Review of the new Volvo XC70 DRIVe

Big 4x4s have become something of a guilty pleasure in recent times. The rugged looks and general vastness of such vehicles supply the pleasure, as does the lofty driving position and the practical interior. The guilty bit comes from concerns over what other road users might be thinking. If you want a big 4x4 but are worried about intimidating city car drivers with your monster bumpers and 20" wheels or being condemned as an ecological nightmare by cyclists, Volvo's XC70 DRIVe could be the answer.

Volvo has come up with a product tailor-made for people who want a big 4x4 and a low profile. Although it usually has four-wheel-drive, the basic XC70 wouldn't be viewed as a 4x4 by most people. That's because it's based on the Volvo V70 estate and looks like the V70 with larger bumpers and raised suspension. It's got the space but a lot less of the attitude normally associated with a 4x4. In DRIVe form, the XC70 swaps its 4x4 mechanicals for a front wheel drive layout. It even has a relatively economical diesel engine and a number of modifications designed to minimise its running costs and environmental impact. It's much friendlier proposition than your typical family 4x4 but with many of the desirable attributes still intact.

Efficiency is central to the thinking behind the XC70 DRIVe but only to a point. This is still a big family vehicle and it needs enough power to cope when fully loaded with people and cargo or even asked to two tow a caravan, horsebox or boat. Volvo, therefore, chose to install its 173bhp 2.4-litre five-cylinder diesel engine in the car and with 420Nm of torque produced between 1,500 and 2,750rpm, it should have plenty of shove. All other XC70s have four-wheel-drive but the XC70 DRIVe sends power to the front wheels only. There's the option of a Geartronic automatic gearbox but a six-speed manual comes as standard.

"Volvo's XC70 makes a good, low-cost, low-key alternative to a full-on family 4x4"

Performance from the XC70 DRIVe is reasonably brisk considering the size of the vehicle. Helped by the absence of weighty all-wheel-drive mechanicals, it can cover the 0-60mph sprint in 9.6s and reach 130mph. The kerb weight is 79kg down on the 4x4 D5 model and compared to that car, the towing weight limit of the DRIVe is reduced by 600kg to 1,500kg. The standard XC70 is a very capable tow car but quite a bit of that ability is lost with the DRIVe specification.

The styling is probably the ace in the XC70 DRIVe's hole, so long as you don't mind creating the illusion off off-road ability when in reality the car will have little more than any conventional estate. The XC70 opts for a beefy, macho look that it suits it very well. As well as the scratchproof protective cladding along the car's flanks and arches, there are chunkier front bumpers, blacked out side pillars and C30-inspired tail lights.

The emphasis on serious carrying capacity remains. It's still extremely space-efficient with a class-competitive 485-litres of fresh air in the rear and a massive 1,641-litres can be liberated if you fold the rear seats down and stack your cargo to the roofline. You'll also find luggage nets and hooks to help secure any items with wayward tendencies.

The XC70 DRIVe model forms the entry-point into the XC70 range and sets out to appeal on price as well as its low on-going running costs. It's available in SE or SE Premium trim but there's a hefty £2,000 price differential between the two. The standard specification is far from shabby with a power adjustable driver's seat, a 160 watt stereo, rain-sensing wipers and a rear-view mirror with integrated compass (who needs satellite navigation?). On the outside, there's a smart set of 17" alloy wheels, roof rails and body cladding. Being a Volvo, the V70 comes with a massive array of safety kit.

The Premium upgrade is basically leather trim and satellite navigation, so many buyers will deem it worth the £2,000, but such luxuries aren't really in-keeping with the austere approach of the DRIVe model and we'd be tempted to stick with the car in its most basic and cost effective form.

Customers can get DRIVe versions of all the top Volvo models and the recipe is much the same. An economical diesel engine is installed and then a series of small modifications are made, to reduce rolling resistance, improve aerodynamics and generally enhance efficiency. In the XC70 DRIVe, the bottom line is economy of 47.1mpg and emissions of 159g/km. That isn't bad going for a car of the XC70's size and capacity and is a cut above what you could expect from proper 4x4 vehicles of a similar size.

Volvo's XC70 makes a good, low-cost, low-key alternative to a full-on family 4x4. The XC70 DRIVe model gets rid of the 4x4 mechanicals in favour of conventional front-wheel drive while also benefiting from a package of other revisions designed to enhance its environmental performance. It looks a sound choice for buyers after for a big car with beefy looks and small running costs but the standard V70 estate retails for £1,000 less with an identical engine and economy. It means you've really got to want the XC70's big bumpers and body-cladding.

TOP 5 XC70 DEALS

The results below show the top XC70 deals on buyacar

Volvo XC70 D3 [163] DRIVe ES 5dr 2WD [Start Stop] Diesel Estate
Price £24,448 Read XC70 Reviews	Save £4,612
Volvo XC70 D3 [163] ES 5dr Geartronic Diesel Estate
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Volvo XC70 D3 [163] ES 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £26,094 Read XC70 Reviews	Save £4,766
Volvo XC70 D5 [215] ES 5dr [Start Stop] Diesel Estate
Price £28,059 Read XC70 Reviews	Save £4,951
Volvo XC70 D3 [163] DRIVe SE Lux 5dr 2WD [Sat Nav] [SS] Diesel Estate
Price £28,927 Read XC70 Reviews	Save £5,033
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