2003 Volvo V70

Aug 31, 2002

Special to The Star

If style is defined as the apparent lack of effort, this Volvo V70, despite what is probably the most tilitarian of missions, is arguably one of the most stylish cars on the road.

Style? In a vehicle whose rear cargo area is carpet over (ahem) plywood? Whose sides are bi-sected by big dark gray moldings, and whose rear lights and glass are as vertical as you can get? Somehow, it all works; what should be a pretty disjointed-looking machine, with its aerodynamic front end and boxy rear, ends up actually kind of sexy. The moldings should look cheap and tacky, but they are actually sleekly elegant. The big ol' rear lights, the practical door handles, the giant mirrors, the big alloy wheels: all look fantastic.

Though the style effort may not be apparent, it's there. Like the best designs, this Volvo's look is all in the details. Check out the jewel-like finish of the headlights. Or how the "shoulder" that arcs back from the hood to the rear ties the whole shape together in one smooth, harmonious line. Or the subtle lines of the alloy wheels, the way the nononsense unchromed exhaust pipe sits perfectly in the hole cut out for it. There are small lights embedded into the bottom of the rear-view mirrors: touch a switch on the key-fob and your way to the car is lit up at night.

But it's actually for the inside that Volvo's saved its best design elements. Of course, the seats are perfectly shaped to be comfortable on long trips. Of course, there's enough space for you, your kids, and all your stuff. It's the brilliant small touches, however, that you really notice, like a coat hook on the passenger seat rather than in the back. Or the most intuitive audio controls ever. Or door bins divided into two levels: a shallow one for pens and change, a deeper one for maps, CDs, even drink boxes.

And even with a plastic steering wheel, shifter knob and door trim (more expensive models than my base 2.4 tester have wood and aluminum), the Volvo is unmistakably luxurious. Some hard plastics on the console aside, all of the materials are of undeniable quality, the door handles are hefty metal, and the textures and finishes are all finger-friendly, with no rough or sharp edges anywhere.

Even in base 168-horsepower trim, the V70 has more than enough guts to keep up with freeway traffic, and the distinctive hum of the five-cylinder engine only gets loud when you're really gunning it.

The brakes have a light, easy touch; the steering moves liquidly from corner to corner (it can sometimes make clunky sounds when bumps are introduced mid-corner); and the ride/handling balance is a nice compromise: there's quite a bit of body roll, but it's well contained; and the 16-inch Michelins grip the ground well.

In fact, partly because there's less sound and fury, and less engine for the tires to deal with, the base V70 is a more pleasant drive than the high-output-turbo T5 version. Gone is the torque steer that tugs the wheel right to left under hard acceleration. Gone is the stifflegged ride, traded for a much smoother feel. Gone are the rude bump-and-thump noises of the suspension, with pristine silence in its place. The T5 should be the more desirable drive, but it's the base model that makes driving any road look so much easier.

Unfortunately, and partly because of Volvo's safety obsession, seeing out of this big wagon isn't easy, despite the huge glass area. The A-pillars (between the windshield and the side glass) are distractingly thick and the glass curvature distorts the view.

The side pillars, too — incorporating amazing crash protection and head airbags — are so large that you can barely see past them from the driver's seat. Even the mirrors seem to cower in their huge pods. The view out back is fine, with a window cut low into the hatch for easy reversing.

It's that big rear glass and the correspondingly massive cargo area that should make the V70 ugly but don't.

Instead, there's beauty in its logic: you can slide a big TV straight into the back without much of a lift, and it'll all fit under the long roof. For smaller packages, there are handy tiedowns on the sides, and a pop-up grocery bag holder in the floor that keeps tall packages from falling over during cornering.

Underneath another plywood false floor is a storage bin deep enough to toss dirty clothing, or perhaps some valuables you'd rather not have passersby see.

Stickering at $42,995, my tester could be considered "valuable," but it was also pretty good value, loaded up with the optional leather upholstery, 16-inch tires and other goodies.

Base price for a base V70, which still includes heated seats, a fine CD stereo and 15-inch alloy wheels, is a still-reasonable $37,995.

That's not a lot of money for something so stylish.



HIGHS

Pretty exterior

Clever interior

Easy, fuss-free driving



LOWS

Surprisingly poor visibility

Small glass mirrors

Clunky steering feel Pretty exterior



Freelance journalist Laurance Yap (yap @ mac.com) prepared this report based on driving experiences with a vehicle provided by the automaker.

Toronto Star