TL;DR: it’s been great!
2014 XC70 T6 Platinum w/ 60,000 miles. Bought it last August. Seller had owned it since new, very nice guy and very knowledgeable and conscientious about his car. It really was immaculate and I knew I was in good hands when he was telling me about his twice-a-year leather care regimen – I don’t know if I will be as dedicated!
My previous car was a 2015.5 V60 T6 R-Design (6-cylinder).Only had it for two years and 8k miles. Fantastic car for what it was, but life circumstances changed, and I wanted something a bit bigger, more practical, a smidge more ground clearance, but still very ‘Volvo.’ Enter the XC70…
We live in the city but are avid skiers, so the XC will see a lot of highway and mountain driving and it’s been fantastic thus far – really everything we’d hoped for.
Likes: the seats, the feeling of solidity, heated steering wheel, the passing power, the versatility, the comfort, the stereo, the decidedly relaxed and de-stressing vibe I get behind the wheel.
Dislikes: City mileage. Pricey maintenance. As would be expected, all the nifty ‘Bleeding Edge’ tech circa 2014 is now quirky, outdated, occasionally bothersome tech in 2023. (I’m looking at you, over-sensitive Collision Alert system!)
Mods and maintenance done since purchasing: winter steelies + tires, roof rack, hitch rack. New struts for the rear hatch.
I’m also looking for a good iPhone holder – what do people like? Maybe something that uses the CD slot?
More significantly: I’m still deliberating over adding Polestar + IPD Swaybar. My V60 had it and it was a certifiable rocket. OTOH, this XC70 is of course a different beast. The T6 is already plenty powerful for when I need it, and it seems like endowing this thing with even more torque is not going to change the reality of it being a Big Ol’ Swedish Lay-Z-boy, and I kinda love it for that! I’m also concerned Polestar will ultimately lead to worse MPG. Anyway, TBD.
Cheers!
Dan
