The 2001-2002 had first year intorduction problems. The 5 speed trannies were terrible. The computer to computer communication, there are 4-5 of them, tended to fail easily, Ford made Volvo cut costs and the suppliers were not the best. This is why the cars are cheap today.

I like the 2007 only because it is the last year of the 5 cyl and most of the problems are resolved. The 2004 XC70 seems to be quite reliable, but Volvo dealers still didn't know that the Haldex AWD oil and filter needs to be changed every 40-50K miles.

The cam seals on the front of the engine tend to blow out, like the rear cam seals on the 1998 except harder to replace due to the VVTs. Synthetic oil is mandatory, not optional, for any car with VVT.
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat