Nice car. Great ride. Comfortable. Handles well. Generally reliable, so far.

Eats headlights. Hard to keep front end aligned. That stupid cartridge oil filter.

Nice ride. Nice handling. Good creature comforts. Great on long rides. Dealers offer great, but expensive, service. The only trouble I had with the car that is worth mentioning was a sound from the rear that sounded like two pieces of metal rubbing against each other. Dealers were unable to find it. I finally took the car in because of a rear end howl from the differential. They fixed the howl with a counterweight set on the axles. That also fixed the undiagnosable noise. Warranty covered those issues. Other than that, just normal wear issues. I got my car before Ford took over. Reading some of these other reviews, it appears some of the worst are in newer cars made after Ford took over. Hmmm . . . I also have a 1996 850 GLT that has given me 0 problems. (the 1996 eats headlights just like the 1999).

Similar Products Used:

Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford, Dodge

Seats. Looks. Ground clearance. Safety features.

The fuel mileage doesn't seem that great (I'm averaging 20 mpg), but in reality, it's right in line with other cars of its weight and power. The tires (Pirelli Scorpion) are a bit noisy, but are great in the snow.

We are extremely happy with this car. We traded in a 1998 Toyota 4Runner for it, and have not regretted it. We were not at all unhappy with the 4Runner, the XC just fit our needs better.
The seats are among the most comfortable I've sat it, and adjustable to fit virtually anyone's needs. I'm 6' 3", and I don't need the seat all the way back.
There are 3 12V outlets, one in front, one in the back seat, and one in the cargo area. Very convenient. We bought the optional refrigerator for the back seat, which plugs into one of these. Great for long trips!
The tri-fold rear seats are well designed and very easy to operate. We got the optional third-row seat option, which has two shoulder belts. We've only used it once so far, but I'm sure it will come in handy in a pinch. Very easy to open and close.
The roof rack is very well done. It's solid, and designed to look like it actually goes with the car. I bought the cross bars, and the bike rack to go with them, and am very happy with them.
The car is fantastic in the snow. Very good grip, and very hard to spin (I've tried).
There are less expensive competitors (BMW, Subaru), and more expensive ones (Mercedes, Audi), so four stars for value. There are competitors with more power (Mercedes, Audi), more room (Mercedes), more style (Audi, BMW, Mercedes), so I'll give it four stars overall. We looked at all of these, and considering all factors, chose the Volvo.

Similar Products Used:

1998 Toyota 4Runner. The Volvo doesn't have the cargo space of the 4Runner, nor is it quite as rugged, but it's much more comfortable, lower (less prone to rollovers), and has more safety features (side airbags, head protection system). Plus, it's much more comfortable, especially on long trips.

safety components, exterior styling, decent hp, plenty of cargo space, ground clearance, great leather seating

Fuel economy, lack of trim details,

Purchased the XC in January of 01 and so far have had none of the problems other buyers have experienced. The only minor glitch was a sticky keyless remote which the dealer rectified immediately. Just returned from a 6 day kayaking trip on Vancouver Island in which I took the XC on an 85 km. journey over a pot hole riddled logging road. It handled the rough ride amazingly well at an average speed of 65 km/hr. with a full load of gear, passengers and two 17 ft. seakayaks strapped to it's top. My only complaint would be the less than impresive fuel economy which averages about 11 litres/100 km. combined. I love the quality and workmanship of the leather seating but must admit that Volvo could have upgraded the wood trim on the front console a bit more seeing that this is in the category of a luxury vehicle. The handling is quite responsive for such a heavy vehicle of it's class and power is more than adequate for most highway passing environments. The XC may not be the vehicle for all prospective buyers, but more than fits the bill for anyone wishing to purchase a vehicle that offers luxury, cargo space, handling, utilitarianism, and safety features all in a complete package that most SUV's don't. The acid test will be the cold and snowy Canadian winters and harsh road conditions.

Similar Products Used:

Subaru H6 3.0 - Terrific car, but did not offer the interior cargo and roof carrying capacity that the Volvo did.

Overall a very nice car

At day 5 of ownership the engine shut down while I was driving 70 MPH, I had to coast to the shoulder

WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. After my car shut down at 70 MPH I did a web search. There were at least two other cases just like this reported by other XC owners. This seems to be a SERIOUS problem Volvo hasn't gotten around to acknowledging yet. This could prove to be a fatal mechanical failure in rush hour traffic.

Similar Products Used:

None

Well engineered, good handling, sure-footed handling in snow, comfortable, ample storage space for small items.

Poorly constructed with inferior parts. During the 3 years I have driven the car, it has been in the shop more times than my last 3 cars combined!

My car has been plagued with faulty: (1) digital motor electronics (constantly dealing with check engine lights), (2) keyless entry, (3) power seat, (4) rear seat release hardware (cheap plastic parts), (4) lights, (5) fan system, (6) sunroof, (7) etc. Almost too much to recall, much less list. I could look back at my stack of service orders, but that would remind me of the countless hours I have wasted returning the car to the dealer for repairs.

When my 3-year lease expires in 2 months, I will gladly return the car to Volvo Finance, and will not consider another Volvo for some time. I have met other V70 XC AWD owners who have experienced many of the same problems, so I am sure that my experience is not the exception.

Similar Products Used:

No direct comparison, as this is my first wagon. But, my last vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I drove for 5 years with very few repairs/warranty visits to the dealer.

Good power, growling engine, solid feel, a monster in the snow, holds plenty, and has great (!) sound system. Despite its appearance (your friends may kid you about having a wagon - mine do) this is a well-made, strong performing car that behaves well in all weather conditions (especially in snow with winter tires). Has about the same interior room as a Toyota 4Runner, but unlike clumsy, gas-guzzling SUVs, this car is fast and handles well.

No significant problems in 3 years of ownership (which includes Canadian winters). Minor complaints: firm ride, occasional rattling from rear seat assembly (which dealer still hasn't fixed), ignition cylinder broke, wafer thin wheel well storage space, narrow and flimsy cupholders (won't hold more than a Dixie cup), windshield washer spray turrets tend to clog alot.

Volvo wagons are renowned for good reason. This is a very good car for those who want decent all-weather performance, reliability, safety, and carrying capacity without emptying the vault for a Mercedes (ridiculously priced - for wannabes only), Audi, or BMW wagon. Go with the T-5 if you want real speed. Large families (4+ people) may find it a little too small.

Similar Products Used:

Volvo 780 - it was underpowered compared to the V70. Volkswagen Passat Wagon - too small compared to the Volvo.

Great traction in snow and wet. Very comfortable front seats. Lots of room in the wagon/trunk area. Cool headlight washers. Nice trip info, mpg etc.

Gas mileage, it gets what it said, or close, but was hoping city was not so dreadful.

I think its a great, comfortable, quiet, safe car. I have had no problems with the vehicle, and I have about 22,ooo on it now. I will be selling it however because I cannot ethically abide the low gas mileage, being an environmentalist and all. I will probably get a subaru outback like my husbands.

Similar Products Used:

Volvo 95 850glt. Honda wagon, Acura, Toyota, Subaru

Safety, comfortable seats, large cargo space, remote control garage access

wind noise at highway speeds, engine won't start intermittently

I bought the car because I thought it was a good deal, but now I think that I made a big mistake. I've had this car for 3 weeks with less than 700 miles on it, and we have already had to take it to the dealer twice because the car won't start. Therefore, it doesn't seem like such a good price paid for it when I can't rely on the car to start. I'd have rather spent more money and gotten a RELIABLE luxury car. Conclusion: don't waste your money on this car.

Similar Products Used:

BMW 325i: very reliable and a kick to drive; wish I'd bought another BMW

Great acceleration (after 10mph), awesome handling, versatile luggage space. Looks great in Tahoe with skis on.

Front cup holders could be better. Seat warmers get too hot. Fuel efficiency lower than stated.

My requirements for a new car were safety, room for two kids (& strollers & bikes etc.) and a dog, a degree of luxury for the front passengers and some kick-*ss performance. I picked the Volvo because it came closest to providing all of the above. The handling is terrific especially on high-speed emergency lane changes. Power is ample and the ride is VERY comfortable.

excellent pickup-we live at over 6000 feet elevation and the turbo is worthwhile-at sea level it is great for getting out into traffic.

Loud road noise, very average quality to some components. dents easily, cup holders brake. More than our share of minor repairs. MOST IMPORTANT-the Warranty is practically worthless and Volvo has no internal complaint resolution procedure that I can find to handle this.

The frame came unbolted in an inaccessable spot. To repair the problem cost over $1000 and Volvo would not acknowledge this as a defect and refused to fully cover the repair because it was an "adjustment". Their Warrany booklet describes "adjustments" as "minor repairs not usually associated with the replacement of parts..." I don't see anything over $1000 and requiring disassembly of the underside of the car as being an adjustment. They agreed to pay half to preserve good relations, but as I see it they should have paid all.

Similar Products Used:

I also have an Audi A=6 and will soon sell the Volvo to get a second A-6 which is a superior car at about the same price.