Volvo XC70 (2007 - 2016) D5 (215bhp) SE Lux (Sat Nav) 5d Geartronic Owner Review

This is the best and most practical car I have ever owned. Plus points: * Safety equipment is exceptional. I have City Safety with collision avoidance, it has saved me my insurance bonus once and saved someone else theirs once as well. * It is quiet and very comfortable on long journeys. * It pulls like a train, and the AWD makes trailer towing a breeze. * Legendary Volvo 5-pot diesel with 215bhp. * Infotainment is very good, including on-board WiFi hotspot and iPod connection * Satnav mpas can be updated via USB, no more paying for DVDs like in the old days. * Highly automated: adaptive cruise, rain sensing wipers, automatic dipping lights and so on. * Classy interior with loads of space. * Excellent service from Waylands Volvo in Reading Minus points: * The AWD makes it rather thirsty (average 34mpg over all journeys from new, but I do drive briskly and I have a fuel card so haven't really tried to improve it). * Blond leather upholstery is a bugger to maintain. * A niggle with the tailgate control module took a while to fix. * Engine is a bit rumbly round town - in fact this is not a town car, though the traffic following in adaptive cruise softens the blow. This is my eighth Volvo, and the first I bought new - I paid nearly 10k less than list and it is astounding value. I routinely drive long journeys (500 miles plus in a day) and I also tow a trailer quite often. It has taken my son to university and to Sandhurst with all the usual clutter, moved the staging and lights for a choir of 50, towed a trailer with a 1 tonne bag of aggregate many times, and been a faithful servant in every way.