Volvo V70

The Volvo V70 is a mid-size five-door station wagon / estate manufactured by Volvo Cars since 1996 — and closely related to the S70, S60 and S80 saloons as well as the more stylized four-wheel drive Cross Country (XC) and XC70.

Since its inception, the V70 has evolved through three generations — notably, the second generation designed by Peter Horbury.

Over 80% of V70s are sold in Europe, one third in Sweden. The Volvo V70 has been the best selling car in Sweden for many years.[citation needed]

First generation (1996–2000)

The original V70 was a development of the Volvo 850 station wagon and sedan series. The new name reflected Volvo's new strategy of naming vehicles depending on size and body style. Thus, the 850 was deemed to be a relative size 70. The name is then appended with the type of vehicle. So the station wagon adopted V (for Versatility), S (for Saloon) and C (for the new Coupé); these cars are respectively known as V70, S70 and C70. There were 1,800 improved and new parts in the design from the original 850, including upgraded passive and active safety, better handling and new engines. Gone were the 850's square edges and replaced by rounded corners to suit the late 90s style trend. Other changes included a new 'family face' for the V/S/C70 models, colour coded bumpers, clear indicator lenses, and a new dashboard fascia and materials. However on the whole, one could say the car was similar to its predecessor, but nevertheless, a successful facelift.