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The 2001 Volvo V70 T5 was in for a rough test the moment it arrived.  Why?  Were we hard, uncaring drivers?  Did we force it to haul six hundred pounds of manure and a grand piano?  Heaven forbid–schoolchildren?

None of the above.  The V70′s test was tougher than most simply because of the 1988 Volvo 740GLE wagon it was sharing driveway space with all week–the writer’s much-loved personal car.

Like loyal Saab and Subaru owners, Volvo people tend to be proud of their cars’ merits, tolerant of their shortcomings and quirks–and very, very critical of any changes to the formula, be they for better or for worse.  Contrary to the “loyal buyer” concept, it can be hard to sway owners of five-, ten-, or twenty-year-old Volvos to part with their beloved companions in favor of a new model.

With the new V70 (as with the current model, launhed in 1996) Volvo has tried to split the difference, so to speak.  The redesigned car continues the company’s trend toward more flowing, less boxy designs, in order to capture new customers, but it also retains a strong sense of “Volvoness” in the form of styling cues and features.  This ensures that the all-new car remains familiar territory to owners of past Volvos.  The most interesting feature of the new wagon is that it’s not based on a sedan platform, as most wagons are.  The 2001 V70 has been designed as a wagon from the start.

Volvo knows its reputation for styling, or a lack of it:  the press release for the new V70 and V70 XC was entitled, “The Box Office Releases Two New Hits.”  The V70′s link to an overwhelmingly square past is immediately recognizable from the windshield back.  The edges of the box have been shaved off, but not much.  In paring down the wagon’s boxy form, Volvo also added a little “shoulder” at the beltline, where the passenger compartment clearly sits inboard of the side of the car.  This styling cue was a part of the long-lived 140/240-series Volvo’s look from its introduction in 1967.  The shoulder cue is also used on other current Volvos, most notably the S80.  It keeps the family look strong.  Where the shoulders meet the hood, they taper to the familiar, square Volvo grille.  The strong vee shape in the V70′s hood is a visual link to Volvos all the way back to the 1940s PV444 model.

Inside, the V70 is light and airy.  Light colors have been used on the dash and interior of the car to make things a little less somber inside.  In keeping with Volvo tradition, the front seats are practically lounge chairs, multi-adjustable and easily comfortable enough for a full day of driving.  The rear seats are equally accommodating.  The panel housing radio and air conditioning controls is completely flat, and angled slightly toward the driver.  It detracts from the upscale look of the interior somewhat.  And the stereo controls are extremely confusing the first time through.  Read the manual, or search for stations before leaving home.

Minor complaints aside, however, the V70 is a great place to be a driver or passenger.  It’s absolutely packed with family-oriented surprise-and-delight features.  From back to front, you’ll find an optional rear-facing child seat with seatbelts (long a Volvo wagon staple) that folds up out of the floor.  On cars not equipped with the third seat, a handy, bungee-cord-equipped grocery bag holder keeps food from tumbling about.  Back-seat passengers will appreciate the center armrest which folds out into a desk, a trash basket or large water bottle holder in the rear of the front console, and air vents on the B-pillars just behind the front seats.  No more waiting for the AC to reach the back of the car.  For drivers with toddlers, optional booster seats flip up out of the rear seats.  They raise the child to window level, keep the seatbelts snug, and shorten the front cushion for comfort.  For drivers without families, Volvo has installed a coathanger hook on the side of the front passenger seat, to keep coats and dry-cleaning within easy reach.  Sound system controls are located in the steering wheel.  And the optional GPS system’s liquid crystal display rises out of the top of the dash with the touch of a button.

Volvo would like for its V-series cars to steal family buyers away from minivans.  The long list of surprise and delight features is just one of its means to that end.  Another is the driving experience.  Where most minivans feel ponderous and slow, the 247 horsepower turning the wheels ensures that the the V70 retains that family-friendly substantial, bulky feeling, it certainly isn’t sluggish.  The turbocharged five-cylinder lets out a contralto growl under hard acceleration, then falls nearly silent on the freeway.  There is some noticeable turbo lag when accelerating from a standstill.  Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional Geartronic selectable automatic transmission.  As with Porsche’s Tiptronic, Chrysler’s AutoStick and others, the gearshift lever can be used as a paddle to manually shift up or down.  Volvo’s system is about average–shifts are performed somewhat more slowly than they would be in a fully manual transmission, but they’re also smoother.

Station wagons are inherently more stable than minivans, but the V70 also has the feeling of solid safety that many minivans give through means of sheer mass. The V70 feels as if it were carved out of a single block of metal.  With decent feedback from the optional 17″ wheels and typically tight, fast Volvo steering, it’s a good handler on curvy roads.  Its mass does get the better of it on the tighter bends however, and it gets nervous as all that weight starts to shift.  Not to worry.  Volvo concentrated on a suspension that would remain responsive whether the car was empty or fully laden, and Volvo’s Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC) anti-skid system helps to keep the car in line.  A sensor allows DSTC to register that the turns of the steering wheel aren’t agreeing with the car’s course (as in a skid on slick pavement or ice), and then uses the brakes to correct.  It’s also a big help in improving vehicle stability in sudden brake-and-swerve situations.  DSTC was triggered twice during the V70′s stay with us, and we found it to be a very unobtrusive system; the light came on, but we felt no disconcerting interference from the car.  And of course, if you must stop after all of that swerving, big four-wheel discs bring the V70 to a halt confidently and safely.  ABS is standard.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Volvo without a host of safety features.  In addition to the standard dual-powered airbags up front, side airbags, and an extensive safety cage built into the structure of the car, the new V70 also pioneers Volvo’s Inflatable Side Curtain (IC).  This long airbag drops out of the B-pillar to cover front and rear side windows in the event of a side impact, protecting passengers’ heads from striking the side windows.  Additinally, the front seats feature Volvo’s Whiplash Protecting Seating System (WHIPS) system of active head restraints, designed to reduce the danger of whiplash in a rear-end collision.

All of these features and safety come at a price, however.  And that price is $32,400, for a base V70.  The higher-performance T5 includes the more powerful turbocharged engine, traction control, cassette/CD player, and a trip computer, and starts at $33,400.  Our test car was equipped with the more sophisticated DSTC, a sunroof, and a full leather interior, and it stickered for close to $40,000.  And, if you’re not impressed by that, the all-wheel drive, pseudo sport-ute V70 XC coming along shortly will be even pricier than that.  In its favor, though, the well-equipped V70 is a true luxury car, and to get similar opulence in a minivan or sport-ute commands a similar price tag.

Oh, sure, you’ll hear the Volvo old-timers moaning about how the company has forgotten its roots, and how the last true Volvo was the 850, or the S90, or the 240, or the 1800 and so on back through the ages.  They always do that when a new Volvo is introduced.  In the end, though, the all-new V70 should please both new and veteran Volvo owners.  It’s too good a car not to.  And coming from a loyal 740 owner, that’s high praise indeed.

The Fact Box:
All specs are for the 2001 Volvo V70 T5, which we tested.

Length:     185.4 in.
Width:        71 in.
Height:        58.6 in.
Wheelbase:    108.5 in.
Curb weight:    3366 lb
Cargo space:    35.9 cu.ft. (seat up)
71.4 cu.ft. (seat folded)
Base price:    $33,400
Price as tested: $38,500 (est.)
Engine:     2.3 liter turbocharged five cylinder
Drivetrain:     five-speed selectable automatic, front wheel drive
Horsepower:     197 @ 6000 rpm
Torque:     210 @ 1800-5200 rpm
Fuel capacity:    21.1 gal.
Est. mileage:    21/27 mpg

6/2009 update:  The V70 has matured into a decent car.  Modern electronics make it a bit more complex than my old 740 was, but I’d still consider one if I was in the market for another Swedish wagon.