2009 Volvo V70 Review
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The Volvo V70 was completely redesigned for 2008. Exterior dimensions were changed along with everything else. The current V70 (along with its off-road alter-ego, the XC70) is built on Volvo's latest large car platform, which was introduced with the 2007 S80 luxury sedan. The previous V70 shared its underpinnings with the intermediate S60 sedan. The important point is that the V70 now has more in common with the line-topping S80 than the mid-size S60. It's longer and wider than the previous V70 (by 3.6 and 0.1 inches, respectively) and rides on a two-inch-longer wheelbase. Overall, the 2009 V70 is a bit shorter but wider than a BMW 5 Series wagon. It's lighter, too: The 2009 V70 weighs 3,527 pounds, the BMW 535 Sport Wagon around 4100.The V70 body was developed with Volvo's usual attention to impact-dissipating crumple zones, and it features fully laminated glass. The styling is Volvo evolution, but this latest V70 is smoother, less gangly and visually tighter than the previous, pre-2008 V70. In profile, the character line at the bottom of the windows rises a bit more dramatically, creating a more forward leaning, dynamic stance. The rear glass now angles forward toward the front of the car, rather than dropping cliff-like from the back edge of the roof, yet there's still there's a bit more cargo volume inside. The headlights and grille are larger, a bit more angular and more prominently defined. From the rear, the V70's hexagonal shape reminds us of Volvo's new, small C30 coupe. The tail lights are very big and bright enough to startle in the dark, and the rear glass window extends down lower than the side windows to improve rearward visibility. The optional, hydraulically operated power tailgate is handy if you approach the back of this car with arms loaded, and it keeps hands cleaner if the tailgate is coated with grime.
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