Frugal and environmentally friendly motoring is often assumed to be the demesne of the small car, but Volvo has set about reworking this stereotype with the introduction of the V70 to their DRIVe range.
DRIVe is the Swedish manufacturer's moniker for the versions of its cars that have been optimised for green motoring, similar to VW's BlueMotion or Ford's ECOnetic series.
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would-be green motorists won't have to pay a premium for having a conscience |
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But while VW and Ford have concentrated on adapting their smaller vehicles, like the Polo and Golf and the Fiesta and Focus, respectively, Volvo's green fleet includes no fewer than seven model ranges. This eco-armada stretches all the way from the compact C30 to such heavy hitters as the S80, XC70 and of course, the V70 tested here.
In fact, the only Volvo cars not yet included in the DRIVe fleet are the tin-top C70 convertible and the gas-guzzling XC90 off-road behemoth, for obvious reasons.
The entry-level SE spec costs just £24,245, which makes the DRIVe variant the cheapest V70 on offer. So, unlike VW or Ford, where BlueMotion and ECOnetic versions of their cars are at the higher end of the price list, would-be green motorists won't have to pay a premium for having a conscience with Volvo.
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