The Volvo XC70 Is Now An SUV

Remember the Volvo XC70? Perhaps the ultimate Lifestyle Dad Wagon, it was effectively Volvo’s gigantic V70 estate given a ride height boost, some plastic body cladding and the option of all-wheel drive. All in all, it was always an oddly appealing thing, regardless of whether you spent your weekends kitesurfing off a waterfall. Or something.

Though it got a successor in the shape of the more recent V90 Cross Country, the XC70 name itself is now back. However, instead of being on a strangely loveable jacked up estate, it’s now set to sit on the bootlid of – you guessed it – yet another SUV. Give us strength.

The reborn XC70 is a plug-in hybrid, so far only confirmed for the Chinese market and designed to satisfy that country’s thirst for long-range PHEVs. Full tech details are under wraps for now, but it’s the first car to be built on Volvo’s new modular SMA platform, designed to underpin a range of plug-in hybrids as Volvo scales back its original plan to be EV-only by 2030.

Volvo says it’ll do 124 miles on electric power alone, although that’s on China’s test cycle, which has a habit of being even more optimistic on such things than the WLTP figures used in Europe. As for where the XC70 will sit in Volvo’s range, its size will see it slot in between the XC60 and XC90. But you probably could have worked that out.

Up front, the Volvo crest sits on a smoothed-off bit of trim in the same vein as the electric EX30 and EX90. The actual grille is beneath, and features active shutters that close or open to optimise aero and cooling. The brand’s signature ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights and long, vertical tail lights are present and correct.

We’ll hear and see more of the new XC70 in the coming months, including whether it’ll come to markets outside of China. As for whether Volvo will ever do another jacked-up estate to properly follow up on the original, we wouldn’t bet on it. We hope you’re happy, SUV buyers of the world.