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First Drive: 2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.

First Drive: 2012 Volvo V70 R-Design
Biggest Volvo estate gets R-Design kit and mid-level diesel; brains and beauty.

   



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| First Drive | Gothenburg, Sweden | 2012 Volvo V70 R-Design |

Overall rating: 4 4 4 4 4

Tweaked for 2012, the V70 with the D3 engine and striking R-Design pack is arguably the best all-round estate Volvo does. Stop-start makes it even cleaner, it's still massive and it will now brake for you if it thinks you're too dim-witted to do it yourself.

Key Facts

Model tested: Volvo V70 D3 R-Design
Pricing: £30,300
Engine: 2.0-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: five-door estate
Rivals: BMW 520d Touring, Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDI Estate, Audi A4 2.0 TDI Avant
CO2 emissions: 137g/km
Combined economy: 54.3mpg
Top speed: 130mph
0-62mph: 9.9 seconds
Power: 161bhp at 3,500rpm
Torque: 295lb.ft

In the Metal: 4 4 4 4 4

Much in the same way the Volvo S80 has been mildly massaged for 2012 - no, exactly in the same way in fact - so too has the sister V70 estate. Volvos always seem to make more sense as estates, and as much as we like the S80, the V70 is the one to go for. Its 575-litre basic boot capacity cannot be argued with. You'd look like an idiot if you argued with a vast empty space, anyway.

But this drive is really about the new R-Design pack, which you can't get on the saloon. Focus on all the chrome trim and it's too much, but draw your eye away and it's an alluring body kit, especially the box-enhancing rear spoiler. It works wonders on the inside too, transforming a pretty staid interior into a less staid one, via the medium of contrasting trim and the letter R.

Driving it: 4 4 4 4 4

Obviously the driving experience in the newish Volvo V70 is generally akin to that of the newish S80 that we drove at about the same time. If you don't wish to leave this page just yet, in summary: it's not that exciting, but it has squishy comfort on its side.

What we're really looking at here is how the R-Design pack alters the driving experience, and how well the D3 engine works in this car. R-Design brings with it beefier steering software, adding a welcome notch of resistance to the rack. No more feel, but it's less inclined to pull itself back to top centre than the standard setup.

The ride quality, on the other hand, takes a hit. An obvious conclusion when the wheels get bigger and the suspension firmer, true, but there is a noticeable increase in cabin vibration. Still, it never gets that perturbed.

And the engine we like. The 161bhp five-cylinder unit doesn't have the vocal or accelerative tenacity of the D5, obviously, and bizarrely it emits more CO2, but five-cylinders is still better than four. There's plenty of mid-range and it's properly quiet while cruising. We didn't drive it with anything more that a small man-bag in the boot, but it doesn't feel like it'll struggle with a full load.

What you get for your Money: 3 3 3 3 3

There's a new DRIVe version now, and R-Design is available regardless of engine, meaning you can have this sort of BMW M-Sport bothering style with a 114bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine returning 62.8mpg.

Prices start at £26,000 and go up to just over £40,000 for a T6 all-wheel drive model with an automatic gearbox. This D3 R-Design variant is a more palatable £30,000 and its emissions mean VED and fuel costs are on the low side for a big luxury saloon. The 2012 update also brings low speed self-braking as standard to the range (called City Safety) and a new colour infotainment screen.

Worth Noting

The D3 engine, introduced in the Volvo S60 last year, has already undergone a few tweaks for the 2012 model year, including 'fine tuning and upgraded interior parts' and the addition of stop-start to manual cars. The result is a one-band VED drop, from F to E, with CO2 down from 144- to 137g/km. Still can't match the much more powerful D5 version, though. Other general V70 tweaks for 2012 include new wheels, upholstery colours and a body colour called Biarritz Blue.

Summary

In some senses the V70 is the archetypal Volvo: vast, square-backed and pragmatic. But with its tuneful mid-range five-cylinder diesel engine and a body kit that adds to the visuals significantly more than it takes away from the driving experience, it's strangely desirable. If only it wasn't less efficient than the D5. That just seems weird.


Mark Nichol - 24 Jun 2011



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2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo V70 R-Design. Image by Volvo.
 






 

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