2006 Volvo C70 Review

You get two cars for the price of one with the new Volvo C70 retractable metal hardtop four-seat convertible -- a sharp-looking sports coupe and a handsome convertible.

Just push a console button (with your foot on the brake pedal) and the C70's beautifully engineered three-piece hardtop folds into the trunk in 30 seconds. Push another button and you're sitting again in a quiet, upscale coupe in the same number of seconds.

The $38,710 Volvo isn't inexpensive, but it's very well-equipped with comfort, convenience and safety items such as an enhanced rollover protection system.

Convertibles with a power retractable metal roof are becoming popular despite their higher prices -- for good reasons. Such cars offer carefree top-down driving and hardtop quietness and security, without the excessive noise, wobbly chassis, poor rear visibility, safety concerns and tight back seats that long plagued regular soft-top convertibles.

Pontiac offers a new G6 power retractable hardtop, and other such models are sold by Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, which kicked off the modern retractable hardtop craze in 1998 with its small SLK two-seater.

A retractable hardtop model arrives later this year from Volkswagen, and Audi and BMW are expected to soon announce retractable hardtops.

Conventional soft-top convertibles still far outnumber those with retractable hardtops and cost less than the "retractables." Regular convertibles also have simpler top mechanisms and are lighter for better handling and fuel economy. That's one reason the new Jaguar XK sports car convertible has a conventional soft top.

However, some feel that retractable metal hardtops seem more suited to the new century, with its greater emphasis on comfort and security. After all, thieves can't slash their tops to gain entry. And their tops often allow better overall styling, because a flat piece of canvas often doesn't go well with metal body curves.

Retractable hardtops aren't new -- France's Peugeot offered an electrically powered metal retractable hardtop coupe in 1934. Much later, Ford sold its 1957-59 Skyliner retractable hardtop, which had a complicated, troublesome design. For decades, retractable metal hardtops were too costly and unreliable to be a mainstream feature.

The previous Volvo C70 four-seat convertible had a regular soft top and was dropped after 2004. It had mediocre chassis rigidity and thus too much cowl shake and squeaks for its approximately $40,000 price. There also was excessive throttle lag from either of its two available turbocharged engines.

The new front-drive C70 is miles better, with a chassis said to be twice as structurally rigid. The new model is based on Volvo's S40 sedan, although it's lower, longer, wider and heavier. It feels very solid, with virtually no shakes or rattles.

The new model only has one engine -- an inline turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder. It produces 218 horsepower and lively acceleration. However, the C70 is a bit sluggish off the line because it weighs nearly 3,800 pounds and power delivery sometimes is a little jerky. The car moves out strongly when the engine tops 3,000 rpm, allowing fast 65-80 mph passing, but an extra cylinder in a larger engine would help initial acceleration.

The C70 comes with a slick six-speed manual transmission, but most probably will be bought with the responsive $1,250 five-speed automatic transmission because this Volvo is more of a comfortable cruiser than a car meant to tackle winding roads at high speeds.

The C70 generally feels heavy. The electro-hydraulic steering is accurate, with the big steering wheel providing a hefty feel. Anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution allow short stops despite a pedal that is a bit soft. The ride is smooth, thanks partly to the car's weight. Handling is above-average, although not as precise as that of the rival Audi, BMW or Saab convertibles. A Dynamic Stability Traction Control system helps keep the car on the road under trying conditions.

Long, heavy doors can restrict entry or exit in tight parking areas, and it takes athletic moves to get in or out of the rear seat despite the fact that the large, supportive front bucket seats slide forward to allow easier back-seat entry. One problem is that front seat belts get in the way when entering or leaving the rear, and those belts are a bit difficult for front occupants to grasp and buckle.

The C70 is one of few four-seat convertibles with decent rear seat room for 6-footers, as long as the front seats aren't moved more than halfway back. The rear seat also is comfortable -- not a chopped-off affair designed to provide more leg room.

Thick windshield posts partly block visibility when turning corners, although they provide protection in a rollover, along with a rollover protection system that includes rear automatic pop-up rollover bars, front side torso air bags and head-protecting front side air bags.

The steeply raked windshield takes some of the "open-air" feeling out of top-down driving, and gauges should be backlit for better visibility in bright sunlight. But sound system and climate controls are large and the dual front and rear cupholders have sliding covers to keep the upscale interior looking neat. Doors have pockets with nifty snap-out covers, but there's only average interior storage space for small items.

There isn't much trunk space, especially with the retractable hardtop in its lowered position, so a small amount of soft luggage or a few duffel bags are recommended for trips. However, trunk room isn't an issue for most owners of convertibles, who don't consider them practical as a primary car and use them as second or third cars.

As such, the new Volvo C70 shines brightly, offering top-down motoring enjoyment and all-weather versatility. 

2006 VOLVO C70 

PRICE : $38,710

LIKES : Nifty retractable hardtop. Fast. Safe handling. Decent rear seat room.

DISLIKES : Long, heavy doors. Small top-down cargo area. Difficult back-seat entry-exit. Only five cylinders.