Matters

Toying with the idea of getting a new Volvo XC70 or the V70. Anyone own one of these? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

I drove the XC70 3.2 litre and it was very similar to the ES300 in the way it drives - a bit ponderous but relaxing. Anyway the wife likes it.

Funny thing was that the dealer offered me $7000 AUD (Australian dollars) off the retail price right off the bat. Given that it was $67k on the road (incl taxes) normally, so $60k ($39k USD) was a pretty significant discount.

The catch is that if I want the xenons, electric tailgate, BLIS and all the options I want it adds about $12k to the bottom line. Which is $72k AUD ($47k USD). That's a bit pricey methinks!!

Anyway, my other thought is to wait for the new RX. But that's going to be significantly more. Hmmm....what dya guys reckon?

pbm317

It's definitely a comfortable car. Do you have the turbo version available in Australia?

It's pricey, but at least here in America, Volvo is pushing big incentives to move the cars.

mmarshall

Check out an upper-level Subaru Outback before you make a decision on an XC-70. It is the same basic type of vehicle, has an even better and more proven AWD system (Volvo uses Haldex units), and sells for about 20K less (in American dollars.....don't know how that translates to Australian money). It doesn't quite equal the Volvo's crash resistance/safety features, but is notably better-than-average in that area.

I drive and review a lot of new cars....and, in general, nothing else on the road (in the American market) impresses me with its value for the money that Subaru does, though some Honda vehicles are also way up there.

Matters

Thanks guys.

Yeah, they are discounting here too. I went to the showroom and there was no one there. It was like Lehman Bros HQ down there!!!

MMarshall, thanks for your feedback mate. I like the Subaru a lot - if it were my choice I would definitely gone that way. But the Wife found the interior a bit old looking. I think also, to be frank, that she has a bit brand snobbery against Subaru. Also, it has been out for a while and I don't want to buy an Outback and be stuck with an old model 6 months later. Do you know if a new one is coming out soon?

mmarshall

In the American market, a new Outback will be introduced next year...possibly with a first-time diesel option. I'm not impressed with the new Forester, though.....I hope Subaru doesn't cheapen the new 2010 Outback like the Forester was.

There is reason to consider the XC-70, of course, if you want the utmost in safety and crash resistance (though the Outback ranks way up there too)...it's just that the XC-70, like Audi's All-Road, is a lot more money for basically the same type of car.

Ford also does a slightly larger competitor....the AWD Taurus X wagon, which undercuts the XC-70's price, but I don't know if it is available in Australia.



And, last, for what an XC-70 costs, Audi and BMW also do AWD wagons, but I don't know how many of them are available in Australia, and none of the regular BMW AWD wagons have the ground clearance an XC-70 does (the BMW X3 and X5 do, but they are SUV's.

I'm not saying don't buy an XC-70 (that's a decision you and your wife will have to make, of course), but I just want to show you some of your options.