All-wheel drive system means I don't fear forcasts of snow or even ice. Most safety features available back in 1998-1999, and still right up there with even the new BMWs and Mercedes. Great performance from the turbo engine. If you think I'm slow becuase it's a Volvo, you're in for a rude surprise. My head goes into the rest when the turbo kicks in. Excellent quality interior, with minor exceptions. The leather seats are the most comfortable of any I've ever ridden in. The Volvo styling is (was) distinctive, which sets it apart from all the Japanese and American blob-mobiles. This car has been basically problem-free for two years and 33,000 miles. To be honest, I was expecting high maintenance costs in exchange for the safety, but that has not been the case at all.

Heavy AWD system cuts into gas mileage. Routine maintenance is pricey. The brake pads wear quickly, but then I'm in stop and go (mostly stop) DC beltway driving right now.

An excellent sport sedan, and much more reliable than I had hoped. I bought this car for the safety features Volvo is famous for and the security of an all-wheel drive system. So far I'm as happy as can be. Last winter the S70 climbed right up icy inclines while other cars (and even SUVs) were sliding backwards off the road. Many people seem to be having problems with their S70s, which amazes me. Either mine was built by Volvo's master mechanic or other people are picky about little things I don't notice. Yes, the full-power DRLs burn through low-beam bulbs quickly. I now carry a couple in my trunk just in case. Takes 5 minutes to replace them. I went through the turn signal socket problems, but Volvo replaced them with no questions. I bought this car in San Antonio TX and have had it serviced in Midland TX and Alexandria VA. I have been extremely impressed and pleased with service at all three places, which tells me Volvo service must be generally very good nationwide. Loaners are provided without question or charge, and work is done quickly and explained well. There is never a hassle. I complaied that my radio knob was flaking, so one dealership REPLACED THE WHOLE RADIO. If BMW and Mercedes service are supposed to be better than this, I expect they must me providing manicures and massages while you wait. Otherwise, I can't see how it could get better.

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Nothing to compare. My first four-door sedan.

Attractive Exterior. Great snow traction. Comfortable seats. Versatile cargo area. Good safety equipment.

* Quality and reliability of parts has been incredibly poor. I have replaced countless bulbs in front(there is a Volvo bulb socket recall by the NHTSA just announced) and a number of misc. components simply failed or were found to be defective. These components in just the first year included: two sets of warped front brake rotors, two failed radio speakers, failed power doorlocks, failed windshield sprayer motor, erratic dash warning lights, and stuck seat belt buckle. In addition, the sheetmetal on the doors is so thin that even very slight parking lot "hits" by other drivers opening their doors cause deep round dents.

It has been a comfortable and very useful automobile for my wife and two kids so far but I don't think I will purchase another Volvo based on the number of times I have had to take this wagon to our dealer for repairs. I don't think I will keep this wagon beyond the warranty term. I have since met many of my Volvo owning neighbors and they all talk about how their Volvo cars have never required a towtruck but do require a lot of visits to the dealer for odd repairs. Overall, I am very disappointed in the quality of the components Volvo has assigned to their cars. I would recommend that families remember to look at Toyota and Honda minivans if they are considering a Volvo wagon. I think that is what we will do in a couple of years when the warranty is done.

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None

- good performace
- comfortable seats
- quit interior
- big interior (so you can sit and relax like at home)
- good Audio system
- nice dashboard
- safety

- no RTI system available in North America (Navigation System)

This is an excellent car for anyone who wants to be safe in a car, who want to have a car with great performance. By upgrading this engine from 236hp to 280 hp you can go 0-60 mph from 7.0 sec to 5.4 sec
Very good car for long trips, five passangers or four passangers and a dog. Once you drive VOLVO, you will NOT want to have another car!!! The second car I will be buying is 2002 V70 R!

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- Audi A4 (2.8), A6 (base)
- BMW 3-series and 528i
- Mercedes-Benz C-class
- Saab 900

With a 6'4" frame, the 850 was the only car that provided leg room both in the seat and the footwell. Handling and ride similar to my 535i, just missing the guts of the M530 engine. Solid car, currently pushing 108K miles.

GLT could use 10 more hp !

For $27,500, this has been a solid performer. Wife drives a Maxima. When we go on long trips, the 850 is the road car. We ran Chicago to Dallas in 13 hours last year, at 85 mph the car just gets into a cruising zone and run all day like that of a BMW. As with our other previous Volvos, we should be dial up 250K miles in this one also.

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BMW 535i, Ford Tarus, Maxima, 240DL, 740 GLE

Sturdy structure, very high quality leather upholstry, high quality paint finish, excellent build quality. This example was assembled in Belgium.

Normally asperated 5-cylinder engine is buzzy and rather lazy. Quirky handling due to small wheels and tires. Transmission torque converter lock-up delay was very annoying. Typical European car brake dust mess on front wheels.

Ownership of this Volvo was an unpleasant experience. Due to it's design, The car had an awkward, sluggish feel on the road. I found it particularly annoying to drive in the give-and-take of fast, heavy freeway traffic. However, doing business with the Dealer's service department was by far the worst part of my Volvo ownership experience. Never again.

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My '98 acura CL-2.3 was equally annoying to drive. Nevertheless, the dealer's service department could actually service and repair it properly. And the front wheels stayed clean for a while after I washed them.

And engine that pull harder then a Teenager in the Bathroom, Great Q-ship Looks, Lovly interior, Comfy seats, safe as a house

Price

This is the best car I have owned, and that includes, a couple of Porches and BMW sports! this car is a ICBM that destroys all but 30 other cars on the road in Australia. I kill all the Bevens in Comodores at the lights, and yet my wife can drive the car and the kids to school without any hassle

This is the best way to drive

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BMW, MErcedes, Saab, Audi, Porche

0-60 in 6.1 Seconds, 238 Horsepower, Awsome Sound, Low Maint, Best Seats in Any Car, Good Gas Consumption, VERY Safe, A Step Away from "Boxy" Exterior... etc.

Except for bulbs which burn out rather quickly, this is an incredible car!

I have owned many cars (see above), and aside from the significantly more expensive BMW's, no other car compares. After reading the other reviews it's hard to beleive we're talking about the same car; what the hell are you doing to your Volvo's to create so many problems? After putting 40k miles on my S70 I've replaced some light bulbs and that's it! Not a single squeak or rattle. The ride is far from harsh, I've had the suspension tightened and it's still smoother than the BMW's. Underpowered?!?! Are you guys nuts? The turbo 238 horsepower engine has a 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. VERY few cars under 40k even come close to this speed. This is frankly the safest, most powerful, and reliable car you will ever drive in this price range; or any other!

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'94 850 Turbo Sedan, '95 850 Turbo Wagon, 2001 V70 T-5, '99 C70 T-5, VW Beetle '99, Lexus ES300, BMW 3 and 5 series... (I've been through many cars)

Seats are very comfortable for long rides. Trunk is roomy.
Safety - a tank.

frequent visits to dealer mostly with check light engine light.
expensive regular maintenance.

after putting 180k on 1979 740gl, i expected the similar kind of car from volvo. boy, am i dissapointed :(. granted it runs fast, safe etc.
but it is EXPENSIVE to maintain. almost every trip of 5K maintenance is costing me 2-3 bills. i was used to spend the same on the old car., but even the new car?

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audi, mb

Quick acceleration, very comfortable seats and excellent automatic climate controls with different setting for driver and passenger.

Squeaks and rattles everywhere, worst on the moon roof and you get different squeaks and rattles as seasons changed. The 4 fifteen inches tires are too skinny for a car with 190hp, handling is tippy at turns. The 4 Michelin tires have very poor traction, even in Summner, ABS engaged frequently as a result. Fit and finish is below average comparing to other imports. Very noisy engine. It doesn't matter how fast I drive, a lot of people would make their effort to overtake me only because I am driving a Volvo, I guess people would think Volvo drivers are slow.....

My S70 GLT has been reliable so far, apart from little problems. After owning a Subaru, noting seems to be causing my concern. As long as there is not major mechanical problem, then I am happy on owning this car as I bought it more for the Volvo's reputation on safety. Its 190hp turbo engine makes it a real fun to drive.

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Acura Integra, Subaru Legacy Outback
Acura was more reliable, Subaru was real piece of crap, I bought it brand new and it came with a transmission defect that the dealer could not managed to fix.

Incredible safety features - they saved my life!!!
Excellent acceleration
Extremely comfortable seats - even better than my 1996 Lexus LS400
Good stereo system
Nice leather steering wheel
Rear seats fold down - convenient for moving larger loads without having to buy a station wagon
Maintenance costs reasonable for a luxury car
Front wheel drive - handles very well in the snow

Many squeaks and rattles
Car is not airtight - can hear some road noise
Dashboard sits a bit too much over your knees (see review summary below)
Harsh ride - you can feel the road too much - you expect to feel the road a little, but not this much!

I purchased the car used from Powell Volvo in Scottsdale, and had problems with the alignment. It turns out the car was in an accident before I purchased it, and the dealer never told me (I don't know if they knew about the accident.)

I was later involved in a very serious accident that totaled my Volvo. A man driving a 1985 Chevy Caprice Classic (a huge car made of pure steel) ran a red light and broad-sided the passenger side of my car traveling at 70 miles per hour. My face went into the airbag, and my safety belt kept me safely in place. I was relatively uninjured, except that my knees slammed into the dashboard. I had to have knee surgery as a result of the injury. Although the car was totaled, the body of the vehicle was in good shape given that the size and speed of the vehicle that hit me. Most other
vehicles would have been reduced to scrap metal after that type of collision.

I am incredibly thankful that I was driving a Volvo during my accident -
I'm certain I'm alive because of it (and God's mercy.) The car did what it claims to do - converts from an automobile into a safety cage in the event of an accident. Many lives would be saved each year if other car manufacturers followed Volvo's lead by putting safety first.

I decided not to buy another Volvo because a new S70 T-5 cost $37,000 in 1999, and I was able to buy a pre-certified Lexus LS400 with only 15,000 miles on it for $38,000. The dashboard on the Lexus doesn't sit right above my knees, so I don't have to worry about re-injuring myself if I'm involved in another serious accident. Overall, the Volvo is a good value highlighted by comfort, performance, safety and reasonable maintenance costs.

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1996 Lexus LS400 is a much nicer car overall - smoother, quieter, more luxurious. But the Lexus is rear wheel drive, so it's not good in the snow. Volvo's acceleration is much better than the Lexus, and Volvo's leather seats are more comfortable. Volvo's rear seats also fold down, making it more practical than the Lexus. Volvo's maintenance costs are much cheaper than Lexus.