2000 Volvo S70 Reviews

The all-new 2026 Volvo EX60 might be the classiest Tesla Model Y rival yet, and it is due in Australia later this year.The perfect antidote to both the Model Y anonymity and the unnecessary visual aggression dished up by German rivals, the EX60 and rough-road ready EX60 Cross Country's smooth styling should be a hit with buyers, and it is heartening to know that its beauty is more than skin deep.When the EX60 touches down late this year, the mid-size battery-powered SUV will initially be offered in just two powertrains. The P6 Electric comes with a single rear motor that produces 275kW of power and 480Nm and provides for a brisk 5.9 second 0-100km/h dash.Need all-wheel drive and the second P10 AWD Electric delivers with its dual motors boosting traction and producing 375kW and 710Nm of torque for a quicker 4.6 seconds 0-100km/h sprint.The P6 (620km) can travel 20km further than the longest-range Tesla Model Y on the WLTP test cycle with its 83kWh battery.The punchier P10 AWD can go further still (660km), thanks to its larger 95kWh battery.In earlier teases, ahead of the the EX60 reveal, the Swedish brand made headline news when it revealed its latest EV could cover up to 810km on a single charge but that car, the P12 AWD, won't rock up until the middle of 2027, at the earliest.Shame, because the P12 AWD is capable of driving further on a charge than both the BMW iX3 (805km) and the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (750km) that was rolled out in the middle of 2025.If you're a performance fan, the P12 AWD might be worth the wait. Combined with its bladder-busting long range is a pair of dual motors that produce a whopping 500kW and 790Nm of torque that sees 0-100km/h take just 3.9 seconds.It's a similar story for the EX60 Cross Country that has yet to be given a release date for Down Under but should land in 375kW P10 AWD power in either 2027 or 2028.Engineers say the EX60's low-drag body and weight-saving from Tesla-style mega castings and mounting the battery cells directly to the body saving valuable kilos have contributed to enhancing efficiency, which may be true but the secret behind the P12 AWD long-leggedness is the enormous 117kWh battery pack mounted between its axles.Charging is near top of the class thanks to Volvo's all-new SPA3 platform's 800-volt electrics, the P6 can be topped up at up to 320kW, while the all-wheel drive P10 and P12 ramp that rate up to an admirable 370kW with both the entry and mid-spec Volvo taking just 18 minutes for a 10 to 80 per cent refill, while the P12 with its massive battery only takes a minute longer.The catch is few will be able to find a new breed of 450kW ultra-fast DC chargers Down Under but if you do, after ten minutes, you can add up to 340km of range. All models come with 22kW AC charging.Volvo says the rear-drive P6 can tow up to 2000kg (braked) while the pair of AWD versions can tug up to 2400kg.All EX60 models come with optimum double front suspension and a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension with or without adaptive dampers the EX60 Cross Country is the only version to get single-chamber air suspension that can hoist the ride to offer up to 234mm ground clearance.The bad news, despite its more adventurous styling that includes revised front and rear bumper, complete with bash-plates, plus extra black protective cladding all-round, the EX60 Cross Country can't wade any deeper (450mm) than the standard version, although the off-road driving modes are said to work better with the adjustable air springs.Within, designers claim they have strived to create a calming uncluttered place to spend time.Deduct points for a lack of physical buttons with only a crystal roller and skip back and forward controllers cited below the curved 15-inch infotainment systemThere's also no head-up display, but an 11.4-inch digital instrument cluster mounted high-up on the fabric-wrapped shelf-like dash.As well as mirroring the exterior's minimalist design the cabin doesn't let the side down for tech with it adopting a new powerful 'HuginCore' brain that runs powerful processors from NVIDIA and Qualcomm that can crunch high volumes of data quicker.With built-in Google and advanced AI present, Volvo says you can now have a natural conversation with your car. Owners will also get four years of unlimited data that keeps the car connected for free.The same tech runs the advanced autonomous driving aids but it's unlikely this generation will ever run Level 3 or Level 4-style hands and eyes off the road driverless tech, although a supervised hands-off Level 2+ tech will be rolled out during the EX60's lifespan.Space is generous both in the front and rear when it comes to leg- and headroom thanks to the decent 2970mm wheelbase. Volvo has ruled out a three-row seven-seat version, so the rear 523 litre luggage space will remain untouched.Under the bonnet is a 58-litre frunk that can stow the cables and a soft bag.Volvo is confident the latest EX60 will be judged as its safest creation yet when Euro NCAP and ANCAP safety body get their hands on it and the mid-sizer is the first car yet to get its pioneering multi-adaptive seat belts that uses camera and sensors within the car to judge your size and weight to adjust its tension and force to manage load in the event of an impact, reducing belt-related injuries.Despite preparing itself for limited supply initially from the EX60's factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, Volvo Australia is confident that its all-electric EX60 will overtake the current XC60 and fast become its best-selling model.The ancient nine-year-old XC60 that was updated last year, meanwhile, will live on with combustion and hybrid powertrains and receive a third refresh to ensure it can remain on sale beyond 2030 for those not ready to commit to an EV.Pricing for the 2026 Volvo EX60 will be released late this year, with the entry P6 expected to arrive with a price tag just below $100,000 (plus on-roads), with the P10 AWD tipped to cost around $110,000, with the Swedish mid-size SUV set to command a hefty premium over the  Tesla Model Y (from $63,400 plus on-roads) but should cost around $10,000 less than the equally all-new BMW iX3.

Sales of new Chinese-made cars in Australia have been on the rise for a number of years now, but 2025 saw it reach new heights.According to VFACTS sales data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, a total of 221,699 new vehicles imported from China were sold in Australia, which is up 25.9 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this figure doesn’t include Tesla and Polestar sales. Every Polestar and almost every Tesla (excluding the updated Model Y Performance) sold in Australia are made in China.Combining this Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) sales data, it’s understood more than 252,000 Chinese-made cars were sold in Australia during 2025. An exact figure can’t be determined as Tesla doesn’t provide any data indicating how many of its Australian-delivered cars were made in China and Germany.Even despite this, China has now overtaken Thailand as the second largest new vehicle import market in Australia. A total of 249,958 Thai-made new vehicles were sold in Australia during 2025, which is down 8.2 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this is still behind Japan, which has been the largest new vehicle import market in Australia for decades now. A total of 358,981 Japanese-made new vehicles were sold in Australia last year, which is down 5.3 per cent year-on-year.The large jump in Chinese-made new vehicles in Australia is likely attributable to the wealth of new Chinese brands that launched last year. Examples include Deepal, Geely, JAC, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Omoda, XPeng and Zeekr.These brands are able to scale quickly in Australia as they view it as a test market for further expansion. Plus, there are no import tariffs to hinder potential sales.There was also astronomical growth in a number of existing Chinese brands in Australia. Sales of Chery vehicles were up 176.8 per cent year-on-year and BYD vehicles were up 156.2 per cent year-on-year.Chinese brands GWM, BYD and MG have all cemented their place in the top 10 best sellers and continue to grow.Although Chinese-made car sales rose a considerable amount last year, the top 10 best-selling models were largely imported from Japan or Thailand. The best-selling Chinese-made car last year was the 10th placed Tesla Model Y with a total of 22,239 examples sold.A number of non-Chinese carmakers have been taking note of how Chinese-made cars have been performing in Australia and are quickly pivoting to producing models in that country.As examples, the Cupra Tavascan, Kia EV5, Lotus Eletre and Emeya, as well as the forthcoming Hyundai Elexio, Mazda 6e and Mazda CX-6e are all made in China.For now we'll have to wait and see, but China could soon topple Japan and become the biggest new vehicle import market in Australia if it continues its trajectory.

Volvo has issued a dire recall notice for one of its popular electric SUVs, but there is no fix in sight.The brand has put a notice out for thousands of its EX30 compact SUV due to a high-voltage battery defect, which could cause a vehicle fire.The recall affects 2815 units of the 2024 model year.According to the recall notice issued via the Federal Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development Communications, Sport and the Arts, a manufacturing issue can cause the cell modules installed in the battery to overheat at high charge levels, which could lead to vehicle fire.Without a remedy as of yet, “battery charge level should be kept below 70 per cent,” the notice reads.This can be done through the charging setting menu on the vehicle display.“A vehicle fire could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and bystanders, and/or damage to property,” the recall notice said.Volvo Australia said there have been no reported incidents locally.Volvo Cars has identified a potential issue with high-voltage battery cells manufactured by a particular supplier on certain model year 2024-2026 EX30 Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance cars," a spokesperson said."In rare cases, the battery can overheat when charged to a high level, which could in a worst-case scenario lead to a fire starting in the battery. Safety is a top priority for Volvo Cars, and while the number of reported incidents is very small – representing around 0.02% of the cars we have identified as potentially affected – and we have no reports of related personal injuries, we are treating it very seriously. "We plan to roll out a recall as soon as possible to fix the cars in question. In the meantime, we are contacting all affected owners to ask them to limit their cars’ maximum charge level to 70%. We will contact them again as soon as a fix is available. Other models are not affected by this notice, and not all variants of EX30 are affected."Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by Volvo requesting to schedule an appointment to have the repair work carried out free of charge.The EX30 has proved a solid seller in the compact SUV space in Australia, following its launch in 2024, starting from $59,990 (before on-road costs).Volvo launched a cross country version of the EX30 back in September 2025.

Volvo’s incoming electric car, the new sibling to its popular XC60 mid-size SUV, comes with the cold claim of ‘ending range anxiety’.The 2026 Volvo EX60 is set to be revealed later this month, but the Swedish brand has already confirmed a few of its details, including its claimed 810km electric driving range.Volvo points out that means the mid-size electric SUV could travel from Stockholm to Oslo in its home region, but for us here in Australia a more relatable distance is Melbourne to Adelaide - that’s about 750km.Given EVs aren’t at their most efficient on highways, you’d probably still want a quick top-up of the likely rather large battery. Fear not, Volvo says a 400kW fast-charger can add up to 340km of range in just 10 minutes.Volvo says this means the EX60 will have not only “the longest range of any fully electric Volvo”, but it also charges faster than any previous electric Volvo.“The EX60 is designed to be a gamechanger,” says Anders Bell, Volvo’s Chief Technology Officer. “With our new electric vehicle architecture, we directly address the main worries that customers have when considering a switch to a fully electric car. The result is class-leading range and fast charging speeds, marking the end of range anxiety.”Volvo, under its China-based parent company, will use ‘mega casting’ in the building process of the EX60, a first for a Volvo. The process means large sections of the car are constructed at once rather than in small body panels or parts of the frame.Built on the brand’s “most advanced” EV architecture so far, dubbed SPA3, the EX60 will make the most of its 800-volt electrical system to run the in-house software developed by Volvo for its cars.The full reveal of the EX60, which has until now only been teased in images, will be on January 21, less than three weeks from this story’s publication.

Amidst all the excitement of new car brands arriving in Australia (seemingly by the day), it's easy to forget that not every member of the class of 2025 will be joining us in the new year.

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Speaking at Volvo Cars’ most recent investor briefing in Stockholm, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson confirmed the upcoming EX60 mid-size EV SUV (scheduled for global launch on January 21, 2026) will be priced at the same level as an equivalent plug-in hybrid (PHEV).Severinson identified charging time and a purchase price premium as two of the strongest impediments to large scale EV adoption and claimed the all-new EX60 addresses both issues comprehensively.“With the EX60 (on a road trip) you will have a car where you will need to go to the toilet long before the battery runs out," he said.“And when you’re back from the toilet, the car is charged. “There will be no penalty for that one per cent journey you take two times a year to the Mountains. It will be as convenient as driving a combustion engine vehicle or a plug-in hybrid,” Severinson said. And in terms of pricing, Severinson added: “People will not get more money to buy cars just because we want to sell them electric cars. “The most sold variant for Volvo Cars in Europe right now is a XC60 T6 PHEV. We know there is a customer demand at those price points. So we will price this vehicle at parity where we are pricing our current best sold cars.“We need to find price points that are equivalent to where we are buying cars today and this car will be priced as a PHEV,” he said. For reference, in Australia the Volvo XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid starts at $92,900, before on-road costs for the Plus grade, rising to $101,990 BOC for the top-spec Ultra model.At the same time Volvo Chief Engineering & Technology Officer Anders Bell referenced some of the tech advancements he said will help facilitate the EX60’s aggressive price position.“My job is to lead Volvo Cars Engineering through the most profound technology shift in the history of automotive.  “On January 21 Volvo will launch the best electric vehicle in the world. An historic moment for us. Arguably the most important launch in the history of the company.“We believe SPA3 (underpinning the EX60) is the best electric vehicle platform in the world,” he said.Bell confirmed the EX60 project is “on time, on cost and on quality” allowing the brand to “scale all the company’s business needs in a completely new way from the smallest electric vehicle to the biggest electric vehicle”.“Whatever needs the (Volvo) team here will have in terms of size, price position (and) markets in the electric vehicle world, we have made a platform that we can deploy to meet those needs in a very clever way” Bell added the EX60’s ‘mega cast’ SPA3 platform replaced 100 welded parts and can be upgraded continuously over time.He said the integrated battery pack reduced cost by 25 per cent, it’s 20 per cent more energy dense and has a 15 per cent shorter charge time.The drive unit is claimed to be 18 per cent cheaper to produce while generating 35 per cent more power and being 11 per cent lighter than Volvo’s previous generation motor.And the software ‘track’ is now uniform across EX90, ES90 and the upcoming EX60 with all new Volvo models, including Gen 2 plug-in hybrids, run from the same ‘software master’.