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Notable Features

We start with a feature that was puzzling. Volvo offers an in-dash navigation system with a 6.5-inch screen that rises out of the top of the dashboard. But that’s not the system that was on our test vehicle. Instead it had a dealer-installed, portable Garmin Nuvi mounted on top of the dash, out of the driver’s reach and where it’s prone to washing out in direct sunlight. After some head scratching, we wondered if the premium Dynaudio system’s speakers in the top of the dashboard precluded having the pop-up nav system. Granted, the pop-up system runs $2,100 vs. the Garmin’s price tag of $895, yet we think this relatively inexpensive alternative to the pop-up screen falls short of expectations for a vehicle in this price range.

Fortunately, that dealer-installed nav system is the only feature we’d consider sub-par. When it comes to climate controls, clever can often mean confusing, but Volvo has managed to be clever without losing ease of operation. The airflow is controlled by a large silhouette of a seated person – same as the logo carmakers have used for years – that’s divided into three pushbuttons. The buttons – head, torso and legs – are toggles and you can have any combination of airflow. Recirculate, front defroster, rear defroster and air conditioning switches are standard pushbuttons.

Next up is the XC70’s Dynaudio system, capable of reproducing musical nuances in a way that made us take notice. The Dolby Pro Logic II enhanced setup uses 12 speakers in five channels and is driven by 650 watts of amplification. Along with 10 presets and the usual volume and tuning knobs, there’s a multi-function set of buttons for accessing menus dealing with audio and vehicle settings. The menus are shown in the monochrome display that usually displays audio information, time, outside temperature and climate settings. Our test vehicle also had the Climate Package that includes heated front seats, headlight washers, heated washer nozzles and rain-sensing wipers.

Volvo has been preaching safety from what was a bully pulpit decades ago. Now, nearly every vehicle on the U.S. market comes with six airbags, antilock brakes and stability control. It’s not that Volvo’s lost the faith, it’s that there’s now a flock of worshippers from Detroit to Munich to Tokyo. One feature not found on the safety list of most competitors is the built-in child booster seats. This clever pair pops up from the rear seat cushions and locks at one of two heights and uses adaptive seatbelts to keep Franny and Zoe securely situated. The set goes for $495 and includes power rear-door child locks. Volvo also uses an extended curtain airbag to provide more protection for those seated in back.