Another in a series of my reviews that appeared in the online version of African Americans On Wheels, a now defunct automotive magazine that was included as an insert in the Sunday newspapers of major cities.
This was an interesting situation. In my relatively young career, the V70R was the sportiest vehicle I’d driven. The first draft of the review was testosterone-fueled drivel with such gems as, “This Volvo definitely deserves the title ‘Dragon Wagon!’ What the hell does that even mean? That’s just from memory, by the way, since I didn’t keep a copy of that original review. Shortly after submitting, I received this e-mail:
My concern with this review is that it doesn’t convey the things that buyers in this market look for. Remember, families are buying this. Are there integrated child safety seats? How many does it seat? What about cupholders? Can I fit my stroller, groceries and soccer gear in the rear? Those who buy this are less concerned with style than functionality and safety for their cargo, i.e. children. Can I get some of that. Send it back to me with those additions. Also, we need to keep the review around 350 words, much longer than that and people will lose interest.
Back to the drawing board, even though her request seems a lot like when your wife gives you a long shopping list and finishes with, “And I need you back home in 20 minutes.” With my tail between my legs, I re-wrote the piece and sent it back to her with the following:
I hope this fits the bill. I did forget who the prospective buyer would be.
She must have liked it, because it ran with virtually no changes on June 1, 1998.
Volvos still look boxy. But I have to admit, Volvo has a knack for making boxy look pretty stylish. Take the new limited edition V70 AWD R (All-Wheel Drive), a new name for 1998, but essentially a freshened 850. In a nutshell, Volvo added a front spoiler with integrated fog lights, flared front fenders, 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with low-profile tires, and eye-catching “saffron” paint. The result is a wagon that’s far more eye-catching than many of the more “rounded” wagons, such as the Subaru Legacy and Audi A6 Avant.
Under the hood is a turbocharged, DOHC 2.3 liter 5-cylinder engine that pumps out 236 horsepower, making it the most powerful station wagon available here. There’s little power at first, but within seconds all 236 horses kick in and push you against your seat.
Safety is Volvo’s specialty, however. Inside that boxy profile lies an “integral passenger safety cage,” dual front and side airbags, and BIG head restraints for the driver and all four passengers. The all-wheel drive system works full time, but it is there for superior traction, NOT off-roading. Volvo even threw its TRACS traction control system in for additional protection. Handling is top notch for a wagon, and the ride does not suffer much for all of the sporting hardware.
Inside, you’re greeted by leather and wood (or brushed alloy) trim, extremely supportive front power seats, driver/passenger climate control system, and a top-of-the-line (albeit confusing) stereo system. Rear seat passengers have plenty of legroom, but only those in the front seats get cupholders.
A retractable net stretches from the top of the rear seat to the roof to keep tall cargo in the cavernous 37.1 cubic-foot cargo area (67 cubic-feet with the 60/40 split seat folded) — almost as much as a Ford Explorer. There is no cargo cover, but hidden lockable storage compartments can hide small items. To help protect more precious cargo, there are rear-door child-proof locks. Although there is no integrated child safety seat, there are provisions for securing one in the rear seat.
The V70 AWD R has the power and handling of a sports car but plenty of space for the family. It’s the enthusiast’s alternative to an SUV.
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: 5-Door Station Wagon
Engine: turbocharged 236 horsepower, 2.3 liter in-line 5
Transmission: 4-Speed Automatic
EPA Mileage: 18 city/25 highway
As Tested Price: $42,165
Great review in 350 words; thanks –
I don’t know how popular these were, but it strikes me as a slam dunk – safety, practicality and cargo room for her; power and handling for him when he’s in it by himself running chores on the weekend. I’ve thought for a long time that hot wagons are the perfect solution for folks who don’t want to surrender driving pleasure just because they have to schlep the kids around. It doesn’t seem though that I have much company in that regard; given the dearth of choices today.
Alan,
These were great cars but if you were young or not born by 1998 you really don’t have appreciation for how much $42,165 was. That is why not very many were sold.
I could give you the adjusted for inflation number ($67,175) but just consider that you could have purchased six slightly used Ford Escort Wagons from Hertz (assume $7,000 each) for the price of one of these.
Heck, I remember brand new Mitsubishi Mirage Sedans being advertised for $9,999.00 in 1998. Which means that if you walked in the dealers door with around $8,000-$9,000 cash in hand on the last day of the month, chances are likely that you could have walked out with the keys to a brand new Mitsubishi.
James; thanks – that didn’t occur to me, although I was 42 in 1998!
I think, though, that other forces were at work too. I owned a 2001 BMW 325xi wagon that I bought new for around 33k. Granted, that was a small vehicle not really suited for large families, but it had a lot of utility compared to to 3 series sedan.
I think folks just don’t want to drive wagons. Silly, really, when you consider that a CUV is really nothing more than a tall AWD wagon.
I also thought – in fact think – still these are very appealing, like the Legacy GT. But buyers seemed to find the XC and Outback versions far more appealing. Interesting, because with Audi, I saw/see fewer Allroads than even the sporty S versions of their wagons. BTW, it seems like your editor didn’t really “get” this car. For a standard V70, sure, the utilitarian facts are important. But this is the R version. You should have taken it to the drag strip and titled your review “Draggin’ Wagon”. That would catch readers’ attention.
The biggest problem with the Allroad was that it was basically an A4 Avant with plastic cladding and little more to justify its high price. I get your point though that buyers don’t seem to go for hot wagons. Maybe the concept is just too much of an oxymoron.
Dragon Wagon was probably your interpretation something you’d heard and didn’t connect with the Ramcharger’s Drag’n Wag’n of the mid Sixties
You are probably right!
I mean, this *was* a review of an overtly sporting car, even if a wagon so again your editor seems unreasonable in her lack of concession for your enthusiasm. Also, was any car by 1998 NOT available with child-proof locks!? I thought it was a universal feature like seat belts.
Well, according to wikipedia, they were patented by Joseph Schumann way back in 1949, and have been mandatory in cars sold in the U.S. since 1985. So, yeah, that line was probably not necessary. But it made my editor happy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_safety_lock
My ’89 Oldsmobile 98 didn’t have them, so maybe ’95. My ’89 Plymouth Sundance did.
These were hot cars in their day. Not the typical mommie-mobile kid-schlepper Volvo.
If I had kids and that kind of disposable income in 1998 (or now), I wouldn’t have thought twice about it.
Well sure, as a daddy-mobile kid-schlepper! Unless mommy like hot cars too. 🙂
Unfortunately, Mommy hates hot cars and wagons 🙁
Also –
The car I think of these days when I hear “hot wagon” is the MB E450, which has 4-Matic and goes 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. It starts around 66 large, which appears close to the inflation-adjusted price of this Volvo.
I wonder how many GLE’s are sold for every one of those.
Correction – make that 5.1 seconds. . .
These cars are still fast even by today’s standards. I still have my 99 which has 248 HP out of the box btw according to my original window sticker and I can give most who line up a spanking or at least keep up .
I reckon you got the thing pretty much spot-on, most impressive considering the attenuated verbiage availabilitiness with which you were editorially bestowed.
They still have a lot of personal appeal now (and in this country, a remarkably high pricetag,especially considering that they’re a now just an ancient shipping container that’s no longer terribly quick).
One quibble that might relate to your enthusiasm for the sportiest thing you’d driven, these were much whacked-about here for their really spine-shortening ride (though otherwise much praised consistent with your review). I wonder if your enthusiasm overrode some objectivity about that.
Maybe the ride in U.S. versions was softened? Considering this came just after my week with the Buick Park Avenue Ultra, I probably would have noticed if my V70R had a “spine-shortening” ride.
Yes, I was wrong. The T-5R was the one criticized. It was an even hotter version with liquorice-strap tyres and such. Very pricey, and few made.