Volvo XC70 D5 AWD Momentum
Content
There are quite a few rules in the automotive world. Let's just say that buyers these days are very fond of cars that are (or should be) SUVs, but only if they have good (read: comfortable) characteristics. Or, say, the auto industry is offering this by softening these true SUVs more and more so that they can satisfy the wishes of the customers.
Volvo is a little different. Real off-road vehicles "not at home"; In other words: in their history, they have never noted a single plump SUV. But they have good marketers and engineers; The former understand what customers are looking for, and the latter understand what the former understands. The result of this understanding was the XC70.
Let's take a moment to look at the whole picture - Volvo has managed two things in recent years: to find its own compelling image and to find a wise path to good technology, albeit with a little "foreign" help. In general, he acts confidently; Perhaps the only brand that can compete to a greater extent in the European (and North American) markets with three German ones in the prestige car class. Whichever model you look at, it clearly belongs to them, which is hard to tell from most of its competitors. The easiest way to check this in your head is to remove all the inscriptions of this brand from the car and try to replace them with any others. Does not work.
That's why this XC70 is no different. You could say, okay, take the V70, raise its body by 60 millimeters, give it all-wheel drive exclusively, and tweak the bodywork a bit to make it look more stable, more off-road, or just more beautiful. This is very close to the truth, if you look strictly technically. But the brutal truth of the present is that rarely does anyone buy a technique because they understand it. And the XC70 is a car that even the exact Swiss have for their own model, not just the V70 version.
This is why the XC70 deserves special attention. First of all, because this is Volvo. Because of superficial knowledge, it can be “smuggled” to many places like a company car, where Audi, Beemvee and Mercedes are “banned”. On the other hand, it is completely equivalent to the above: in comfort, technology and, among experts, also in reputation. And, of course, also because it's XC. It looks more durable than the V70 and is less responsive, which brings new benefits. Given that this is a kind of (soft) SUV, you can get it for a safer vehicle (thanks to all-wheel drive) and / or for a vehicle that takes you further than the V70 through snow, sand or mud.
While it's hard to dispute its off-road performance, from looks to technology, it should be emphasized again: (also) the XC70 is not an SUV. No matter how you turn it (except, of course, on the side or on the roof), its lower part is only 190 millimeters from the ground, the body is self-supporting, and the wheel suspensions are individual. There is no gearbox. The tires can withstand speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour. But I think it's obvious that they can't show what real off-road tires are capable of.
As with any SUV, whether plump or padded like a sailboat, it's always important to check which is lower. Off-road capabilities surprise you at this point, but the XC70 has something else in mind. If expressed by heart as a percentage: asphalt - 95 percent, crushed stone - four percent, "miscellaneous" - one percent. So to speak: the already mentioned snow, sand and mud. But even if you flip the percentage, the XC70 is extremely convincing in these conditions.
The moment you close the door behind you (from the inside), all off-road elements disappear. Inside the XC70 is a comfortable and prestigious car. It all starts with the look: it's typical Volvo, with a new look for the center of the dashboard that, with its smaller dimensions, creates a more obvious and real "airiness" for the driver and front passenger, as well as for their legs.
This continues with the materials: in the test car, the interior is mostly leather when it comes to the seats, while the rest of the parts are made of soft-touch plastic with an addition of aluminum, which attracts attention with an interesting processing technique; Nothing special, but something different - a smoothly sanded surface is then “cut through” with straight, but irregularly located lines. The prestige and comfort, as always, ends with the equipment: it has no navigation, no rearview camera, no graphic proximity display, but it certainly has everything you need in such a machine.
An interesting design element is the sensors. Color-discrete (maybe even a bit too much) do not hurt the eyes, the information is perfectly readable, but they are just different. Anyone transitioning from one of the three similar German products may miss out on coolant temperature data and additional information on the trip computer, but will eventually find that life in a car can be just as good as it was with a Volvo.
Dark brown leather on the seats and door trim has its benefits; before black it is less “dead”, and before beige it is less sensitive to dirt. In general, the interior looks elegant (not only because of the appearance, but also because of the choice of materials and colors), technically and ergonomically correct, generally neat, but in some places (for example, on the door) it is decorated a little without imagination. .
The seats are something special too: their seats are slightly bulging and there is almost no lateral grip, but the shape of the backs is excellent and the cushion is excellent, one of the few designed to be supported while maintaining the correct curvature of the spine. Prolonged sitting on the seats does not tire, and in connection with them it is worth mentioning the seat belts with very soft springs, probably the softest of all.
There are not many internal drawers, the ones in the door are small, and most of them are compensated by a center section between the seats with two drinking compartments and a large closed drawer where you can put most of your belongings by hand. A little misleading is the box for the center console, which is difficult to access, small, does not hold objects well (they quickly slip out of it in a turn), and the contents in it are easily forgotten by the driver or navigator. Back pockets, which are narrow and tight so that they can only be used conditionally, are also useless.
The XC can only be a van, which means that potential buyers are likely to be of two types: those with a demand for a larger, more flexible trunk, or simply followers of this (already slightly declining) trend. In any case, the trunk itself is nothing special, but it does have a matching lift wall with a fixture for smaller items, a lift bottom (with a shock absorber!) Opening a row of drawers, and aluminum rails for the mounting posts. In addition to these small useful elements, it also impresses with its size and shape, and electric opening and closing can be added to its pleasant properties.
If we are very precise, we can still "suspect" from the driver's seat that this is a non-off-road vehicle. If not because of the large exterior mirrors and the (digital) compass in the rearview mirror, it certainly is because of the automatic speed control button when driving on slippery surfaces. But even the XC70 is, above all, a comfortable passenger car: thanks to its spaciousness, equipment, materials and, of course, technology.
If you opt for the modern D5 (five-cylinder turbodiesel), you can also choose between a manual or automatic transmission. The latter has six gears and excellent (quick and smooth) shifting, but it greatly increases engine power, making it difficult for the engine to show its true character in this combination. Least impressive is the clutch, or its sluggishness: it's slow when pulling away (be careful when turning left!) and it's slow the moment the driver presses the gas pedal again a few seconds later. The responsiveness of the entire transmission is not its best feature.
Possibly also due to the gearbox, the engine is a few decibels louder than you might expect, and it's also noticeably diesel under acceleration, but both are just to the attentive ear. However, despite the automatic transmission and permanent four-wheel drive, the engine turns out to be expendable; If we can trust the on-board computer, it will need nine liters of fuel for a constant 120 kilometers per hour, 160 for 11, 200 for 16, and at full throttle (and top speed) 19 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. Our average intake was acceptably low despite the pressure.
In the field of technology, one cannot ignore the three-stage adjustable stiffness of the chassis. The comfort program is one of the best on the market, if you evaluate it from the spot, the sports program is also very good. Its compromise is still more comfortable and sportier, which in practice means it only gets uncomfortable on big bumps or pits, but the body leans too far in a corner for a good feel. The (third) “advanced” program looks completely unconvincing, which is difficult to evaluate in a relatively short test, since it is not pronounced enough for the driver to feel its good (and bad) sides.
The XC70 created in this way is primarily intended for paved roads. It is always easy to ride, in the city it is a little large (despite the aids), sovereign on the track, and its long wheelbase and heavy weight are felt when driving on sharp turns. On less groomed roads and tracks, it is much more comfortable and lighter than classic cars, and with 19 centimeters of ground clearance, it is also surprisingly good in the field. But who would send it among rough branches or on sharp stones with the thought of a good 58 thousand euros, as much as it costs, as you can see in the photos.
Nonetheless: The XC70 still seems to be one of the best compromises between the two extremes, road and off-road. Especially those who do not want to stop at the end of the tarmac and are looking for new routes will almost certainly be delighted. With him, you can cross our Motherland for a long time and stubbornly, without hesitation.
Vinko Kernc, photo: Aleš Pavletič
Volvo XC70 D5 AWD Momentum
Basic data
| Sales: | Volvo Car Austria |
|---|---|
| Base model price: | 49.722 € |
| Test model cost: | 58.477 € |
| Power: | 136kW (185 KM) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km / h): | 9,9 with |
| Maximum speed: | 205 km / h |
| Mixed flow ECE: | 8,3l / 100km |
| Guarantee: | 2-year general warranty, 3-year mobile warranty, 12-year rust warranty |
| Oil change every | 30.000 km |
| Systematic review | 30.000 km. |
Cost (up to 100.000 km or five years)
| Regular services, works, materials: | 929 € |
|---|---|
| Fuel: | 12.962 € |
| Tires (1) | 800 € |
| Compulsory insurance: | 5.055 € |
| CASCO INSURANCE (+ B, K), AO, AO + | 5.515 ( |
| Calculate the cost of auto insurance | |
| Buy up | € 55.476 0,56 (km cost: XNUMX) €) |
Technical information
| engine: | 5-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - turbodiesel - longitudinally mounted at the front - bore and stroke 81 × 93,2 mm - displacement 2.400 cm3 - compression 17,3:1 - maximum power 136 kW (185 hp) at 4.000 rpm – average piston speed at maximum power 12,4 m/s – power density 56,7 kW/l (77 hp/l) – maximum torque 400 Nm at 2.000-2.750 rpm – 2 camshafts in the head (chain) - after 4 valves per cylinder - exhaust gas turbocharger - charge air cooler. ¸ |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | the engine drives all four wheels - automatic transmission 6-speed - gear ratio I. 4,15; II. 2,37; III. 1,56; IV. 1,16; V. 0,86; VI. 0,69 - differential 3,604 - rims 7J × 17 - tires 235/55 R 17, rolling circumference 2,08 m. |
| Capacity: | top speed 205 km/h - 0-100 km/h acceleration in 9,9 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 8,3 l/100 km. |
| Transportation and suspension: | van - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front spring struts, triangular wishbones, stabilizer - rear multi-link, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear disc brakes (forced cooling), ABS, mechanical handbrake on the rear wheels (lever between the seats) - steering wheel with rack and pinion, power steering, 2,8 turns between extreme points. |
| Mass: | empty vehicle 1.821 kg - permissible total weight 2.390 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake: 2.100 kg, without brake: 750 kg - permissible roof load: 100 kg. |
| External dimensions: | vehicle width 1.861 mm, front track 1.604 mm, rear track 1.570 mm, ground clearance 11,5 m. |
| Inner dimensions: | front width 1.530 mm - front seat length 510 mm, rear seat 490 mm - steering wheel diameter 380 mm - fuel tank 70 l. |
| Box: | Trunk volume measured with AM standard set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (278,5 L total): 1 backpack (20 L); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 1 suitcase (85,5 l), 2 suitcase (68,5 l) |
Our measurements
| T = 15 ° C / p = 1.000 mbar / rel. Owner: 65% / Tires: Pirelli Scorpion Zero 235/55 / R17 V / Meter reading: 1.573 km | |
| Acceleration 0-100km: | 9,8s |
|---|---|
| 402m from the city: | 17,0 years ( 134 km / h) |
| 1000m from the city: | 31,0 years ( 172 km / h) |
| Flexibility 50-90km / h: | 6,6 / 11,7s |
| Flexibility 80-120km / h: | 9,4 / 14,2s |
| Maximum speed: | 205km / h (WE.) |
| Minimum consumption: | 11,1l / 100km |
| Maximum consumption: | 14,6l / 100km |
| test consumption: | 13,2 l / 100km |
| Braking distance at 130 km / h: | 66,3m |
| Braking distance at 100 km / h: | 40,2m |
| AM table: | 40m |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear | 56dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear | 56dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear | 54dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear | 60dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear | 58dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear | 58dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear | 65dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear | 63dB |
| Idling noise: | 38dB |
| Test errors: | unmistakable |
Overall rating (368/420)
Avant-garde manufacturers surprise every time. This time, they were amazed at the perfection of a car and an SUV in one image. Thus, Volvo is a great alternative to the dominant German products. Our latest assessment speaks for itself.
Exterior (13/15)
At least the front end seems to be at least a little crowded with off-road elements.
Interior (125/140)
Excellent ergonomics and materials. Thanks to the slender center console, it grew a few inches and felt better.
Engine, transmission (36
/ 40)The drive mechanics are excellent at the beginning and at the end, and between the two (gearbox) only average due to poor responsiveness.
Driving performance (82
/ 95)Despite the kilograms and centimeters, it rides beautifully and easily. Too much tilt of the body when cornering.
Performance (30/35)
Poor transmission (clutch) response "suffers" performance. Even the maximum speed is very low.
Security (43/45)
Typically Volvo: seats, safety equipment, visibility (including mirrors) and brakes provide a high level of safety.
Economy
Trend class + turbodiesel + prestigious brand = small loss of value. The consumption is surprisingly low.
We praise and reproach
feeling inside
engine, drive
open space
equipment, materials, comfort
meters
field capacity
backrests
conductivity, transparency
slow clutch
unreliable BLIS system in the rain
several boxes inside
body tilt in corners
