2009 Volvo XC70 - Review

Downsizing. This euphemistic term for laying off workers, cutting out features and doing away with entire businesses as industries ‘rationalize’ hardly carries the potency necessary to convey the emotional and physical trauma that often accompanies the act itself. But there’s more than one way to downsize, and for those looking to get out of a full-size SUV and into something a bit more economical, but still equally practical, the large crossover segment is the perfect escape.

Enter the Volvo XC70 T6 - a turbocharged workhorse with all the amenities of a luxury sedan and all the cargo space of a good-sized SUV, room for five and a much more tolerable fuel bill - or so it would seem.

Equipment and Features
Most of the features of the 2009 XC70 T6 are carry-overs from the previous model year, once you get past the drivetrain. That’s a good thing, since the 2008 XC70 was the all-new third-generation of the vehicle, and introduced its own slew of new features. Though there are some retro throwbacks in the cabin’s design - it’s been many years since I’ve seen a full numeric keypad featured so centrally in a new car’s control stack - the overall impression of the cabin is decidedly modern, if somewhat Luddite.

The satin finish interior is a refreshing change of pace from the high-gloss veneer that dominates almost every other car in the luxury end of the field. It’s also more fitting with our test car’s muted green, beige, and brown tones, and with its intended role of off-road-capable luxury vehicle. It conveys quality and utility at the same time.

Behind the center stack lies a cubby area. Volvo calls this thin central control and interface panel in front of a recessed storage compartment the ‘waterfall’, and the metaphor is apt. It’s a really good use of space, and the minimal visibility of the storage area from outside the car makes it easier to leave semi-valuables, like a phone, camera or other theft-worthy object in the car yet within easy reach, rather than at the bottom of some covered locker or box.

The center stack itself leaves a bit to be desired, however, with the phone-like interface somewhat clunky and hard to use while driving. The limited display capabilities on non-navigation-equipped cars make using the installed Sirius satellite radio a chore, which is unfortunate given the very good quality of the Dynaudio sound system’s Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Sound speakers.