2008 Volvo XC70 Review

Volvo has added hill-descent control and integrated child booster seats to the standard features of the XC70. Add to those items a variety of standard and optional safety equipment, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) and stability and traction control, and it's clear that Volvo's reputation for safety is, uh, safe.

Crossovers are the 21st century station wagon room for the family and all its stuff, but more frugal than a big SUV and certainly more hip than a minivan. Volvos are known for being safe and solidly built, low on flash and high on substance. The XC70 fits that definition well, although from a mid-$30,000 starting price it gets to the mid-$40,000 level pretty fast.

The cool, pre-dawn air and the lightening sky have a unique power to beckon us to the open road with the promise of a reward at the other end of the day. Getting up early, packing the car and feeling that low, simmering urgency to go somewhere morphs the family car into a chariot that carries us to places we’ve never been. Children feel this in a way that wells up from deep in their young souls. It’s almost too vague to put into words. It’s freedom. This year’s adventure is about to begin.

For parents, that feeling is tempered with some unexciting realities: long, straight slabs of interstate highway, ever-rising gasoline prices and the pressure of making sure nothing’s forgotten and that everyone is safe from departure to arrival. To ensure that happens, Americans have flocked to vehicles for safety reasons real or perceived. Volvo has never relied on perception, having long engineered safety into its vehicles, and the 2008 Volvo XC70 is no different. It builds on their history and adds to their emerging reputation of convenience and driving enjoyment.  

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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.

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Unlike other Volvos, the 2008 XC70 comes in one trim level with lots of standard features to which the buyer can add stand-alone options or packages. Our test vehicle came with three packages, including a high-end audio system, a moonroof, leather seats, wood trim, heated front seats, the integrated child booster seats, headlight washers and heated washer nozzles. It also included a dealer-installed navigation system. All that took the XC70 from a base price of $37,520, including a $745 destination charge, to $44,065.

You can add what constitutes bling for Volvo – metallic paint and 17-inch wheels – or you can focus on safety features, like the BLIS blind-spot warning system which is sold on its own. A larger package of safety options rolls together Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning with Auto Brake, Distance Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Driver Alert Control. That’s a bargain at $1,695 considering that Adaptive Cruise Control alone runs $1,495. Bi-Xenon headlights are an $800 option, a pricey but worthwhile option for those who often travel on dark country roads.

A factory-installed navigation is separate, with the pop-up system running $2,120, while the Dynaudio premium sound system, which includes Dolby Pro Logic II, goes for $1,650. That’s worthwhile if you spend a lot of time listening to music in your car or always want it well reproduced. There are audio controls and headphone jacks for rear-seat passengers. Adding a separate two-screen rear DVD entertainment system will set you back $1,800.

If you want leather seats, get ready to pay because they only come in the $2,995 Premium Package. Premium indeed. The power moonroof, power passenger seat, Homelink garage door opener and auto-dimming rearview mirror are all package features we’d gladly skip to get leather upholstery for a lower price. One item that’s part convenience and part safety is Volvo’s Smart Key system, which unlocks the doors when you get close to the car, let’s you lock them with the touch of an exterior button, tells you if the alarm went off, and can even detect a heart beat if someone’s inside. Our test vehicle didn’t have this, though we’ve used similar devices on other vehicles and liked them. Volvo’s will set you back $495.