XC70 Performance In Snow

[TTR]

All,

Just a brief note about the XC70 performance in snow, I am sure alot of you will know the cars capabilities, but its a first for me.

We got a dump of snow on Saturday night leaving a really good covering on the ground out of the village and on the lanes in the hills.

As it was the first venture in snow i gingerly tried the car locally before venturing high up.

Car is great, sure footed, no drama in stopping or starting on inclines and smooth pull away.

Went up into the hills on untreated roads leading upto the higher lanes around, tried out HDC on the smaller inclines before committing to some of the higher lanes. Great piece of kit, controlled smooth descent with the sensors doing their jobs, manually feathered the brakes at times just to see the effect and its really controlled.

I was concerned about the cars weight and its potential the slide down hill, purely due to momentum, but it held firm.

I would suggest that the car is great anyway but the Pirelli Sotto Winter tyres really make a difference with grip, the confidence the combination of the two give is great and one of the nagging doubts i had about the car and its ability in snow has gone.

The XC ploughed through the lanes, drove steady and carefully anyway but i think I could have reached higher speeds equally as safely in the car.

One point of note is i turned of BLIS and ACC, the interference with snow /frost on the lenses led to Christmas tree lights on the dash and buttons, very distracting.

In comparison to the shogun I had the two have strengths in different areas, but for the basic needs of beating inclement weather and snow provided you are being sensible the Volvo is a great piece of kit and easily matches the capabilities of the Shogun. Different matter if you went "off piste" but for me and my requirements its excellent and would really recommend.

Hope this may be useful to someone if they ever question the capabilities of these cars in the snow.

Cheers

[volvorocks]

It will be your winter tyres that helped and gave you the confident feeling.

Try driving in the same conditions with Pirelli Zeros and the experience will be the opposite...!!

Regards

[TTR]

volvorocks,

I agree, you can never underestimate dedicated winter tyres.

My wife has a Panda 4x4 also running dedicated winters, its virtually unstoppable in snow!

Because of our location in the hills AWD is a must and the tyres really enhance the cars capabilities.

I also have an Insignia SRI VX on 20" rims with Pirelli P Zeros - i am better off in a toboggan!!!!!!!!!!!

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by TTR

I also have an Insignia SRI VX on 20" rims with Pirelli P Zeros - i am better off in a toboggan!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL......yes I was gobsmacked how bad my XC60 AWD was in snow on P Zeros..!!

Regards

[Fantastic]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

LOL......yes I was gobsmacked how bad my XC60 AWD was in snow on P Zeros..!!

Regards

Same with my XC60 - until I put winters on. I can never work out why manufacturers put "racing slicks" on 4x4's as standard. They ought to at least give buyers the option of decent tyres.

[Philip Fisher]

My other half has a 2wd Ford C-max 1.8 which is frankly brilliant in the snow.

It is fitted with Vredestein Sporttrac 3 winter tyres.

I have a set of chains in the boot of the Volvo........

[tt82]

I read a review on an American forum of a German test feat the V60 (IIRC). The Vovlo did well but it was worth noting that it was fitted with Pirelli Sotto tyres and all cars fitted with the Pirelli Sotto's did well.

[spyboy]

I found the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Weather tyres performed really well in the recent snow here in the North East

[Tykebike]

Originally Posted by Fantastic

Same with my XC60 - until I put winters on. I can never work out why manufacturers put "racing slicks" on 4x4's as standard. They ought to at least give buyers the option of decent tyres.

This reminded me of our next door neighbour who is a Land Rover salesman and had brought home a top of the range Range Rover because snow was forecast. Sure enough the snow came but he couldn't get off the drive because of the slick tyres! He jumped in his wife's Vitara, reversed up without a problem. He readily admitted that it's the tyres that make the difference (well a lot of it!).

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by spyboy

I found the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Weather tyres performed really well in the recent snow here in the North East

My xc90 drove well on pirelli scorpion zero's in the white stuff but was hopeless with pirelli rosso's on