Year of Volvo XC70

The Volvo V70 is a mid-size five-door station wagon / estate manufactured by Volvo Cars since 1996 — and closely related to the S70, S60 and S80 saloons as well as the more stylized four-wheel drive Cross Country (XC) and XC70.

Since its inception, the V70 has evolved through three generations — notably, the second generation designed by Peter Horbury.

Over 80% of V70s are sold in Europe, one third in Sweden. The Volvo V70 has been the best selling car in Sweden for many years.[citation needed]

The original V70 was a development of the Volvo 850 station wagon and sedan series. The new name reflected Volvo's new strategy of naming vehicles depending on size and body style. Thus, the 850 was deemed to be a relative size 70. The name is then appended with the type of vehicle. So the station wagon adopted V (for Versatility), S (for Saloon) and C (for the new Coupé); these cars are respectively known as V70, S70 and C70. There were 1,800 improved and new parts in the design from the original 850, including upgraded passive and active safety, better handling and new engines. Gone were the 850's square edges and replaced by rounded corners to suit the late 90s style trend. Other changes included a new 'family face' for the V/ S/ C70 models, colour coded bumpers, clear indicator lenses, and a new dashboard fascia and materials. However on the whole, one could say the car was similar to its predecessor, but nevertheless, a successful facelift.

First generation variants

Volvo's variant badging of their cars in this period is complex due to the vast array of models and equipment packages on offer; this policy was adopted because Volvos were seen to be a car that would suit a wide spectrum of the public, thus a vast choice of models and packages was available to suit the most specific customer. In its most basic form, the model line up consisted of Torslanda — named after its assembly plant, Torslandaverken — SE and CD.

Option packages included:

• Sports - with alloy wheels, rear spoiler, and fog lamps.
• Comfort - child seat, air conditioning or electric sunroof, and trip computer.
• Luxury - leather upholstery with electric driver's seat, climate control and cruise control, and wood fascia trim.
• Estate - roof rails, self-levelling rear suspension, and luggage net.
• Winter - headlamp wash/ wipe, heated front seats and traction control.
• Design - red wood/ leather steering wheel, red wood-effect trim, and leather upholstery.