Review of the new Volvo C70 Range

Volvo's C70 is a classy folding hard-top convertible with smart looks and a decent array of engines. The car is very well built and safe in typical Volvo fashion, a relaxing cruiser rather than a sharp driver's car. Its positioning in the market is also interesting, sitting above the mainstream offerings but below the premium models in terms of price. It could be just what you're looking for.

As with most aspects of life, there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. Take the job of creating a modern folding metal roof coupe-convertible car. Most manufacturers to date have got it horribly wrong and it's hard to think of many cars of this ilk that don't possess huge, awkward-looking rears. That top, after all, has got to go somewhere.

Buyers would put up with that in the same way as they'd overlook feeble boot capacity in the days when folding metal roofs were a novelty but these days, things have changed. Which is why Volvo's C70 is doing pretty well in this market sector. The rag-top first generation version was both practical and a looker and the restyled MK2 model we're looking at here continues the trend, despite its more modern roof arrangement.

You won't see this car on too many trackdays - but then, you won't be surprised to hear that, even in performance-orientated T5 form, it's really not that kind of car. Though competent on the twisty stuff, it's a consummate cruiser first and foremost. The C70 doesn't cope particularly well with poor road surfaces but on the flat it's a comfortable and refined companion.

Curiously for a convertible, we reckon the diesels are the ones to go for. Volvo's latest oil-burners are well worth a look, based as they are on a novel 2.0-litre five-cylinder configuration. In the C70, there's the D3 engine with 148bhp and the D4 which brings 175bhp to the party. The C70 D3 returns a 10.2s 0-60mph time and has reserves of torque to the tune of 350Nm for wafting around on.

"This Volvo is a slick product.."

Torque is a nice thing to have when you're cursing down the coast road in your big convertible car. It's the thrust in the middle to lower section of the rev range that reduces the need for gearchanges and makes for effortless overtaking. The D4 diesel actually produces 400Nm at 1,750rpm. Compare that to the 320Nm generated by the petrol T5 and you get a feel for the strength of the diesel models from low engine speeds. Pushing on, the more powerful engines can overwhelm the front wheels if you're overzealous with the throttle but take it easy and the car rewards with a comfy, quiet ride.

In styling this car, the Swedish design team started with a coupe profile and then set about making a convertible out of it. As a result, with the hood in place, you probably wouldn't guess that the C70 is capable of flipping its lid. The rear deck isn't overly long (the usual giveaway of folding metal roof cars) and the roofline is smooth and beautifully integrated with the rest of the bodywork. The most recent visual changes are mainly cosmetic - more stylish headlamps, reshaped front wings, in-vogue LED tail lamps, a redesigned instrument panel and plusher fabrics. Otherwise, the recipe is mainly unchanged.

Despite the recent introduction of rivals like Lexus' IS250C, Volvo still reckon that this is the only premium-badged folding metal roof convertible that can properly seat four adults in comfort. Saab and Audi rivals have fabric tops which will have security implications for owners in urban areas and in any case, they aren't quite as spacious for those in the rear. The boot capacity of the C70 is bigger too, at 404 litres with the roof up compared to 352 litres for the Saab and 315 litres for the Audi. With the roof down however, both rivals eclipse the Volvo (fabric takes less stowage space of course), so think carefully about how you're going to use the car.

Of course, this car adheres to Volvo's impeccably high safety standards and it includes an advanced body structure, huge torsional rigidity and several innovations that make it unique among open-top cars. An example of this is the door-mounted Inflatable Curtain (IC), part of the C70's integrated Side Impact Protection System (SIPS). As this curtain can't be fitted in the roof, as with the rest of the Volvo range, it has been innovatively fitted in the door to inflate upwards instead of downwards. Volvo's safety engineers have also fine-tuned the curtain to be extra stiff, so it can stay upright and help protect the head more effectively. In addition, it then deflates more slowly to provide additional protection if the car rolls over.

Prices range in the £28,000-£36,000 bracket, the kind of money you'd pay for mainstream versions of obvious rivals like Saab's 9-3 Convertible, BMW's 3 Series Convertible or Audi's A4 Cabriolet, though significantly less than Mercedes will want for an E-Class Cabriolet.

There are no prizes for guessing that the D3 is the most fuel efficient of the C70's engines. It returns 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and produces 154g/km of CO2. The more powerful D4 diesel has a identical economy and emissions which is very impressive considering its extra performance. The petrol option comes with the Geartronic automatic gearbox and returns around 30mpg with 219g/km emissions.

This Volvo is a slick product. It never feels less than solid and the styling is well judged whether the roof's up or down. The engines are more than adequate too with the diesels in particular delivering a good blend of performance and economy. If you like the idea of ordering your prestigiously badged convertible with a metal folding roof and you want the potential to seat four adults and enjoy decent bootspace, then the C70 is hard to overlook.

TOP 5 C70 DEALS

The results below show the top C70 deals on buyacar

Volvo C70 D3 [150] ES 2dr Diesel Coupe Convertible
Price £24,451 Read C70 Reviews	Save £5,344
Volvo C70 D3 [150] SE Lux Solstice 2dr Geartronic Coupe Convertible Special Eds
Price £30,499 Read C70 Reviews	Save £6,156
Volvo C70 D3 [150] SE Lux 2dr Diesel Coupe Convertible
Price £27,777 Read C70 Reviews	Save £5,798
Volvo C70 D4 [177] SE Lux 2dr Diesel Coupe Convertible
Price £28,472 Read C70 Reviews	Save £5,893
Volvo C70 D4 [177] SE Lux 2dr Geartronic Diesel Coupe Convertible
Price £29,874 Read C70 Reviews	Save £6,071
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