2008 Volvo V70

2008 Volvo V70 takes positive steps toward puppy safety

Mon, Mar 17th 2008

The word on the street is that Volvo has taken DogCar safety very seriously in 2008. So it's no wonder that I was excited to drive Volvo's V70 station wagon.

My tail is still wagging.

Not only is the V70 a joy to drive -- smooth and quiet, with great power on the freeway and awesome traction on curvy mountain roads -- but it's also ahead of the game when it comes to canine safety.

From a DogCar perspective, the V70's most impressive features are the aluminum rails embedded into the rear cargo floor and the side walls of the cargo area. These built-in features make it easy for safety conscious dog lovers to properly secure crates and cages without having to search for that elusive answer to the question: "Where-do-I-hook-this-thing?"

The only DogCar drawback with the V70 is a major one: The lack of cargo space for large dog crates. The rear cargo width of 44 inches (inside the rear wheel wells) provides only enough room for a single medium-sized dog crate -- or two small ones. This may force big dog owners to look toward the larger, XC70 or XC90 models to satisfy their crate space needs.

But there’s no question that the V70 takes some positive puppy steps toward satisfying the safety and convenience needs of the dog-loving public.

- - Keith Turner

Carguy Comments: The 2008 all-new Volvo V70 is a station wagon that features a 3.2-liter V-6 engine producing 235 horsepower. Total cargo capacity with the seats down is 72.1 cubic feet, and there is 74 inches of total length in the cargo area with all seats folded flat. The height of the tailgate opening is 28 inches and cargo width is 44 inches between the rear wheel wells.

-- Keith Turner, The Family Car

2008 Volvo V70: Positive steps for puppy safety

Barking Lot Banter: The all-new 2008 Volvo V70 continues in the Swedish automaker’s tradition of combining a multitude of excellent dog-friendly safety and people-pleasing luxury features into a standard-size wagon.