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- Retractable hardtop
- Handsome styling
- Comfort
- Interior design
- Safety features and strong crash-test results
- Large trunk (with top up)
- Unexceptional performance and handling
- "Numb" electric steering feel
- Small rear seat
- Small trunk (with top down)
Free Price Quote for 2009 Volvo C70Reviews say the Volvo C70 can't compete with the curve-hugging speed of the top-rated BMW 3 Series convertible (*Est. $44,550 to $50,700). But the Volvo offers luxury for less, and experts say it's one of the safest, most comfortable and practical convertibles you can buy.
The C70 convertible also looks "sexy" and has "panache," reviews say, unlike the usual sedate Volvo styling. A retractable hardtop keeps the cabin quiet, and a glass rear window provides good visibility. Inside the nonallergenic, air-filtered cabin, testers find clean lines, with Volvo's signature "floating waterfall" center stack and aluminum or optional light oak inlays.
The seats are very comfortable, reviews say, upholstered in either the standard combination of leather and stain-resistant Flex-Tec neoprene or optional full leather. The Volvo C70 offers more front and rear legroom than most luxury convertibles, including the BMW 3 Series, but critics say the backseat is still only sized for small adults. The C70 gets a nearly sedan-size trunk at almost 13 cubic feet, but that space shrinks down to 6 cubic feet with the top stowed. Testers say that's still enough room for a couple of golf bags.
The front-wheel-drive Volvo C70 doesn't handle as well as its rear-wheel-drive rivals, experts say. It doesn't accelerate as quickly, either, with 227 horsepower from its 2.5-liter, five-cylinder, turbocharged engine. Still, reviews say power for the Volvo hardtop convertible is adequate, if not thrilling. Expect 21 mpg in combined driving with either transmission (18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway with the six-speed manual, 18 city and 26 mpg highway with the five-speed automatic). Interestingly for a convertible, the Volvo C70 is rated to tow 2,000 pounds.
Also rare for a convertible are the Volvo C70's side curtain airbags, part of a comprehensive safety package that help make the C70 one of the few Top Safety Pick convertibles in crash tests conducted at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Reviewers point out that the less expensive Volkswagen Eos (*Est. $31,615 to $35,200) also offers a retractable hardtop and is just as safe, but the Volvo is roomier and more reliable -- about average, according to dependability surveys. The Volvo C70 carries a four-year, 50,000 mile warranty.
The most thorough, test-based reviews of the Volvo C70 can be found at ConsumerReports.org and Edmunds.com. Reviews at Kelley Blue Book and Cars.com are shorter but are still based on expert testing. Although the U.S. government has not crash tested the Volvo C70, the nonprofit IIHS has. We found official fuel-economy estimates at FuelEconomy.gov and reliability ratings at J.D. Power and Associates.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Editors of ConsumerReports.org fully test the 2009 Volvo C70 and rank it against other convertibles in its class. Unlike most other sources, ConsumerReports.org surveys owners to find out how reliable the cars are. You must be a subscriber to read reports here.
Review: Volvo C70, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
2. Edmunds.com
The Volvo C70 isn't as agile as other luxury convertibles, testers here find. However, if you're simply looking for a pretty luxury convertible with a retractable hardtop, it's a "solid choice," editors say.
Review: 2009 Volvo C70 Review, Editors of Edmunds.com
The Volvo C70 makes the 2009 Recommended Shopping List at Kelley Blue Book. Although it's a relatively tame performer, Kelley Blue Book editors like its safety and versatile retractable hardtop.
Review: 2009 Volvo C70 Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book
4. Cars.com
Cars.com includes the Volvo C70 on its Best Bet list, calling it "arguably the best four-season convertible you can buy." Dislikes include an engine that is "a bit rough" and a small backseat.
Review: 2009 Volvo C70, Editors of Cars.com
5. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Volvo C70 is designated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as a Top Safety Pick. It gets "good" ratings in front, side and rear crash tests and includes electronic stability control as standard equipment.
Review: Midsize Convertibles, Editors of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
6. Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency posts fuel-economy estimates for most cars on the FuelEconomy.gov website. This chart provides estimates for the Volvo C70 and dozens of other subcompact cars.
Review: 2009 Subcompact Cars, Editors of the Environmental Protection Agency
J.D. Power and Associates presents car awards in many categories, but we find the reliability ratings -- based on extensive owner surveys -- to be the most useful. This page shows all ratings for the Volvo C70, including its slightly above-average dependability score.
Review: 2009 Volvo C70 Convertible, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates
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