Used Volvo C70 Coupe 1997 - 2002 review

What's the used Volvo C70 like?

In 1997, when the C70 arrived, Volvo wasn't known for its design appeal, but the Coupe had more than a hand in changing that. With its chiselled good looks, it attracted buyers to the brand who previously wouldn't even have considered buying a Volvo.

And despite being introduced all those years ago, the C70 has aged fairly well and the design and materials used still feel fairly modern. Above all, it's still a Volvo through and through. The company's famous build quality and refinement are present and, of course, you get a host of safety features as standard.

Overview

Sophisticated and stylish, the original Volvo C70 was a mould-breaker for the firm

Pros

• Loads of style
• Plenty of room

Cons

• Mediocre handling
• Appetite for tyres

Despite all appearances to the contrary, though, this is a cruising coupe, not a sports car. Even when it was launched it wasn't that exciting to drive and by today's standards it certainly has been superseded. The ride is smooth enough, but the more powerful engines soon expose the chassis' limitations of grip and handling.

On the other hand, there are certainly no probems with the amount of space inside - or in the boot for those weekends away.

Our recommendations

Which used Volvo C70 should I buy?

There's a wide variety of petrol engines to choose from, but originally the C70 only came in one flavour: a 2.3-litre T5 with 240bhp. As the car matured, a 2.0-litre turbo, 2.4-litre, 2.4 Turbo, a 2.5-litre 20v and a 2.5 Turbo were introduced. All produced different power outputs, but none could match the original T5's.

Overall, though, the best engine is the 193bhp 2.4-litre Turbo. It has enough performance to entertain a driver, but you'll spend less time at the petrol station and avoid the massive insurance premiums of the bigger engines.

Also, because the five-speed manual gearbox doesn't like to be rushed, consider an automatic for relaxed cruising, particularly the five-speed version introduced after '99.

As you might expect of a Volvo, every C70 came with lots of goodies as standard. Later on, a GT option was added, with a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, stereo upgrade, stability control and sunroof; it's worth tracking down.

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