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Volvo's 2.4-liter, light-pressure turbo inline five-cylinder engine delivers its 210 foot-pounds of torque in a flat, wide band to make the most of its 197 horsepower.
(Photo by John Clor)
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We find the V70 XC's styling to be downright handsome - and that's something you'd never be able to say about old Volvo station wagons of yore.
(Photo by John Clor)
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The Volvo 2001 V70 XC is designed for comfortably crossing some of those lousy roads you typically find way out in the countryside. It's not for off-roading in the mountains.
(Photo by John Clor)
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Road Test: First Drive Test
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First Drive: 2001 Volvo V70 Cross Country
Mechanicals, Not Mere Marketing, Make the XC More Than Just an SUV Wannabe
By
John Clor
Date posted: 01-01-1999
Ever since sport-utility vehicles burst upon the American automotive landscape, the term "car-like" has generally been considered a positive attribute for any SUV. And as sport-utes evolved from rough-and-tumble, bare-bones trucks to smooth-riding, dolled-up, pickup-based people-haulers, becoming car-like has proven the key to mass appeal.
But being car-like has never been the problem for Volvo's V70 Cross Country, because ... well, it IS a car (or, more precisely, a station wagon). In fact, it has faced the opposite challenge: That is, becoming SUV-like. Introduced in the fall of 1997 as a '98 model, the Cross Country was nothing more than marketing smoke-and-mirrors - a V70 wagon with all-wheel drive, some bolt-on trim and special badging. Yet it was a smash hit in the showroom, making up nearly half of the V-line's sales last year.
It would seem that buyers who felt the urge to join in the SUV craze yet really preferred a ritzy import with a solid safety reputation were well-served with that first effort. But those folks who actually venture off road once in a while were nonplussed. In fact, Volvo officials admitted to us that the initial concept bombed in focus groups comprised mostly of real SUV owners. And though Volvo's study groups gave it a thumbs-down, company brass gave the Cross Country the nod anyway - which shows the value of car-savvy execs over market research.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if Volvo could give the Cross Country some real SUV-like capability, then it would likely have appeal beyond mere SUV wannabes. So when it came time to move the old V70 to Volvo's new-generation P2 large-car platform, engineers had an opportunity to put some visual and mechanical distance between the basic 2001 V70 front-drive wagon that went to market in April, and the new Cross Country variant, which goes on sale in August.
So that's just what they did. The new 2001 Volvo V70 Cross Country was developed from the start to feature all-wheel drive, as well as additional ground clearance. That meant a different front suspension and slightly longer wheelbase to accept the new drivetrain, plus a wider track front and rear to accommodate larger wheels and tires.
The result is a higher and wider stance that is much more aggressive-looking (read SUV-like). Consequently, the Cross Country driver sits higher than in other V70s -- but there's no mistaking the new view as being anywhere close to the commanding perch offered in most truck-based utes. On the other hand, because it is still a station wagon at heart, it doesn't look as unwieldy as most true SUVs, either.
The dimensional changes created by the new mechanicals also forced the need for different front fenders, so while they were at it, Volvo decided to upgrade the Cross Country's front and rear fascias, too. Housed in purposeful, dent-resistant gray or black plastic (again, read more truck-like), the new nose and tail also gave designers the chance to connect them with new bodyside cladding (are we getting the SUV picture here?).
The entire package makes for a handsome yet outdoorsy-looking wagon with the added utility of AWD and an impressive 8.2 inches of ground clearance. That's only slightly less than the obstacle-dodging space beneath some REAL sport-utes such as the Land Rover Discovery and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and actually MORE than the venerable Ford Explorer. It also tops the popular Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Lexus RX300 - and even beats the new BMW X5 and the upcoming Audi AllRoad.
While we didn't expect the newfound abilities of the 2001 V70 XC (which is the bastardization of the Cross Country name for badging's sake) to negatively affect its on-road manners, we were truly eager to find out if it could better withstand the rigors of mud-slinging off the beaten path. We quickly found our answers after two days of on- and off-road meandering during Volvo's recent Cross Country press launch in Vermont.
Of course, if there is anyplace outside of Sweden to feel comfortable driving Volvos (or Subarus, for that matter, and even Saabs), New England is the place. Knowing full well the region's appetite for such nameplates, Volvo brass even quipped that "this is where old Volvos come to die." From the sheer numbers of such vehicles we spotted on the road during our visit, we wondered aloud if domestic cars were even sold in these parts.
We piloted the new Cross Country along some of the narrow two-lanes that stretch into southwestern Vermont's rolling countryside and found it easily living up to its "European luxury car" status. Comfy, sporting and relatively quiet (save for a hissing sunroof that was silenced only after sliding its sunshade closed), the V70 XC felt as poised passing slower traffic as it did gobbling up a variety of tight turns and long sweepers.
Steering feedback was good and the brakes were easily modulated. While the XC's taller stance and larger, more versatile rubber gives up increased lean in the turns and generates more road noise than its road-going V70 brethren, we discovered later that the compromises are more than worthwhile when pavement is no longer underfoot.
Not that any of this should have come as a surprise to us, for the XC is still a V70 wagon, after all. And you'll recall that we actually used the words Volvo, wagon and performance in the same sentence after driving the other 2001 V70 wagon variants on the press preview in the mountains of Southern France earlier this year. But it was the off-road part that we were focused on this time out, and how it affects the V70 equation.
Our first excursion involved running through marshy woods on a predetermined "capabilities" course set up alongside our lunch stop on drive day. We felt confident after setting out along the grassy, twin-rutted trail leading us back into the woods, and even when rolling through some deep mud puddles that we encountered along the way. But when we came upon large logs felled across the trail, the thought of running our new Cross Country over such hefty obstacles was unnerving, to say the least. Yet we cleared them all with nary a bashed floorpan or body panel, and never even bumped the muffler!
Understand that there is no "low range" in the XC's drivetrain. The AWD system primarily drives the front wheels (some 95 percent of the power) until the need for traction is detected at the rear wheels, where nearly all of the power can be sent via a viscous clutch (similar to the system used on the Porsche Carrera). Enhanced with Volvo's TRACS system, which can send power side-to-side depending on traction, the AWD unit gets all of its motivation from a new five-speed automatic transmission that features Geartronic shifting, which is Volvo's word for manual sequential gear selection. (And no, the five-speed manual transmission will not be offered on the XC in America.)
Power comes from the same 2.4-liter inline five-cylinder engine found in the base 2.4T wagon that makes a healthy 197 horsepower, thanks to a light-pressure turbo. The advantage over the more powerful high-pressure turbo being used in the uplevel T5 model is that the light-pressure turbo engine reaches its maximum torque of 210 foot-pounds sooner (beginning as low as 1,800 rpm) and holds the torque curve longer and flatter (all the way up to 5,000 revs). That means power delivery is far more practical and tractable for driving on less-than-optimal surfaces. On hard sprints, turbo lag is imperceptible, and 0 to 60 mph comes up in a scant 8.4 seconds, according to Volvo testers - not rocket-fast, mind you, but a number many SUVs will find difficult to match.
On the second day of our press preview, we were able to really push the limits on just how far off the road you can go with a new XC, climbing up, down and out of rock-strewn hiking trails nestled near the base of Vermont's Green Mountains outside Manchester. Although steep and narrow, the heavily eroded trail provided a range of conditions that severely tested the Cross Country's ground clearance limits.
Slowly bounding along the rock-laden clearings that wound into the wilderness, we winced several times as we gingerly avoided deep gouges in the earth, large boulders, fallen trees and axle-deep water holes. It didn't hurt that each time, some careful placement of the front wheels and a steady application of the throttle carried us either over, around or through all that was in our way. Quite frankly, we were impressed with the kind of terrain that the XC was able to cross without sustaining damage.
Now we're not saying that the new Cross Country is as capable off-road as most SUVs, because it could only be compared fairly with some of the mini-utes that also lack a low range. And because the XC is part luxury car, subjecting it to such near-brushes with off-road dents, scrapes and scratches is difficult to become comfortable with. Clearly, this car is designed for those SUV owners who wish only to better keep their vehicle on the pavement when traction conditions may be less than ideal (which is the goal of most SUV buyers, anyway, right?).
Speaking of luxury, there is no shortage of amenities when it comes to the Cross Country. The base test models we drove were well-equipped, and included a new, 40/20/40 split rear bench seat, which allows for a wide range of fold-down options. You can drop the center portion to serve as an extra-wide center armrest between rear-seat passengers, or use it as a cooler to store snacks or your favorite soda. The Cross Country carries a base MSRP of $34,900 (plus a $575 destination charge), which is $1,200 less than the 2000 model's base price, without all the new mechanicals or safety equipment.
Metallic paint is a no-cost option, and even adding such goodies as a four-disc in-dash CD player with a premium sound system, leather seating and a sunroof doesn't push the price beyond the $40,000 mark. Volvo is offering a Leather Package (leather seats, steering wheel, and gearshift) and a Versatility Package (cargo protection net, security cover, grocery bag holder) together for $1,425, as well as a Touring Package (power passenger seat, trip computer, in-dash CD, auto-dimming rearview mirror and garage opener) for $1,400. And a GPS navigation system ($2,500) is also available as an option.
Of course, this is a Volvo, so safety is a big selling point. So, besides offering an AWD system and traction control as standard equipment, all Cross Countrys include four-wheel antilock brakes, side-impact airbags, anti-whiplash system, front and rear inflatable curtain systems and three-point inertia-reel seatbelts at all five seating positions. Volvo buyers expect nothing less than the latest safety technology, and the XC delivers.
With the advent of so many segment busters of late, we've been hit with a slew of new acronyms from Sport Utility Trucks (SUTs) and All Activity Vehicles (AAVs) to Sport Recreation Vehicles (SRVs). With the Sport Utility Wagon (SUW) moniker already spoken for, we asked Volvo officials how they'd describe the new V70 Cross Country.
They said: "To your body, it's a European luxury car. To the elements, it's an SUV. To your peace of mind, it's a Volvo." To that, we'd say, "Well put.
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