Volvo V70 T4 SE Start/Stop Powershift 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The Volvo V70 T4 SE has a relatively inefficient fuel economy compared to other estate cars on the market. The 1.6litre engine is only capable of 37.7mpg. The Ford Mondeo Estate produces 41.5mpg, and the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer SRi VX-Line is one the leaders in its field with an impressive 62.8mpg, almost double the fuel economy of the Volvo.
Although the Vauxhall does have a diesel engine it actually manages to achieve the same top speed as Volvo and its petrol engine. Both cars are able to reach a speed of 134mph. The petrol engine, however, is a lot more stable at high speeds compared to the Insignia. The Volvo is also a lot quieter at high speeds as opposed to the diesel which has a tendency to be more jittery and noisy during motorway driving.
Volvo has improved upon previous estates by making the V70 nimble and balanced, it is still below the standard set by the 1.6 litre Ford Mondeo Estate but that gap between the two has been shortened by Volvo’s latest offering. The new Volvo estate has been fitted with active chassis control to give the driver choice between three suspension settings.

Volvo has improved on previous estates by making the new V70 T4 SE a lot sleeker than previous models. The exterior lines have been smoothened to give it a more aerodynamic appearance. On the inside the front seats have been specifically designed to give passenger and driver comfort, support and security. And driver’s seat and steering wheel are fully adjustable adding to the sense of comfort.
The T4 SE version of the Volvo V70 comes with a range of equipment as standard. Amongst the features are alloy wheels, CD player, climate control, leather upholstery and Bluetooth connectivity. Satellite navigation is also available for a little extra.

The Volvo V70 T4 SE scored the maximum available five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests, which is to be expected from a car of this quality, price and size. There are a number of safety features as standard; including anti whiplash control, side impact protection, and traction control. Volvo also offers a Blind Spot Information System that alerts the driver to nearby cars.

As you would expect from an estate car the V70 has plenty of space for passenger and storage. The Cabin provides enough space to seat five passengers in complete comfort. The boot is amongst the biggest in its class with a storage capacity of 575 litres, the popular Ford Mondeo Estate 1.6 TDCi is slightly smaller having a storage capacity of 537 litres. The rear seats of the V70 also fold forward so that the boot capacity can be expanded to an impressive 1600 litres.

The warranty offered by Volvo is good but not the most generous on offer. The three year 60,000 miles coverage is not as extensive as those offered by companies such as Toyota who have a 100,000 miles five year warranty. Although Volvo has a reputation for reliability this short coming puts it a little behind some of the competition.

Priced at £31,940 the Volvo V70 T4 SE is a little more expensive than its rivals. Although it is cheaper than estates from BMW and Mercedes, its overall quality puts it at the standard of cheaper models such as the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer SRi VX-Line 2.0 CDTi.
The Vauxhall is priced at £28,005 which makes it a more attractive financial option.
The Vauxhall is also cheaper to run having a better fuel economy and better emissions which put it in a cheaper road tax bracket C, whereas the Volvo is in tax bracket H.