With its V70 estate, updated versions of the S40 and V50, Volvo hopes to stem the SUV tide, reports Donal Byrne
The Volvo estate maintains a special place in the affections of its owners. Ever since the original Volvo 245 was launched in the early 1970s, the Swedish manufacturer has managed to roll out huge numbers of estate cars that may have resembled breeze blocks on wheels, but have attracted a loyal following, many of whom see these cars as lifestyle statements.
Green wellingtons do not come as standard with the Volvo estate, but it would be unusual enough not to spot a pair in the cavernous interior, along with a set of much-loved dining chairs on their way to be re-upholstered. Add qualities of longevity, safety and sturdiness and the Volvo estate owner will swear by their car, no matter what the costs of running and repairs might be.
Not even Volvo has been able to withstand the popularity of the ubiquitous SUV, however. In the past few years the large estate market has effectively been killed off by the demand for four-wheel-drives - sales of a few hundred per year are the norm for big estates. But with the launch of the new V70, Volvo is hoping to capitalise on the turning of the tide against big SUVs.
Volvo executives point out that many of these four-wheel-drives end up on the school run and that proposed taxation changes, based on CO2 emissions, will nudge owners into asking whether they really need one. The new estate offers the same space, safety and practicality as an SUV (including Volvo's own XC90) but also offers a much better driving experience, the argument goes.
The new V70 is not exactly going to steal up on you and have you craning your neck to try to discover what it is. It is every inch the classic Volvo estate and therefore unmistakable, but it does have a few very neat styling touches to give it a modern look.
The front area and the rear tailgate and raised light clusters are particularly strong features. The entry-level model will be a 2-litre petrol version priced €40,000s, but it will not be available until later in the lifecycle. for now the starting engine will be the 2.5-litre turbo petrol. With this you will get a fairly impressive list of standard equipment, including alloy wheels, climate control, ABS, cruise control, leather steering wheel and gear knob.
An extra €4,400 will get you a powered tailgate (which can be very useful), 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, leather upholstery, "cross brushed" aluminium inlay on the dashboard and doors (this looks as if a child with a pen knife got at a piece of brushed aluminium and is a feature I could certainly do without) and extra bag space under the boot floor.
The 2.5-litre light turbo petrol engine will be joined by a 3-litre T6 engine, with an output of 285bhp and four-wheel-drive, compared with the 2-litre's 145bhp. There is one diesel option and a good one it is too. It is the D5 five-cylinder diesel, with an output of 185bhp, manual or automatic gearbox and a price of €53,700 for the front-wheel-drive version and €55,200 for the all-wheel-drive version.
I found the diesel noisy when compared to competitors but with very good torque, or pulling power.
The 2.5-litre petrol costs €52,500 and the powerful T6 costs €69,950 in luxury trim. So there is a choice for most drivers, from the moderately powerful to the powerful, from the car for everyday driving to the car for reasonably demanding country work.
There is also a new version of the XC70, the car Volvo says should knock a few SUVs off their perches - or at least the ones whose only off-roading is parking on the pavement. All-wheel-drive and hill descent control (it brakes for you as you drive down muddy hills and such) are about all the off-road capabilities a normal driver will ever need, and the XC70 proves itself well in tough enough off-road conditions - but we are not talking about Land Rover standards either.
THIS CAR IS COMING IN at €58,500, and Volvo in Ireland has kept the option simple and practical: one car with one 2.5-litre D5 diesel engine, producing 185bhp. All the optional equipment listed above for the V70 is also available on this car.
For those with more modest requirements, Volvo has also given its S40 and V50 estate models a facelift. Even the official list of changes for the car show how limited the changes really are. Think new bumpers, headlights and tail lights, roof rails, door mouldings and handles and you have an idea.
Interior changes include a new stereo system and some cosmetic modifications but the centre console will certainly jump out at you.
It is modelled on light oak and it tends to jar with the rest of the interior. One colleague commented appropriately that it was Ikea-inspired. It will not be to everyone's taste.
Factfile: V70/XC70
ENGINES:2-litre petrol and flexi-fuel, 2.5-litre petrol, 3-litre petrol and 2.5-litre diesel. XC comes with 2.5-litre diesel
PRICES:€40,000s to €69,950. XC70 €58,500
AVAILABLE:November for V70/XC70 in January
Factfile: S40 and V50
ENGINES:1.6-litre petrol, 1.8-litre petrol, 1.8-litre flexi-fuel, 2.4-litre petrol, 1.6-litre diesel, 2.0-litre diesel and 2.5-litre diesel
PRICES:From €28,050 (flexi-fuel has a 50 per cent VRT reduction and now costs €25,800) to €40,275
AVAILABLE:January 2008