   2014 Volvo S80 & XC70. Click image to enlarge |
The S80 sedan and XC70 crossover wagon are the largest cars produced by Volvo, with sales for both models declining over the past years (especially so, for the XC70). The new designs are expected to revive interest and enhance appeal for these models.
Being Volvo models, you can expect that safety features are comprehensive. Volvo’s active safety systems, called IntelliSafe, figure prominently in the 2014 S80/XC70. The company’s “City Safety” technology (an autonomous emergency braking system) is standard and now works at speeds up to 50 km/h. It is designed to help a driver avoid a low-speed crash or to reduce its severity by pre-loading the brakes if it detects that a collision is likely. If the driver takes no action, City Safety will brake such that the collision is avoided if the car is travelling at less than 15 km/h. At higher speeds, the system will reduce the vehicle impact.
“As the leader in automotive safety, we have reduced the risk of being involved in an accident or being injured in one of our latest car models by abound 50 percent since the year 2000. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our safety vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020,” says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Car Group.
For 2014, the S80 receives new front and rear bumpers whose design is intended to create a “stretched” effect that appears to lower the car while giving it a wider presence on the road. Indeed, the car looks sleeker and lower, especially from the front and sides.
Front and rear lighting is modified and the S80 can now be fitted with 19-inch wheels without, according to Volvo, a loss of ride comfort.
Inside, Volvo offers an Executive package that emphasizes the latest focus on luxury appointments, or the “Inscription” palette of colours, upholstery, woods and metals that enables the customer more latitude in choosing an interior based on personal taste.
