Re: New V70 Undisguised in Latest Spy Photos (VolvoMax)
Extra room - not (I've got more usable seating and cargo room in my V70 than an Explorer)
Higher ride height = higher cg (rollover) = higher cd (mileage penalty)
Driving an SUV or wannabe SUV because you'd rather not be seen in a wagon - great, just what we need is some more vehicles that suck more gas, have less utility, are less maneuverable and more prone to roll-overs, and despite their step-up height can't manage to fit 3 kids across in the back seat.
I put a challenge out - find a vehicle that will sit a family of 5 comfortably, 6 or 7 in a pinch, gets high-20s or better mileage in real life driving.
Currently your option is the V70 or the 4cyl Highlander 7-pax version (if you can find one - hope you have better luck than me). The hybrid Highlander gets 22-23mpg real-life, btw.
I'll bet that the new 08 V70 will have an "uprated" base motor to replace the mere 168hp of the 2.4 (BTW, my "sporty" '71 142E was pretty close in weight and had 135hp), and the mpg will drop, all while giving a more acute peak to the pyramid made between the cg and footprints.
If Volvo wants to maintain their "social/global responsibility" status, stop spending so much soy ink on telling us how much the radiator coating on the V8-powered XC90 helps the environment and turn out a 2.0L V70 (or AT LEAST give us a 6th gear on the 2.4) that will get 30+mpg highway while driving in style. Or even better, when low-sulphur diesel hits the streets here, a D5 that gets ~50mph on the interstate.
Rant off.
