Just received a mailing yesterday inviting me to come in and test drive the 2008 V70. looked over the "features" and pictures and, in balance, I'm glad that my 03 2.4T has just turned only 50K

The good:

In-line 6 - my favorite engine format
More space inside - always welcome

The OK

All sorts of automated accident avoidance goodies - OK but after 55 years of driving, I prefer to rely on my judgement and experience.
Rear end styling - OK but not a real improvement over the current model

The bad

SUV-like blocky, bulky and aggresive front end
Higher belt line = less window area - shades of the 262!

To my eye, the shape of the current model is a tough act to follow and Volvo has fared no better than most when messing about with excellence (e.g. the current crop of BMWs - cats eyes and quasi-pick-up truck sterns)

Pretorien

 

My main complaint is there's no manual transmission option. That would allow full enjoyment of the extra horses from the I6 and help mitigate the effect on fuel economy. Not to mention that Volvo has a mixed record for automatic transmission longevity.

 

I got an "invitation" yesterday. I'm going to test drive Thursday while I have the 2006 in to get the rear glass replaced. (I had the rear wiper replaced during a service and the tech didn't clip the refill in properly ,it slipped out a bit and the metal tang that holds the wiper blade scratched the glass)

I'm not happy with the inline 6 being standard. I am getting 33mpg highway with the 5 cylinder, The six only gets about 25-26 mpg highway, I would rather have the new 2 liter base gasoline engine that the European V-70's will get in 2008.

 

That's interesting. I see 30-31 mpg with the turbo in a heavily loaded vehicle at highway speeds that I really don't want to publish. The additional friction of another cylinder should not translate to a 20% increase in consumption assuming that the load is the same. I wonder if the frontal area or drag coefficient of the '08 is substantially different from the current model.

Pretorien

 

You wouldn't think there would be that much difference in fuel mileage . The listed weight on the new 2008 versus my 2006 is only a difference of 150 lbs of curb weight. I have only seen the new XC70 it looks a bit more blunt in the front but that doesn't necessarily mean the drag coefficent is greater.

 

Any chance that the mileage differences relate to the new EPA method for calculating fuel economy? EPA has never been spot on, and the new numbers are definitely below the best case scenario. Even under the old method, my BMWs have consistently been able to exceed their ratings in highway travel conditions at 75+mph. So under the new system, the disparity in highway numbers has to be even greater.

 

This is true. The 2008 EPA standards are effective starting with the new MY. The new tests they've added make the fuel economy numbers more realistic for the average driver. It takes into consideration things like higher speeds on the highway, A/C use, heavier acceleration, etc. You will see all mfgpost slightly lower numbers from now on, even for cars with no changes. You will see anywhere from 5%-20% decrease in fuel economy over previous years (it's not that the cars are less efficient, just that the ratings are 'normalized').

As for the '08 V70, I like the front and I hate the back. Looks too much like a Subaru from the back.

 

Saw one "in the metal" yesterday - only rear quarter view (it was ahead of me in traffic) - supported my impression from the photos - higher belt line and a (to me) irrelevant chrome surround on the side windows - altogether a much less sophisticated design that the current version (Looks like a cross between the V70 and XC90)

 

I test drove the '08 V-70 today.

On the outside, The front has been sculpted a bit to give the illusion of a bigger car The rear reminds me of a '90's Toyota Camry wagon.

On the inside: first thing you see is this big thick black doormat glued to the top of the dash while the rest of the interior is sandstone beige, WTF? Is this the only idea 300 engineers could come up with to reduce reflection on the windshield? It is ugly! If the interior was all black it would probaly look fine. The car feels a bit bigger inside. The console is not as attractice as the previous model IMO it makes up for it by being less cluttered and more functional, The audio controls are less confusing for me than my '06. besides a 12 key pad it also has two simple *****, volume and tuning. The roof might be a bit higher I didn't have to lower the seat as much as I do in my '06 to get adequate head room.

Driving, The straight 6 is less "buzzy" than the 5 cyl and idles smoother. Good acceleration and the 6 spd automatic was smooth through all gears, while creeping in traffic It also didn't have that low speed hunting for gears that the 5 spd sometimes seems to have. The car didn't feel much different than my 2006 except I think the suspension might be a bit more compliant in the 2008 and the steering felt a bit lighter. In true Volvo first model year tradition,the check engine light did come on during the test drive.

If I were buying a new V-70 today I would be looking for a left-over 2007. The 2007 is more attractive IMO and I wouldn't want to be a first model year guinea pig for the Gotteburg gang.