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The Volvo XC70 was all new for 2008, meaning that everything from its engine to the interior to the basic architecture of its chassis has changed. The exterior design changed, too, and while its basic character is familiar Volvo, the XC70 looks smarter than before. Relatively speaking, additional changes for 2009 are minimal.The XC70 is built on Volvo's large car platform introduced with the 2007 S80 sedan. (The previous XC70 shared its underpinnings with the intermediate S60 sedan.) The important point is that the XC70 has more in common with the line-topping S80 than it does with the mid-size S60. It's longer and wider than the previous XC70 (by 4.2 and 0.1 inches, respectively) and rides on a two-inch-longer wheelbase, opening up more room inside. In overall length and width this newest XC70 closely matches a BMW 5 Series wagon, albeit on a wheelbase that's still 3 inches shorter. The Volvo is lighter than the Bimmer, but by less than 100 pounds. The XC70 body is nearly identical to that of the Volvo V70, which fills the role of a more conventional road-going wagon in the Volvo lineup. Both were developed with Volvo's attention to impact-dissipating crumple zones, and both have fully laminated glass. The only unique XC70 structural feature is an extra lower front crossbeam, added to account for its higher ride height in an impact. The latest styling is Volvo evolution, but it's smoother, less gangly and visually tighter than the pre-2008 XC70. In profile, the character line at the bottom of the windows rises a bit more dramatically, creating a more forward leaning, dynamic stance. The window pillars are blocked out, which makes all the windows look like a single element. The rear glass now angles forward toward the front of the car, rather than dropping cliff-like from the back edge of the roof, yet there's still there's a bit more cargo volume inside. The headlights and grille are larger, a bit more angular and more prominently defined. The XC70 has a soft plastic nose painted to match the body, rather than the full, dark-vinyl mask worn on the earlier version. The lower bumper is dark vinyl, with intake-like cutouts for the foglights; below it, the silver-colored skid has been widened and shaped more aerodynamically. There's a lot of dark, impact-resistant cladding around the bumpers and along the rockers. From the rear, the XC70's hexagonal shape reminds us of the C30 coupe. The tail lights are large enough and bright enough to do Las Vegas proud, and the rear glass window extends down lower than the side windows to improve rearward visibility. The hydraulically operated power tailgate is handy if you approach the back of this car with arms loaded, and it keeps hands cleaner if the tailgate is coated with grime.
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