Volvo V70 Drive SE

Author: Ian Strachan

Volvo's V70 is one of the most comfortable cars I've driven. A long day of meetings around the East and West Midlands became all the more pleasurable when cosseted in white leather luxury in this superbly comfortable car. And my pleasure was increased when I saw that the fuel gauge of this frugal Volvo had hardly moved.

And it's not bad to look at either. Modern Volvos are a long way from the square, boxy designs the past and the V70, while still being a premium estate car, is sleeker and more athletic-looking, with a raked windscreen and a neatly angled tailgate. An altogether more refined and up-to-date look.  

The interior of this Volvo is also looking good, with some interesting and attractive features, as well as that ultra-comfortable seating and a nice dash layout.

Seating is not just comfortable for driver and front seat passenger. It can easily accommodate five adults, and load carrying capacity is excellent, with a large boot aperture. A three-part split rear seat expands luggage capacity even more. The boot floor has aluminium rails and moveable load securing points.

Handling is predictable and solid, giving the driver a good feel of the road. Steering is responsive, with just the amount of power assistance you need.

I drove the smooth 1.6 diesel version which pulls more than adequately throughout the range and is very quiet. Married to a six speed manual gearbox, the engine never feels worked, even at speed and benefits from the sixth cog. Fuel economy is exceptional, returning a very impressive 62.8 mpg in mixed driving.

Equipment levels on the Drive SE spec which I drove are good, with 18 inch alloy wheels, a good MP£ compatible stereo and CD, leather upholstery and speed-dependent steering coming as standard. This is a Volvo so you don't have to worry about safety. Every safety feature that can reasonably be put on this car is there.

Other standard features include climate control, cruise control, parking sensors and automatic lights and wipers.

An active carbon filter air quality system also cleans dust, pollen and exhaust particles from the interior, ensuring that the air is cleaner inside the car than out, and also helps drivers and passengers with hay fever or other allergies.

The Drive SE version of the Volvo V70 will take up £27,995 of your disposable income.

Road test by Ian Strachan Communications Ltd

Ian Strachan is a motoring and business writer and PR consultant. He can be contacted on 01543 490932 or 07949 202596 or via email: ian@strachan13.freeserv