Volvo C70 – Ron Perry's Opinion:
You've gotta love the resurrection of the retractable hardtop convertible. You get the best of both worlds with the Volvo C70, a convertible when the sun is shining and a hardtop coupe when the elements don't permit open air motoring. This solution also addresses the noise factor; gone are the typical wind leaks into the cabin and the overall environmental noise a canvas top can't eliminate. It's a win-win situation, right? Not quite.

Although I loved cruising around in the Volvo C70, the fact that the top takes up the majority of the trunk space when lowered would shy me away from buying it. I always seem to be hauling something of value around and in addition to the fact that the trunk is small with the top down, access to the trunk's contents is frustratingly limited. Volvo has added a button that raises the folded top about six inches to help maximize access, but it still didn't give me enough maneuvering room. Up-down, up-down – the top's complex mechanics got a workout during my time with the Volvo.

Outside of this major inconvenience I really enjoyed the C70's acceleration, brakes and steering, as well as the unique design of the interior. There's lots of storage space and conveniently placed cupholders for front and rear passengers in addition to the waterfall console are the highlights of the C70's interior. On the downside, the dials and buttons are not intuitive and took some figuring out. There was also a constant whoop-whoop noise from behind the glove box drove me batty.

Once mastered, the Volvo C70 delivers an exciting driving experience mirrored by great looks. Kudos to Volvo management for producing a car that looks so unique. Despite its shortcomings, this is a sleek ride worthy of consideration when shopping for a car in this class.

Volvo C70 – Mike Sullivan’s Opinion:
Cruising up the California coast in the handsome C70 was a gratifying experience. The cushy seats, the capable T5 engine, and the feeling of wind in my hair perfectly complimented the sunny weather and the beautiful scenery. After spending several hundred miles behind the wheel, its fair to say that the C70 a fantastic cruiser to take on a weekend getaway.

In weekday driving, however, the C70 falls a bit short. Primary issues are the size of the steering wheel and placement of the pedals. Volvo has fitted the C70 with an unusually thick steering wheel that is too wide for the average hand to comfortably grasp. Although its girth is well suited for highway travel, around town the wheel is too cumbersome for quick maneuvering. Also making life around town more difficult than necessary are the foot pedals. The throttle is placed too close to the brake pedal, and my size-eleven shoe would catch the bottom of the brake pedal while lifting off of the throttle... not the best design for emergency stopping. However, if you are in the market for a topless cruiser with a decent amount of cargo room, and you’re a person with extra large hands and proportionally small feet, take the C70 for a test drive.

Photos by Ron Perry and Christian Wardlaw