Volvo

by

An SUV crossover that carries both people AND luggage? You’d be nuts not to consider a Volvo XC70

cropped-651015_47845_1_5.jpg

Other car manufacturers would tell you they make a better crossover but the XC70 is an SUV and a ‘proper’ estate rolled into one.

A proper estate? Well, SUVs are fine, except when you want to carry people and luggage at the same time.

So while the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes bling thing all boast more speed and badge cred, the XC70 is extremely practical and arguably a more luxurious car.

And yes, because you don’t see that many of them in the UK, the Volvo has a certain niche cache missing from the German marques which, let’s face it, are everywhere these days.

This is a classy estate. Volvo has beefed up the appearance with some purposeful pieces of plastic trim but on the latest models, it’s all done to good effect.

Perfect for the Boxing Day sales or the Boxing Day hunt, the XC70 is an understated winner.

by

The unbearable lightness of being understated – the Volvo XC70 estate

cropped-651038_47865_1_5.jpg

Did you ever drive a Citroen 2CV? What about an original Mini? What made both special is that each sported a classless image – you could get away with driving either car whether you were a chic interior designer, or a an everyday Joe.

Cars like that are few and far between these days. The Citroen 2CV was killed off decades ago, while the latest MINI (you have to write that in capitals or BMW get upset!) has been botoxed to imperfection and now costs quite silly money.

Volvo estates never had a cool image – they have always been regarded as country loadluggers for two Labradors and a stash of antiques. I live near Stow-on-the-Wold, so I should know.

But there’s something quite pleasurable about driving a vehicle that seems to cause no threat to anyway and doesn’t make a statement about who you are. It’s not about being bland or blending in with the crowd either.

The big Volvo came of age some time ago. It may not have the sexy badge of a German brand but it’s now quietly confident and understated. Perhaps like you?

 

by

The forgotten SUV? Why the Volvo XC70 is better than you think…

848451_Volvo XC70

The best thing about driving a different car every week is that sometimes, just sometimes, you get in a vehicle that surprises you.

When I used to review films for a living, I would spend hours trying to stay awake in a cinema watching one bad film after another. It was painful and more often than not, I would end up snoring.

Then a good film would come along and that made up for all the bad stuff. And it surprises me to say this but the XC70 is the automotive equivalent.

Yes, I know it’s been around for years and will one day soon slip out of the Volvo line-up for good but I’m actually enjoying this roomy estate more than I ever expected.

Why? Well, it’s damn comfortable, doesn’t come with an image problem and I just felt totally at home the moment I slipped behind the wheel.

I may be approaching pipe and slipper age by admitting to this I know but so far, I’m loving my XC70…

by

The Peugeot Sport 208 GTi is £22k – I’d expect a sat nav system for that sort of money

1019527_208GTibyPSP_1502STYP002B

I need to check if the 208 GTi has headlight adjustment. Sticking to the ‘only drive the crazy-coloured car at night’ routine, I discovered yesterday that the dip beam barely reaches 20ft from the bonnet. My eyesight isn’t exactly 20:20, so coping with last night’s fog was something of an achievement.

And while we are talking about night time driving, the ignition key slot isn’t illumination. Which means I’ve had to poke and prod around on the steering column trying to find the location. I imagine that after several months the scratches will be very noticeable.

Is this a good moment to point out that the GTi at £22k doesn’t have a sat nav system either? The entertainment system includes internet but I think I would be disappointed to pay that much and not have a woman who likes to tell me where to go.

You may also find the buttons for the heating system a little on the small side – at night it’s a bit of a scrabble to locate them. I had to pull over and turn on the interior light to find the buttons…

by

The Volvo XC90 is the ‘nanny state’ of family cars

1037290_163869_All_New_Volvo_XC90_Inscription

There’s no doubting the XC90 is one of the finest SUVs on the market. Even so, I’ve discovered some niggling faults over the last seven days which would annoy me if this was my own car.

The XC90 is overladen with safety devices. What’s wrong with that? Well, obviously, we all want to be safe but the Volvo is the equivalent of the ‘nanny state’ with simply too many devices to keep you on the road.

You can switch off the lane departure system but with it active, the steering wheel vibrates when you change lanes and it gently tries to ‘push’ you back into the right place – unless you press the indicator stalk of course.

However, I was taught that you only indicate when another road user benefits. With the Volvo, you could be driving down a motorway with no other cars around in the middle of the night and the system still vibrates and squeals.

The impact warning system that flashes red lights and sounds an alarm when it detects an imminent impact isn’t foolproof. It will detect a parked car on a corner and suspect a crash – when you are simple driving past.

Finally, the gears can be frustrating, not letting you select ‘drive’ in automatic mode unless the handbrake has been deactivated. It’s not as bad as a Maserati Ghibli but you get the picture.

I guess people buy big Volvos to be safe – it’s the key message of the company. For me, I like to think my driving skills and instincts can cope with many of the things the Volvo wants to do for me. And for that, the XC90 won’t be everybody’s cup of tea…

by

The Volvo XC90 is safety personified… just mind out for the alarms!

1000602_158089_The_new_Volvo_XC90_T8_Twin_Engine_petrol_plug_in_hybrid_driven_in_Tarragona

I’m feeling guilty about picking on the XC90. It’s not that the 7-seat Volvo isn’t a great SUV but living with one for a week does reveal a few cracks in the public image.

I know that if I was fully loaded with sprogs and dogs it would make a perfect family car. Everywhere you look inside, Volvo has gone the extra mile to make this the safest motor on the market.

The integrated child seat in the back, multiple airbags, lane departure warning system, cameras at every angle – it’s packed with technology.

You might find the brake assist system takes a bit of getting used to. Drive towards any car – even one parked on a bend – and red lights flash at the bottom of the windscreen and buzzer scream.

But otherwise, the Volvo wraps you up in a veil of security. Quite a nice feeling…

by

Why the new Volvo XC90 keyfob might leave you cursing…

1000611_158091_The_new_Volvo_XC90_T8_Twin_Engine_petrol_plug_in_hybrid_driven_in_Tarragona

So, you know what it’s like. You’re walking back to your vehicle in a dark car park at night and choose to illuminate the scene by pressing the key-fob ‘unlock’ button. What could be simpler?

The XC90 has brilliant illumination – the whole area around the car is illuminated by lights under the door mirrors and smart bulbs in each of the four door handles.

It looks very cool, except for one thing. The Volvo keyfob isn’t like any other. It’s a thin, square unit with the lock, unlock and boot buttons down one edge (not on the sides!). On the other edge is the alarm button that sets the lights flashing and horn blasting.

So when I pressed what I thought was the unlock, instead I had pressed the alarm. It’s very difficult to feel the different and in darkness, it’s really pot luck as to what button you do hit.

It’s just the little things but this is one advance in technology and design that really doesn’t work. Form over function…

by

‘It’s no looker but it’s not ugly either’ – the general consensus about the latest Volvo XC90

1037295_163891_All_New_Volvo_XC90

‘It’s no looker but it’s not ugly too’ Such is the general reaction to the new XC90. Car Couture appreciates the gorgeousness of the interior, the ground-breaking technology and the super safe gizmos that will wow many family buyers.

But which ever way you look at it, the XC90 just isn’t a car to set the pulses racing. Sexy SUVs are few and far between. You could argue that there aren’t any.

I think the the Range Rover Evoque, BMW x5 and Porsche Macan are among the best – but none of those have the all-round ability and practicality of the Volvo.

I rather think Hyundai now make some of the more stylish SUVs and they’re considerably cheaper than the Volvo. Still, it hasn’t stopped the XC90 being a sell-out success, so what do we know?

by

The Volvo XC90 has a huge iPhone right in the middle of the dashboard

1037284_163853_All_New_Volvo_XC90_Inscription

If the shape of the new Volvo XC90 is less than inspiring, the touchscreen dashboard inside the cabin is beautiful in every way. Apart from a Tesla, I can’t think of a better system.

Plenty of cars have touchscreen but the XC90 takes it to a different level. Pretty much everything you need is embedded in the huge panel, including most of the traditional dials and buttons.

Most people own a smartphone these days. The XC90 screen effectively becomes a bigger version of your mobile, interacting to provide seamless telephone, music and entertainment options.

And it’s intuitive too. The functions might look complicated but even I navigated my way around the functions in a matter of moments.

Best of all is mapping. It receives ‘live’ upgrades so you don’t need to download expensive upgrades. Brilliant! Why aren’t all cars like this?

by

The greatest SUV or 2015 – but is the Volvo XC90 stylish?

1000604_158086_The_new_Volvo_XC90_T8_Twin_Engine_petrol_plug_in_hybrid_driven_in_Tarragona

I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed when the XC90 was delivered to The Milestone Hotel in London today. The Milestone was number one London hotel on Trip Advisor last year and I’d enjoyed 24 hours of style and refinement. I was rather hoping it would continue.

Even the doorman was excited about the Volvo’s arrival. But the shape – is it just me or does the XC90 just look like the old model with a bigger ‘happier’ front grille?

There’s little to inspire you from the rear or side, so it’s just the front three-quarter angle that really catches the eye. Those narrow headlights and upright grille are pretty slick.

At least on the inside it’s more inspiring. That enormous media screen, minimalist dashboard and shapely seats really cut the mustard. More tomorrow…