Volvo V70 DRIVe ES Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - January 2012

For a large executive, the Volvo V70 DRIVe ES handles well. Smooth and even steering makes the estate feel very safe, if a little boring to drive.

Identical to the Volvo V70 DRIVe SE in terms of driving performance and quality, the manual 6-speed estate has a 1560cc, 8 valve, 5-cylinder engine, so it’s clear it’s not made for speed. With a combined mpg of 62.8, the engine produces 113 bhp at 3500 rpm, and generates just 199 lb-ft and 1750-2500.

In less fancy terms, the front-wheel drive takes a dull 11.5 seconds to get from 0-62 mph, and again, like the DRIVe SE, its top speed is just 118 mph.

The engine is quiet on motorways though, so if speed is not your cup of tea, this Volvo relays quite a pleasant journey.

The Volvo V70 DRIVe ES may not bode well when it comes to speed, but it does look good. Classic in shape and strong in build, this version of the V70 is sleek and sophisticated; with a sweeping bonnet and curved headlights, you can barely notice its 4823 mm by 1861 mm frame.

Inside, the Volvo V70 has an extremely large and airy cabin, with five roomy seats and a boot that packs 1600 litres space with the seats down, and 575 litres with them up. This makes it a great car for family holidays and trips out.

However, it is not so well equipped as the other V70 models. Many of the features which come as standard to other V70 models, actually come at an additional cost to the Volvo V70 DRIVe ES. For leather upholstery it will cost an additional £1280, for rear-parking mirrors an additional £385, blue tooth an extra £410, and sat-nav a further £575.

MP3 connectivity, a CD system, power-steering, alloy wheels and DSTC stability control, cruise control, electric front windows, electric door mirrors, central locking and climate control are all included as standard features though.

Like all V70’s, the DRIVe ES has a 5 star NCAP rating for occupants, 4 star for children and 2 star rating for pedestrians, with an overall 5 star Euro NCAP, making it ideal for a family car. It also has a 3 year warranty or 60,000 miles, so reliability, security and safety are certainly not things to worry about.

The Volvo V70 DRIVe ES is without doubt, excellent value for money. At £26,245, it is the least expensive in the V70 range while including all the practical, reliable and safety factors that benefit a family.

Because the Volvo V70 DRIVe ES has such a small diesel engine, it emits just 119g/km CO2, placing it in tax band C and classing it as a much greener car than its fellow executive estates.

Of course the downside here is the lack of features set as standard, but for a cheap, fuss free, reliable car this version of the V70 is perfect. With this car you get to the leeway to spend a little more money on those features that you actually want, rather than paying for them all when you won’t use them.

Alternately, the identical Volvo V70 DRIVe SE is only a couple of grand dearer, and includes all those features. So if you did want all the gadgets, then that version of the V70 would be a great choice.