2011 Volvo C70 Review
Price Range: $13,990 - $17,590





+54
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Convenient retractable hardtop, cosseting cabin, quiet and comfortable ride, surprisingly practical.
Cons
- Unremarkable performance, confusing audio/Bluetooth/navigation controls.
What’s new
The 2011 Volvo C70 receives refreshed exterior styling as well as a new instrument panel and upgraded interior materials. Also, the six-speed manual transmission has been discontinued, and leather upholstery and satellite radio are standard.
Edmunds says
The 2011 Volvo C70 boasts a retractable hardtop, a luxurious interior and a smooth ride, though its middling performance means some competitors will leave it behind.
For sale nearby
37 listings
- $9,995fair price$1,167 below market
- 76,867 miles
- 1 accident, 3 owners, personal use
- 5cyl automatic
- ArchAuto Neptune (59 mi away)
- Bluetooth
- Leather Seats
- Blind Spot Monitorin...
- Power Driver Seat
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
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Located in Neptune City, NJ
Up for sale is our CLEAN TITLE, WELL TAKEN CARE OFF, CONVERTIBLE, UNIQUE 2011 Volvo C70 T5.The 2011 Volvo C70 T5, with 76,860 miles on the clock, is a...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
23 Combined MPG (19 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: YV1672MC7BJ118382
Stock: TI118382
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-27-2025 - $10,999fair price$1,044 below market
- 72,113 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 5cyl automatic
- Hertrich Buick GMC (81 mi away)
- Bluetooth
- Leather Seats
- Power Driver Seat
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Seaford, DE
Leather Interior, CD Player, Bluetooth , iPod/MP3 Input, Captains Chairs, Satellite Radio, CRANBERRY, LEATHER SEATING SURFACES/OFF-BLACK INTERIOR, CRA...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
23 Combined MPG (19 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: YV1672MC1BJ110049
Stock: B25095B
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-18-2025
Vehicle overview
Remember the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the first modern retractable-hardtop convertibles appeared? Remember how the mechanical ballet of their folding roofs would leave onlookers gaping and pointing? What a difference a decade makes. Today, it's the rare luxury convertible that doesn't have a retractable hardtop, and this feature is even available on some affordable convertibles. As such, the retractable hardtop does little to set the 2011 Volvo C70 apart, though other elements -- including an agreeable character and a new injection of style -- make this convertible worth checking out.
Let's start with the style, because that's what's most distinctive about this year's C70. Outside, there's a new front-end design that takes the C70's visage from dull to dashing, thanks to sleeker headlamps and a more chiseled appearance. The rear-end styling has been freshened as well, highlighted by LED taillamps and subtly reworked contours. Inside, there's a new instrument panel that features C70-specific gauges and graphics rather than borrowed versions from other Volvos. The overall interior design remains familiar from previous years, but no matter -- we've always found this to be a C70 strong suit.
Under the skin, the C70 is essentially the same luxury hardtop convertible that debuted in 2006. That means it continues to prioritize comfort over performance, which should suit many shoppers in this segment just fine. The C70 rides smoothly and confidently, evincing a pleasing solidity over bumps despite its open-roof structure. The turbocharged inline-5 engine may not be a match for the best from Germany and Japan, but it's peppy enough for most tastes. Handling is the only area where the C70 unequivocally falls short: If you care about cornering ability, this Volvo's pronounced body roll and low limits will likely disappoint.
Another advantage for the 2011 Volvo C70 is its reasonable pricing. Volvo's drop top is considerably cheaper than the 2011 BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G37 hardtop convertibles, and the similarly priced 2011 Lexus IS 250 C is relatively short on power and interior style. A cheaper option is the 2011 Volkswagen Eos, but it shares the Lexus' drawbacks. And the Audi A5 Cabriolet's sexiness is mitigated by its less versatile soft-top design. With its rejuvenated appearance and well-rounded nature, the aging Volvo C70 still occupies an appealing niche in this competitive segment.
Performance & mpg
The front-wheel-drive 2011 Volvo C70 is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine rated at 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic with manual-shift control is mandatory. This powertrain is EPA-rated at 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.
Safety
The C70 comes standard with antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags for front passengers, roll bars that deploy in the case of a roll-over accident and whiplash-reducing front head restraints. In crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the C70 its highest rating of "Good" for frontal-offset and side impact protection.
Driving
The 2011 Volvo C70's rigid chassis keeps the structure flex-free over bumps, and its softly sprung suspension makes for agreeable commuting and cruising. The cabin is hushed with the top up and remains turbulence-free at sane velocities with the roof retracted. If you try to drive the C70 aggressively on a winding road, however, you'll encounter numb steering, considerable body roll and pronounced brake dive. But for many convertible drivers, this will seem a small price to pay for the C70's high comfort quotient. The turbocharged engine offers solid low-end torque and a distinctive soundtrack, even if it can't keep the C70 abreast of pricier models like the BMW 335i and Infiniti G37.
Interior
The C70's cabin is anchored by Volvo's signature "floating" center stack, a slim panel that spans the gap between the dashboard and the center console. The stereo, Bluetooth and navigation functions are unintuitive, but the now-familiar "mode man" climate controls are foolproof. The optional wood trim dresses up the center stack, but even the standard aluminum trim looks classy. The optional Dynaudio sound system is one of the best-sounding open-air audio experiences available from any automaker.
The C70's front seats are superbly supportive, and a button on each backrest slides the seats forward for rear-seat access. Rear legroom isn't expansive, but it's better than the norm, allowing children or small adults to ride in relative comfort. With the top up, trunk capacity is a generous 12.8 cubic feet, though with the top down it drops to less than half that at 6 cubes. A button in the trunk activates the C70's standard Load Assist feature, which lifts the compacted roof assembly a few inches to create a bit more space for small items.
2011 Volvo C70 models
The 2011 Volvo C70 is a four-passenger luxury convertible with a retractable hardtop, and it's available in only one trim level, the T5. It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a power-retractable hardtop, front and rear foglights and heated outside mirrors. Standard interior features include leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats (with driver memory), automatic dual-zone climate control, full power accessories, cruise control, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker CD/MP3 audio system with auxiliary audio/USB jacks and satellite and HD radio.
Five option packages are available for the C70, along with a variety of stand-alone upgrades. Going with the Multimedia package equips the C70 with a 14-speaker Dynaudio premium surround-sound system and a hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic. The Convenience package adds keyless ignition/entry and rear parking sensors, while the Climate package includes headlamp washers, rain-sensing wipers, heated front seats and an interior air quality sensor. The Dynamic package gets buyers 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive xenon headlamps and a sport steering wheel with aluminum inlays. Stand-alone options include a wind blocker, a blind-spot monitor, a portable navigation system and interior wood inlays.

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Compare 2011 Volvo C70 trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in New Jersey
$214/mo for C70 T5
C70 T5
vs
$165/mo
Avg. Compact Car
See Edmunds pricing data
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
3 out of 5 stars3/5Average
#18 out of 26 among Luxury Compact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$560/yr
vs. $554/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car
for Average Luxury Compact Car
Frequency
2.38x/yr
vs. 1.57x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car
for Average Luxury Compact Car
Severity
12.1%
vs. 11.1%
for Average Luxury Compact Car
for Average Luxury Compact Car
powered by RepairPal
Volvo C70 Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
love to drive - but sick and tired of the repairs
3 out of 5 starsRuss Ketchum, 10/04/2016
2011 Volvo C70 T5 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
I am the original owner, bought in 2011 and love the look and feel of the car. drove it without issue for the first 30K miles. I maintained as instructed - however, the first issue appeared shortly after 30k, ac blew hot air on one side - dealer said they fixed, under warranty - no problem. same problem again just a few thousand miles later - dealer fixed again, no problem. then - 10K … later, same issue - dealer fixed again, with the assurance "they fixed for good this time". starting to get annoyed. during that time, tires only got 30k - had to be replaced, dealer said thats normal for this vehicle. also had a check engine lite issue, which the dealer fixed, along with a few other annoying issues. took it in for the "final" warranty repair/maint at 60K. It looks "great" they tell me.... bring it back in at 67K, out of warranty.... repair bill 4K - I asked, all this happened in the last 7k miles? yep they say, nothing covered, shocks, struts, motor mounts etc.... Oh - and by the way, the AC blows hot again! - 1400 to repair, I threw a fit - wrote a letter to volvo, they sent me back a check for 1200.... since then, replaced another motor mount, transmission mount, some oil sensor and housing that was leaking, cv boots and joints, front axles all in all, 7400$ ALL SINCE THAT 60 K CHECKUP (I now have 90k miles on it) replaced the headlamps twice, and now the driver side doesn't work at all - even after replacing the bulbs.... too bad, I love the look of the car, but no more volvos for me.... UPDATE - since the last review at 90K I have dumped another 4K into the car - just not worth buying another volvo... since 60K miles and total ownership cost well over 12K when you include regular maintenance....
Excellent Value
5 out of 5 starsbillnjax, 02/18/2011
2011 Volvo C70 T5 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
We purchased this car about 5 months ago, and in 6,000 miles have never regretted our decision.
The car is very comfortable, has all the acceleration that we require, and gets excellent gas mileage, actually better than our Turbo Beetle Convertible.
We looked at
several different convertibles in this class and the C70 was by far the best car for the money.
Add in the safe and secure … warranty coverage and I don't see how you could do better.
Take a test drive and you will be hooked.
c70,tired of dealing with problems
3 out of 5 starsbarbara, 01/03/2016
2011 Volvo C70 T5 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
had to make 4 trips to dealership for a sensor in the front wheels that made the electronics go crazy. interior door handles , the finish flaked off. speaker issues with buzzing, and they claimed their was no problem after 4 visits to dealership . it handled well, fun to drive, but tired of stupid stuff!
Perfect All Weather Convertible
5 out of 5 starsKW, 09/15/2009
2010 Volvo C70 T5 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
I purchased the C70 after trading in my XC90. I have never owned a convertible but am enjoying the all weather hardtop. With the top down, this Volvo is really quiet, even at highway speeds. The wind is controlled with the windscreen and the car is really an exciting ride. I have had the car for over a month now and feel the build quality is solid, so far no rattles or noises from the … roof. The space in the trunk is great, even with the top down and 4 "adults" can ride in comfort. Overall, I am really happy with my purchase and would recommend this convertible for anyone looking for a spacious, fast, comfortable hardtop convertible.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2011 Volvo C70, so we've included reviews for other years of the C70 since its last redesign.
2011 C70 Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $39,950 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $214/month |
Seating | 4 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 12.8 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the C70 include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
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