Volvo AWD Forum

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AWD ride?

Well Ive been driving volvos for over thirty years now ( I currently drive a 95 960, the wife a 90 240 ). I tried out a couple of 850's but did not like the harsh ride. I'd like for the wife to get into an allwheel drive but am concerned about ride quality? Any opinions on how the S70 rates. also, are all S 70's AWD? DFW








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AWD ride?

I too am a long term Volvo owner and after owning about a half dozen rear wheel drive Volvos, I never did quite felt comfortable with the handling of my FWD 850. I was immediately won over by the stability of the 1998 V70 R-AWD that replaced it, however. On the highway I would have no complaints of harshness of ride on either, but that would not be the case around town.








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AWD ride?

We own an 850 wagon and S70 T5. The S70's ride is much improved.








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AWD ride?

I have an 1999 S70 and I think its very comfortable. They've done a lot of improvements with S/V70 compared to 850 in that regard.
No, FWD are more common. Whatch out with older AWD x70's and XC's. Some have a viscouse (I think its called?) AWD transmission that always break!








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AWD ride?

AWD was an option on the S and V 70's, most commonly found on the V70 XC. My wife went from a '93 960 wagon to a '98 XC, (having had two 740's before the 960 also) and she is absolutely in love with it even after 3 1/2 years. This is really significant because she is completely a "non-car" person and just wants it to go every time, etc. This is the only car we have ever had that she voluntarily praises without prodding.

Our 850 turbo wagon is quite firm and you feel all of the imperfections in our "great" Boston roads, but the XC is much softer and smoother. This is partly due to softer springs / shocks, but also to the taller tires (205/65-15's) versus the 50 series on the 850. These absorb a lot more of the rough road jolts. Neither is up to the standards set by the 960 for open highway travel, and we still use the 960 for all of our long trips because it is such a relaxed, long-legged cruiser (exception - XC goes on snowy trips to places like Rochester, NY, & Vermont ski trips. It has incredible stability in worst conditions). I do not know how the sedan or non-Cross Country wagons with AWD compare, but they have lower profile tires and I would expect them to be somewhat harsher than the XC but still smoother than the earlier 850's.
--
Mike Sullivan ('91 745 (171k), '93 965 (147k), '95 855T (60k), '98 V70XC (78k)







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