Wilvo XC70 test drive since 2007

Alter ego

Today is a special day. I will name his day of great disobedience. And all because, in addition to the brick-correct forms of the test Volvoxc70, we are supposed to be a diesel engine and a full-wheel drive system.
And also a universal body, a plastic body kit and a truly Swedish approach to the design and organization of internal space.
XC70 intellectual hooligan. He puts on an expensive suit, ties a tie and tucked trousers into rubber boots. Be sure, he will go to the office. And then, without changing clothes, he will go fishing, after which he will finish the day, for example, in a fashionable club. Because Volvo XC70 can be reproached for anything, but not in the absence of a style.
The car is a fairly fresh new generation built on the basis of the S80, in Russia was represented on September 1. Beautiful? Perhaps yes. A stylish body kit and optics XC70 clearly gravitates to a more solid XC90.
Moreover, several smooth strokes in appearance add swiftness to the machine, reducing the notorious brick of the shapes to a completely acceptable level.
The internal space of the Volvo XC70 was resolved in the style of a solid office. Gorgeous, moderately hard chairs will make a person almost any complexion, and their settings, it seems, is not the end. But comfortable, solid, and in the top versions, a chic interior decoration suggests: machines designed to accept mud baths look, as a rule, differently. But what will the Swede to others? ..
Volvo safety is not just a set of sensors, microcircuits and deformable areas. This is a cult, religion, if you want, which has been confessed for decades. Sitting in the XC70 salon, you become a hostage to the fanatical desire of Swedish engineers to protect everything and everything.
And this, admitted, is not so bad. I have nothing against the soft, traumatic plastic in the cabin and numerous pillows and curtains sewn in panels. But some decisions are surprising: is it not too much?
For example, access to security systems only through an on -board computer. Want to turn off the stabilization system? Excellent! Stop, go to the menu and remove the desired flag.
On the other hand, do you often have to turn off such systems? Volvo after all, after all, translates how I swing, and should be rolling smoothly and thoughtfully.
But this car has another side, and we admit it, I liked it no less than the first. At some V70, we would not dare to stick to a broken asphalt platform, and even sprinkled with a snowball recently, and if we decided, we would not go, but would have sneaked at the speed of a pedestrian.
Today everything is different. Full-wheel drive is the argument, before which the restriction signs graze, acquiring a slightly different meaning: they say, keep the speed of such and such, although it is possible, in principle, more. Moreover, a turbodiesel 2.4 with a capacity of 185 liters. With. He echoes the general mood: less than 10 s to hundreds with an automatic machine!
But the speed here, believe me, is not the main thing
The Volvo all -wheel drive is like a well -tied servant: reminds of itself only if necessary. It is not surprising: the Haldex coupling, which forms the basis of the ALL Wheels Drive model XC70 (and the older brother of XC90, by the way, also works only when slipping, progressively throwing back up to 65% of the moment.
During our test, AWD showed itself effective precisely when moving on the verge of the stabilization system turned off. At each turn on a slippery coating, the car broke into a drift of several degrees, but immediately returned smoothly and correctly to the place: the rear wheels were not processed, allowing Volvo easily held a given trajectory.
True, after our test, the computer flatly refused to turn on the stabilization system, the electronic brain was confused and subsided, without responding to commands. But, we hope this is a problem of a particular car.
What is it there, the foot of the hill has another spectacular place to shoot? Go! But the first turn on the path of the path traveled by the path cooled our ardor.
Nevertheless, do not forget: XC70 is by no means a rogue, but rather a station wagon with increased possibilities. Neither in a deep rut nor for serious bumps is better not to direct the car.
The fault of this is a cross -over clearance (210 mm) and rather long overhangs. In addition, the electronics itself will choose the mode of power circulation between the axes: it is impossible to block the Intersose differential yourself.
But what I liked without reservation is the steering. Light in the parking lot, it was more confident in weight and informativeness, the stronger I feel sorry for the accelerator. The adaptive hydraulic wrap can even allow the system to intervene in our work has three pre -installed regimes, but we decided not to experiment, but immediately rush into battle.
On slippery coating, catching a car in each turn was not difficult to transfer the steering mechanism, allowing him to not intercept the steering wheel endlessly. The performance of the mechanism deserves stormy applause: Swedes, you are well done!
So how did we say there: Volvo am I swinging? But not! For Volvo XC70, it sounds more like I conquer, and I wanted to sneeze for the image. To make sure of this, it is worth turning the steering wheel towards the next unknown road and press on the gas harder. This car will make the rest itself.
Only make sure that the road does not turn into the direction of the hooligan xc70 can do a lot, but it is still not worth it to confuse it with an all -hearted tractor
The car is provided for the SWED-MOBIL test by the official Volvo brand dealer.

Text: Alexander Mikhailov
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [March 2008]