Volvo V70

The V70 is comfortable and logical, but not as roomy as we’d hoped.

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On the road price: £24,995 - £38,515
For : Reassuring image, safety, practical load area, very comfortable
Against : Rivals are roomier, economy, throbby diesels

Driving
Owners of the old V70 will be impressed by the latest model’s stiffer chassis and improved handling. However, the front-wheel-drive layout still doesn’t feel as sophisticated or as agile as its rivals’. Soft suspension means the ride is comfortable over smooth surfaces, but the damping doesn’t prevent bumps from being felt. It’s capable in corners, offering decent turn-in and plenty of grip, but isn’t as involving as a BMW, nor as sure-footed as a quattro Audi. The D5 diesels are smooth at a cruise, but vibrate under load, the new 3.2-litre petrol is very refined and the 4.4-litre V8 has a charismatic burble.

Marketplace
Volvo is renowned for its big, safe, comfortable estates – and has a loyal customer base as a result. The current model may not be the most revolutionary on the market, but the familiar look is reassuring. As always, safety is a strong point; seven airbags come as standard. And the V70 range is both competitively priced and well-stocked across the range – which consists of five engines and three trim lines, SE, SE Sport and SE Lux. There are no shortage of rivals – and surprisingly, from the Audi A6 Avant, BMW 5-Series Touring and Mercedes E-Class estate, the Volvo has the smallest fully-loaded boot capacity!

Owning
Customers who expect a practical load space won’t be disappointed. The 575-litre capacity extends to 1,600 litres with the seats down, and the tailgate has a wide opening. Loading is aided by the lower bumper lip and, with the seats folded, the load floor is completely flat. But while all this is impressive, it now doesn’t top the class for spaciousness. It’s good for rear passengers though, with large, luxurious seats, while the front seats are well padded and comfortable as well. The interior is dominated by the floating dashboard concept, and the minimalist design boasts impressive material quality. All these attributes help it achieve a retained value of around 45 per cent, while servicing costs are on a par with rivals. The engines could be more economical, though; the D5 averaged 32.5mpg in our hands.