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V70 vs Highlander vs???

18 messages,  Last post on Jun 28, 2007 at 12:03 PM

You are in the Volvo V70 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volvo V70, Toyota Highlander, Wagon

Messages Page 3 of 3

#16 of 18 V70R - back in the market: help me choose by rsorganize

Nov 01, 2006 (8:00 pm)

Unexpectedly back in the market for a wagon that will last a long time (30,000+ miles/year), be fun/comfortable to drive and makes me feel/be safe in winter New England driving. Last 3 vehicles: 99 Volvo XC70 (great drive, huge repair bills), 2005 Subaru Outback VDC (fun/great vehicle, felt a little small-ish as the miles piled up) and Acura MDX (nice ride, lots of toys, pleasant/comfortable but kind of dull - and, oh yes: what was I thinking on mpg??!!).
 
Looking to get smaller/better mpg, but have expectations - again: fun,comfort, safety and some of the 'toys'.
 
Hope to act soon. Right now, looking at leftover 2006 Volvo 70R (reliability/repairs??)...2007 Subaru Outback XT (lots of fun to drive, now has VDC and a few tech upgrades new since 2005)...VW Passat (reliability?)...9-5 Sportcombi (what-no side curtain airbags??)...and, 9-3 Sportcombi (biggest concern is lack of AWD - even with stability control, will it match the other awd models in the huge amount of winter driving I do?).
 
All thoughts and experiences will be much appreciated.

#17 of 18 Re: V70R - back in the market: help me choose [rsorganize] by twobigdogz

Jan 24, 2007 (8:43 pm)

Replying to: rsorganize (Nov 01, 2006 8:00 pm)
We needed to replace our minivan about 9 months ago (it got totaled) and bought a 2005 V70. So far we are very pleased with purchase. On the reliability issue, Consumer Reports shows improving reliability over time for the V70, with the 2005 getting very good marks (at least last time I checked). I have owned Volvos before, and can confirm that even though they may be costly at times to maintain, they give a rock solid ride at well over 100,000 miles and many years on the clock.
 
We also had some specific reasons to get the V70. We have 2 80 pound dogs and needed room in the back for them. The squared off rear made the V70 the best choice in a wagon. We also wanted a low jump in/out height, again for the dogs, so didn't want a higher vehicle like the Highlander, or even the XC70. Just goes to show that choosing a vehicle can be a very personal matter that statistics/specifications can't always capture.
 
Finally, we love driving the car. Its mainly for my wife, and it puts a smile on her face every time she drives it - which is good for me too.
 
All that said, we have friends with Highlanders who love them - for their needs.

#18 of 18 Re: V70R - back in the market: help me choose [twobigdogz] by jim314

Jun 28, 2007 (12:03 pm)

Replying to: twobigdogz (Jan 24, 2007 8:43 pm)
We have found that a V70 is great for carrying dogs. The low floor (compared to SUVs) is easy ingress and egress for large dogs who aren't leapers.
 
We have had canine auto restraint harnesses for years and I think this is an advisable safety measure both for the dogs and for the humans in the car. Almost always we have the rear seat folded down flat and we tether the large dogs to either the stout U-shaped catch that holds the rear seat back or to the cargo tiedowns. I wonder if the cargo tiedowns are designed to hold an 80-lb dog in a 10g or 20g collision.
 
My wife recently bought a 2007 XC90 and, because of the higher floor height, it is considerably more trouble to get our 13-year-old 70-lb border collie into and out of the XC90. The collie reaches up to the level of the floor through the left rear door and then I lift her hindquarters and she scrambles in. For the last year or so I have had to do the same thing to assist her into the V70.
 
Egress is more difficult. I detach her tether from the auto restraint harness and grasp the top of the harness with my left hand. I put my right arm under her abdomen and swing her out head first by rotating my body CCW (to my left), but this strong-willed border collie struggles everytime. She cannot stand not being in control.
 
Our fit 35-lb 9-year-old mix breed can get in and out of the V70 easily and, if he has secure footing even, from the XC90. But in the cramped confines of the garage I assist him a little entering and a lot exiting the SUV. When I grasp his harness and support his abdomen he just goes limp and lets me place him on the floor. I don't want these dogs to jump to the slick concrete floor of the garage from the height of the XC90.
 
A good additional tether point for a medium to large dog would be a tether diagonally up from one of the cargo tie-down loops on the back of the front seat track (i.e., near the floor). This might limit motion of the dog in case of a rear or side impact. I'm not doing this yet, but I'm thinking about it.
 
Our smallest dog, a 6-year-old 15-lb Russell terrier, rides on a pillow on the armrest between the two front seats and is tethered to his auto restraint harness to the inboard seat track loop of the front passenger seat.
 
I don't for a minute think these restraints are protecting the dogs to the same level as the human occupants, but I think this does a lot to protect them and us. Put it this way these canine restraints would almost certainly save the dog in a 5g crash and might work in up to a 20g crash.

Messages Page 3 of 3

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