2005 Volvo Review

Specifications

More Power for All 2005 S60, V70, XC70s

Volvos midsize S60 sedan, V70 wagon and XC70 crossover utility vehicle will receive their first major mid-cycle facelifts for the 2005 model year. Rather than make you wait for North American specific information, news about the European models will give a fairly decent representation of what we can expect on this side of the Atlantic.

The S60 sedan, V70 wagon and XC70 have helped redefine the way that the pubic perceives Volvo, an automaker that is no longer seen as a purveyor of stodgy boxes driven by university professors.

At the same time, Volvo has used the S60, V70 and XC70 to expand into new market segments the brand has never attempted before, and now can be recognized amongst the best when it comes to all-wheel drive systems, performance attributes and in Europe, diesel power.

The facelift of the three related models mirrors changes made to the S80 in model year 2004, with subtle revisions to exterior trim, and interior design elements, as well as updated technology.

Both sedan and wagon body styles have been thoroughly updated in front, with new headlamps, grille inserts and fascias. With specific regard to the S60, Volvo has lowered the hoodline effectively creating a sportier stance than in previous models. This is accentuated with a blacked-out grille and rounded foglights, unique to the S60.

The V70 features similar changes, but its grille is chrome instead and it features squared foglights. Both the V70 and S60 can be had with chrome bumper inserts, adding sophistication and class.

As for the XC70, it receives new dark gray cladding, sideview mirrors from the XC90, as well as skidplates front and rear. The overall look appears tougher, more SUV-like, which should help it stand out more from its Volvo siblings and be more appealing to those who might be considering a rival crossover - and plenty of competitors are on the way.

All cars receive transparent lenses with visible bulbs added to the taillamp clusters, polycarbonate lens headlamps and flat-blade window wipers. A special sports package which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, high performance tires and a sporty visual ground effects kit is available for the S60 upon request.

Without extending into the R-series cars, Volvos top performance-oriented cars are its S60 and V70 in T5 trim. This facelift not only upgrades appearances, but guarantees improvements in performance and driving pleasure for these sporty models. The 2.3-liter high-output turbo inline-five has been enlarged to 2.4 liters, leading to a gain of 10 horsepower and 15 lb-ft of torque. Other improvements include the use of the Rs more efficient turbocharger and varying inlet timing. While power is up, more important for daily driving is the amount of torque produced at lower rpms; at 1,800 rpm the new T5 engine make 225 lb-ft of torque, a big improvement over the 177 lb-ft available previously.

A six-speed manual borrowed from the R and adapted to fit the front wheel drive T5 will now be available as well. With this transmission in the S60 T5, 60 mph can be reached in as little as 6.4 seconds. Other motors have been improved too, with the 2.0T now making up to 180 hp and the 2.5T 210 hp.

The dynamics of all three Volvos have also been enhanced, thanks in part to the addition of the Swedish brands Four-C adaptive chassis. Introduced on the S60/V70R and adapted to the front-wheel drive S80, it will make its debut in the midsized Volvos for 2005. By use of sensors mounted around the car, adaptive dampers - which change their damping rates in a split-second - are fed information about the drivers throttle and steering inputs as well as the surface below the wheels. This helps to create a more responsive car. Though Four-C has Comfort and Sport settings selectable by the driver, but each of the three cars has its own unique default settings. A sporty bias featuring a slightly stiffer setup is used on the S60, a comfort bias featuring improved ride comfort on the V70, and a slightly stiffer and a slightly firmer ride with enhanced steering feel to improve stability and negate lateral body movements for the XC70.

With the revised S60, V70 and XC70 come three new safety features, two of which are items new to the industry. Volvo presents Blind Spots Information System or BLIS, a breakthrough active safety feature designed to better inform the driver of whats in their blind spots. Using digital cameras mounted on the sideview mirrors the system takes 25 photos per second, all the while comparing them to detect moving vehicles within the BLIS zone. This zone is 31.18 feet long by 9.84 feet wide, well into a drivers blind spot. If the system detects a car or motorcycle within the BLIS zone, a warning lamp lights up indicating which side the vehicle is on. BLIS is intelligent, not reacting to static objects such as lamp posts, parked cars, and signs.

An additional safety feature is WRG water-repelling laminated glass.

Minor changes to S60, V70 and XC70 interiors have been made not only to refresh design details but to improve the ergonomics of the cars “living space.” The center console, which has been slimmed down to increase legroom and dash space, is decorated in either real walnut trim or authentic aluminum inlays. A six-disc in-dash CD player joins a revised audio interface, itself integrated into a modified center stack. The lower console has been re-organized as well, and is now fabricated out of more durable plastics with even higher tactile quality. It now features a more accommodating assortment of storage spaces ideal for a variety of items.

A new generation of Volvo seats will be part of the redesigned package on all models, and will include height adjustment, easier operation of standard controls and thin head rests for better rearward visibility. Seating trim includes Nordborg leather-textile, Sovereign luxury leather, plus Vestborg leather and silver weave.

The 2005 Volvo S60, V70 and XC70 will make their world debut at the Birmingham Motor Show at the end of this month, with availability in the fall.