Comfort,safety, brakes are very good. Local dealership has been first rate. Great highway cruiser

cup holders are ridiculous, Daytime running lights are for idiots, read the manual, you can turn them off and save your bulbs. Front overhang is a bit long and periodically scrapes upon entry of steep driveways. One day the CD player would not accept a CD, dealer fixed it. Gas filler on Passenger side. Pricey if you go for the awd versions- just get dedicated snow tires and save performance, mpg and repair costs, who had awd growing up? and we are all still alive to talk about it...amazing.

We wanted something solid, comfortable, safe, yet something that can get out of it's own way on the highway. We also wanted something "different" I had a BMW that was reliable but the little parts that went were uncalled for and the prices were sickening, I also did not like the snob factor. Saabs seemed long in the tooth and Audi reliability is a question mark. We loved our previous Hondas and Toyotas but they had about as much soul as
a dead squid. We also did need need 0-60 in 5 seconds, we would use that feature as much as most people use the 4wd on their SUV's, well maybe a little more....

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None

Exceptional Turbo Speed on Highways, VERY FAST. Most comfortable seats on any car any make or model. Ample room, more than the BMW 5 series, or most all Japanese cars. Big on the inside, small on the outside.

Some Turbo Lag in the city

Excellent car. A little tight in the suspension but advantages at highway speeds and cornering. Sometimes bumpy on rough city roads at low speeds. When the Turbo kicks in on the highways, you can feel the Gs it puts you back in your seat. Sometimes when you catch the timing just right, it will shoot off like a rocket. Smooth quiet ride at any speed. Not the best for city driving due to Turbo lag, that is, if you want to race down highway streets cutting in and out like a little Honda Civic, it doesn't work. Excellent breaks!

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BMW 520, Saab 9-5, VW Passat

Sleeker styling than previous Volvos, safety rating, overall handling (especially in sharp turns), European feel...

Numerous minor problems requiring service in the first two years (power window motors replaced, door hinges rewelded, battery dead at less than 5000 miles, various lights and blinkers replaced, power antenna motor bad); today it is in the shop because the engine quits immediately after starting (probably more "warranty work"), 5 cylinder engine is very sluggish on quick take off (dangerously so), lots of "wind" noises from everywhere, brakes need replacing too frequently...

I love the styling of the car, inside and out, and generally like the way it handles. I feel more "in control" of the car then with the Japanese cars I've always driven. I went with a Volvo this time due mainly to its safety rating and the new, sleeker appearance of the S70 than previous models. I have been unpleasantly surprised, however, with the number of "minor" problems I've experienced with car in only two years. It seems that shortly following each scheduled maintenance visit, some new quirky problem arises that sends me back to the service department for "warranty work." I've listed some of these in the "weaknesses" section of my review. I really want to "love" this car and possibly drive another one some day, but the more problems I encounter, the less comfortable I feel about it.

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Acura 2.5TL - reliability and 5 cylinder performance superior to the S70, interior of the Acura is plusher than the Volvo. However, Volvo's European "in touch with the road" handling is superior to the Acura.

Square body style and straight sides give maximum interior room
Plenty of power with turbo
Smooth, traditional rear-wheel drive handling
Very comfortable seats
Excellent build quality. All plastic interior parts are still holding together (except tailgate panel)
Excellent paint

Turbo is an unneccesary moving part: I got a good deal, what can i say!?
Plastic panel on inside of tailgate door was designed by a moron, won't stay together
Electric driver's door (not on this car but previous 740 sedan) was a total piece of S***! Chair "froze" in a contorted position. Over $1200 bones to fix Stick to manual chair controls
Gas mileage could be better: Averages 21. Damn turbo!
These are picky things, overall, the car has been the most reliable I've owned.

This car has been very reliable. Bought in 1998 with 65k. Runs solid, very few squeaks, rattles, rumbles. Volvo's build quality is very high, at least with the 740s and 240s. I've got 96k now and look forward to the next 100k! Rear wheel drive has always been Volvo's strong point. Just as they perfected it, they dumped it all to switch to front-wheel drive. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. I replaced the turbo at 90k. Previous owner had a lead foot. Only other repairs: New timing belt at 70k. Belt broke on freeway. One of the few cars which can survive a timing belt breakage. Many others would have major engine damage. Overdrive relay replaced, shift-interlock relay replaced. Rear fuel pump and master brake master cylinder replaced, probably unnecesarily. Won't use that mechanic again. Ridiculously fast performance when turbo kicks in. This old wagon can give Mustangs a run for their money off a green light! This wagon is about the perfect combo of medium size and roominess. For longevity, don;t recommend turbos--another moving part to fix. Plenty of comfort for five person family and small dog, with a plethora of storage space. Who the hell needs a Suburban anyway? Rear wheel drive has kept me out of more trouble than AWD, Front wheel Drive or 4wd. Why? Because I don't go looking for trouble with a rear-wheel drive car. Overall this Volvo has been very reliable and has only just reached half of it's life. I highly recommend this car for families who don't want to climb a ladder to get into an SUV. What happened to the station wagon? Highly recommend NOT buying a turbo model. If you want to be Racer Boy, get a Mustang! I would avoid the brand new Volvos, and all front wheel drive models. The 940 is a fine deal (not available new any longer) as is the 740 if you're careful and have your mechanic check it out. I feel that Volvo broke something that wasn't broken by discontinuing their rearl-wheel drive, highly successful, product line. They tried several times in the late 80's and early 90's to discontinue the aging 240 series. Each time there was a public outcry, and they'd run another model year of them. Finally dropped the 240 in '93 or '94 I think. The 740/940 are just about the best all-around mid-size wagons. With proper care, the Volvo 4 cylinder in the old 240s and 740s can run well past $200k, even with a turbo. No wonder customers screamed when they were dropped. Hopefully Volvo has got it right with the new 70 series. Volvo was always known as a very conservative car maker, who built long-lasting cars. They were proud of that. Why they would drop real-wheel drive, their bread and butter, seems to be a bad move in my mind. Maybe Ford has taken control of their management and is determined to build garbage Volvos to match the garbage Fords they put out! I would not buy another Volvo until they prove their reliabilty with all these radical design changes. Th mid to late 90s FWD models were awful, that's why the major redesing with the 70 series. I heard that their little model is built by Mitsubishi. Sheesh, I hope not!

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Ford Taurus (I don't recommend front wheel drive American Cars, unreliable over the long haul) Volvo has harsher ride, but much better build quality
2001 Volvo V70. Volvo's new front wheel drive large wagon. Seemed to built well, but I would steer clear of new models. Volvo hasn't been making Front-wheel drive for very long. Let the suckers buy the new, un-proven models, then pick 'em up used for a song! :)
Chevrolet Tahoe. Where do I start? I've had very bad experiences with every GM car I have owned. The tahoe is best used for a Viking Funeral, just load it up, torch it, and float it out to sea.
Mazda MPV van. A great idea, but the older models had problems. New front wheel drive version is very roomy for a small wheel base and not a bad deal. I like being lower and the Volvo 740 will keep me alive should I wrap around a tree or a flaming Tahoe!

Engine, tranny, suspension, safety features, comfort.

Burns oil, poor door design, poor electrical MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure).

The '94 850 (non-turbo) is a cruiser -- it's great on the freeway and long trips in general. The engine, tranny, and ride are smooth. We had numerous electrical problems with our car over the years i.e., several different relays failed at different times. The engine always burned oil -- from day one. The door stops will break if you don't keep them lubricated properly and tightened. There were times when I was ready to dump the car but I have to say it never quit on us when it counted. The car was totaled by a near front end collision this year (2001). It probably saved my families lives by steering perfectly with full brake application at 70 MPH and air bag deployment; eventhough, the impact was not fully frontal.

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The seats are second to none the best,T5 very quick,great sound system,dependable,comfortable,lots of leg room front and back,acceleration,looks,styling,handling,safety,safety,safety.

Slight turbo lag,slight road noise,spongy brakes,headlight bulbs replace quite often.

A blast to drive, a very safe and comfortable car to dive, the seats are comfortable.I bought the car for the safety features and spend a lot of time on the highway daily. After 22 years of driving with no accidents ,I was involved in one on the interstate last December. I was stopped in traffic and was rear ended by a Porsche doing 70 mph and in turn I rear ended the car in front of me.The car did what it was suppose to do and turned into a safety cage. I walked away un harmed, no whip lash, no broken bones. I felt great afterwards and only had a slight headache. I think I was more upset that car was wrecked. $12,000 later the car is up and running again, they did a great job fixing, but its still not the same. I would highly recommend this car for teens,wifes and someone who puts safety first.My lease is up and I have looked at other cars but you still can't beat the volvo value.

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S4 Audi & M3,S70 more room and just as fast.

Safety, styling, drivetrain (indestructable in all Volvos)You can't kill them, avg car life is said to be between 20-25 years of daily use. To date, I've owned three and my 1984 is still going strong with 200/k miles.

Brake dust, bulbs, engine noise

Nice looking and driving car. Engine noise is quite apparent which are not in other car companies makes and models. I have the repair history and nothing really to worry about so far. However, I've had to replace numerous bulbs to the front turn signals and the rear tail light assemblies. I did have recall work which seemed to clear up the front bulb problem, but not the rear. This car is very responsive (engine wise)in comparison to the 1990 760 turbo I owned previously. I've had good luck with my dealership which is one of the reasons I own a Volvo. Good professional, quality consious, service. Although Ford now owns Volvo, if they mess with this particular area of client/customer relations they may as well sell it back to the Swedes because it will never be tolerated in the 30-40/k price catagory.

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Volkswagon Jetta. It's like night and day. Id stack up any Volvo I've owned against that product.