Towing with an XC70, reviewer hated it
 

Thinking of replacing my V70 with an XC70 AWD, had a drive in one last week and liked it. I tow a 1300kg caravan (loaded) and had a look at the Practical Caravan video review of the XC70. They did not like it at all !. Do Itake a risk and buy an XC70 or play it safe and go elsewhere. I need an estate car not an SUV because I carry bikes and kayaks on the roof and an XC60 is just too high.

So, if you tow with an XC70 what do you think of it ? I love my V70 and am reluctant to buy other than Volvo but I do need a good tow car

what did they dislike about it as a tow car? I dont use mine for towing but did used to tow and still take an interest in what people are using and XC70 seems pretty popular as a tow vehicle...

Having driven both the V70AWD and the XC70, the XC70 does feel more floaty over bumpy roads and rolls a lot more on twisty roads if you have a spirited driving style.
but I found the XC70 more comfortable over all the potholed roads in notts/derby.

Having do some towing with the XC70 found the nivomat rear shocks kept the car level and it handled the load car trailer effortlessly.

At the end of the day its what you think that's important for every person that you find that does not like the XC70 you will find some one that does.

I cant find the video now but the written review only gave it 1 star (out of 5)

Pity you cant do a towing test drive, solo the car drove much as expected

I'm new to Volvo ownership having just purchased a 2015 XC70 D5 Auto AWD. It has the non self levelling rear suspension.

I always tow with a 4wd vehicle. I like the smug feeling when I rescue our friends from snow or mud in winter.

I tow a 1500kg single axle caravan which I have just towed to Cornwall & back.

Having previously had a sport saloon with very hard suspension I actually found the more supple XC70 suspension to be a boon yet it was firm enough that my nose weight of 80kgs plus the weight of food and dog in the rear did not cause rear sag or excess bounce.

Then the legendary D5 and auto box with sport mode. Awesome. Hills ? What hills ?

Fuel wise we made 31mpg on the way home yesterday and I wasn't hanging about. It was quite windy on the M5 which the XC70 dealt with easily.

Reviews in magazines can be biased especially when a vehicle tested is not from the VAG group.

I like mine. You may or may not like it.

HTH

Cheers

Dave

I'm guessing you mean this review:

https://www.practicalcaravan.com/rev...lvo-xc70-d5-se

If you Google "Practical Caravan Volvo XC70" the results list it as a 1 star review but the article says 3 out of 5.

They like the towing performance and practicality but criticise the handling. What did they expect for a proper AWD ruggedised conversion of a domestic estate?

Loads of people on here buy them specifically for towing and are very happy. If the handling puts you off then look for one with the 4C chassis, but for towing the self leveling Nivomats are brilliant and really sort it out (I don't think you can have 4C and Nivomats)

OK mines a 2wd xc70 but I have no problem towing a 1460kg caravan. Running solo I have no idea what folk who reccon they wallow are talking about. I live in a county with no motorways and 1.5 miles of dual carriageway which has a 40 mph limit, A and B roads can be driven with vigor and enjoyed, without any floating or roll, just firmly planted and making progress even on normal Fo Mo Co suspension and shocks.
Great car, supurb tow car and does everything I want from it, just watch yourself on motorways even when towing or use cruise control as inatention can see you well into ilegal speeds before you know it.

Paul.

My last tow car was a XC70 D5 2013 and it towed really well. I too did not think it was particularly wallowy and I was towing a twin axle 1800 kgs and it was never left wanting. Mine was also geartronic which just performed so well. I now have the new XC90 D5 and this is a great tow car.

Practical Caravan can be a good read but remember if it's not a Land Rover Disccovery or VAG car (particularly a Skoda) it'll probably be rubbish.

I towed a 1600kg twin axle van with my XC70 and it was a bit wallowy but Nivomats (or getting one with 4C) would help that. It's a tall estate, not a full on 4x4 but for 1300 kgs I'd get a V70 as the extra weight and height would be overkill and the fuel consumption penalty for the AWD system won't be worth it over the rest of the miles you do, trust me, my XC was almost as bad on fuel as my CLK55 AMG and that's a 5.4 litre V8!!

Gone and done it
 

Well, after a couple of test drives I've bought a year old D5 220 XC70 SE Lux auto AWD, collect it at the end of the week. I chose AWD because hopefully it will minimise me getting stuck in wet fields with a caravan in tow, we shall see.

Will miss my Gen 3 V70 D5 SE Lux auto . which I have owned for 8 of its 9 years, especially the cooled perforated seats. One thing (probably of many) which I cant figure is that the new car had lots more room in the back seats, I'm 6ft tall and like the drivers seat well back which in the V70 makes it very cramped for anyone sitting behind me whereas in the XC70 I could sit very comfortably in the back with the drivers seat set for me.