The spacious family car – safer, more elegant and with even better driving properties
- Increased focus on elegance, comfort and driving properties
- New front with elegant appearance and re-designed head lamps
- New rear bumper and re-designed transparent tail lamps
- Faster gearchanges with automatic transmission
- Transmission from the R-models
- Active chassis with second-generation FOUR-C also on V70
- Revised interior, including a new elegant tunnel console
At its introduction in 2000, the V70 took Volvo’s tradition of spacious estate cars for families with young children one step further by combining traditional characteristics such as safety and functionality with a more elegant design, high comfort and improved driving properties. Now comes a further-refined Volvo V70 with emphasis on enhanced comfort and driving properties.
The model year 2005 Volvo V70 has been renewed in a large number of areas, which together give the car a stronger appearance and character and at the same time emphasise the ties to the rest of the Volvo range.
Bolder front with new headlamps
The front is entirely new, with a more distinct nose with rounder contours. The grille with the vertical chrome-plated ribs has a more three-dimensional and elegant appearance. The chrome-plated grille and the lower air intake differentiate the estate car from the sedan models. The light headlamp surrounds and the squarer foglamps also help create a distinct profile.
The headlamps too are new, with clear lenses and high performance reflector design (for both the halogen and Bi-Xenon lamps). At the same time, Volvo has switched from glass to plastic, which is lighter and more resistant to stone-chip damage. It is also gentler on pedestrians in the event of a collision.
The windscreen wipers are of the latest type, featuring integrated flat blades. They have a more modern appearance and produce less wind noise than traditional wiper blades do. What is more, they apply more pressure on the windscreen, which improves wiper effectiveness.
More trim and more choice
Colour-matched side trim mouldings are now standard and boost the coordinated impression of the Volvo V70. The lower body line (sills, lower door trims and lower part of the bumpers) are specified in body colour. The bumper corners feature decorative and practical protective mouldings. They are colour-matched and can easily be replaced in the event of damage.
Harmonized rear design
The design has been updated at the rear too. The tail lamps have a more technically-inspired design with transparent glass and visible bulbs. In addition, the light pattern has been altered.
The exhaust tailpipe too has been modified, with a high-gloss finish and proportions that better reflect the engine’s power. The 2.0T, 2.5T and T5 models feature chrome-plated tailpipes. In parallel, the cutout in the bumper skirt has been integrated more smoothly than before.
The emblems on the tailgate are now located in the same position as on the sedan models, with the Volvo name in the middle, the model designation on the left and the engine designation on the right.
Interior with higher quality impression
Volvo’s designers have focused hard on making the interior comfortable and inviting. The centre console – the car’s central control panel – has a slimmer design with a decorative surrounding frame in materials such as genuine walnut wood or mesh aluminium. Even the panel’s dark-grey shade has been altered to provide better contrast with the controls and make them easier to use.
The audio system, has new, separate buttons for quick selection of radio stations and functions.
Smart new tunnel console
The tunnel console is entirely new, with a more homogeneous design and far stiffer construction than before. An elegant roller shutter conceals an illuminated compartment for storage that also includes improved cupholders. The armrest between the front seats is also entirely new.
The rear armrest also has a new, more functional design with fixed cupholders and a higher-quality feel.
New generation of Volvo seats
A new generation of Volvo seats is now being introduced, offering improved seating comfort and more convenient adjustment. The seats have:
- Added vertical adjustment (+12 mm) – with a new “pump control”;
- Simpler adjustment of seat angle – with yet another “pump control”;
- Improved controls for lumbar support (require less force to turn); and
- Slimmer head restraints for better visibility from the rear seat.
Increased comfort, better driving properties
The exterior design changes made to the V70 reinforce the elegant profile, while the interior changes aim at further enhancing the aura of quality and comfort.
The Volvo V70 is now also available with the sophisticated FOUR-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) active chassis – and the T5 version of the five-cylinder turbocharged engine has been given a vitamin boost to pump out 191 kW instead of the previous 184 kW.
The new features for the Volvo S60, V70 and XC70 models are not limited to design. “Now we can offer our customers more of driving pleasure as well as ride comfort,” says Hans Folkesson, senior vice president, research and development at Volvo Cars.
“For instance, the sporty T5 models get a more efficient turbo engine. What is more, we can offer an active chassis on the standard versions of the S60, V70 and XC70. Previously, this was only available on the Volvo S80 and the advanced R-model.
More efficient T5 engine
The turbocharged engine for the sporty T5 models (Volvo S60 T5 and V70 T5) has undergone further development to meet tougher new emissions requirements (Euro4 and LEV2/EVAP2). At the same time, these improvements have made it possible to get more power out of the engine. The expertise gained from the development of the advanced R-models has played a highly significant role.
Power output has been increased from 184 kW to 191 kW, and torque has risen from 330 Nm to 350 Nm.
Rapid acceleration with 6-speed transmission
The T5 engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic.
The manual M66 gearbox comes from the Volvo S60 R, but it has been reworked for front-wheel drive in the T5 model. In automatic T5 cars, the electronic control systems have been modified to provide faster communication between engine and transmission – and a more immediate reduction in engine torque prior to gearchanges. This promotes faster gearchanges and a sportier driving experience.
Active chassis also on V70
An active chassis is now available as an option on the V70, as well as the S60 and XC70. The chassis setting adapts automatically to suit the current driving situation, which considerably improves both handling and ride comfort – in one and the same car. If the driver is more active when steering, accelerating or braking, the system responds at lightning speed to increase damping force and thus control the car body’s movements.
In more sedate progress, damping action is much less frequent in order to better isolate the car’s occupants from irregularities in the road surface. This approach combines the best of two worlds – maximum control and the best possible comfort.
Second-generation FOUR-C
The active chassis is based on Volvo’s FOUR-C technology in combination with DSTC (Dynamic Stability & Traction Control). This is an advanced self-regulating chassis system that uses a number of sensors to continuously monitor the car’s behaviour. In mere fractions of a second, the shock absorbers are reset to suit the current situation.
All models fitted with an active chassis feature two alternative chassis settings (three in the R-models). At the touch of a button, the driver can alter the car’s driving behaviour to suit personal preferences.
SPORT gives more controlled body movements, faster steering response and more road contact, while COMFORT gives a suppler, more comfortable ride with calm, harmonious body movement.
In an emergency situation, however, the setting selected makes no difference – FOUR-C is programmed to always help the driver out of the situation by automatically stabilising the car.
