footers for a cross-country trip. Theres enough room that someone 5-feet, 9 inches wont get claustrophobic or cramped riding in the back of the XC70 across town, however. And we think it would be fine for families until the kids are well into their teens. With the stereo upgrade, there are redundant audio controls and headphone jacks for rear passengers.
The cargo area is one of the XC70s strengths. The back seat folds easily, 40/20/40, so the center section can work like a pass-through for skis or hockey sticks. With a maximum cargo capacity of 72.1 cubic feet, the XC70 compares favorably with the larger, heavier Mercedes M-Class (72.4 cubic feet) and BMW X5 (75.2).
The cargo floor is perfectly flat with all the seats folded down, providing a smooth, friendly area for cargo as well as dogs or even people: One or two people could sleep comfortably back there. We tested this. Its a useful feature for camping or for stopping for a nap on long road trips, a potentially important feature not found on many vehicles. A perfectly flat cargo floor can be critically important for some owners so be sure to check this on any wagon or SUV on your shopping list.
A fold-flat front-passenger seat is a valuable feature that should not be underestimated. The XC70 has such a seat and the fold-flat design does not seem to diminish seating comfort. The seatback can be folded forward to the same level as the folded rear seat and cargo floor. This allows the XC70 to carry long narrow items such as ladders, fly rods, two-by-fours securely inside, or maybe a kayak. Under the load floor is a lockable, shallow storage area, no more than six inches deep.
The cargo floor itself features aluminum rails with movable anchorage points for securing loads. The anchors can be tucked down into the rails when not used, to keep the floor perfectly smooth, and there are more anchorage points in the side panels. Accessories are available to secure your cargo: hooks, nets, space dividers, and a cargo cover. A steel cargo barrier is available that flips down from the ceiling behind the back seats and a safety net that pulls from behind the back seats; marketed as protection from flying cargo, they could also help corral pets, though a harness is still recommended. Or favorite is a drawer, a sliding floor that locks into the rails and pulls out beyond the bumper for easier loading. It will easily support 50 pounds. One disadvantage of the XC70 compared to the typical SUV is a lower ceiling; an SUV will accommodate taller items, or items in an upright position. In practice, weve seldom found this an issue but it does occur. The XC70 has a lower liftover height than most SUVs do, which makes it easier to load cargo, lower height for dogs jumping in and especially out.
The seats are designed to help reduce whiplash injuries. During a rear-end impact, the WHIPS seatbacks move rearward to reduce acceleration forces on the occupants back and neck, while the headrest pushes forward and upward slightly to meet the neck and head as they are thrust backward. Power rear headrests are available.
EXTERIOR

• Available 16-, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels


• Standard aluminum roof rails


• Standard power-operated and heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals


• Optional power liftgate


• Optional rain-sensing windshield wipers


• Optional bi-xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights with swiveling lenses