When many people think of Volvo, they think of safety. That makes Volvo proud, given its 60-plus years of innovating auto safety. But when you think of the Volvo XC70 crossover, there’s another word to add: Versatility. With an expansive cargo area and a multitude of Genuine Volvo Accessories available, the 2011 XC70 can carry you, your family and a whole lot of stuff.

 

Volvo has become experts at giving car buyers more than they expect. For example, the brand really found success when it touted its many safety innovations. After people bought for safety, they found Volvos to be comfortable, rugged, reliable and just really great cars to drive. How might the 2011 XC70 exceed expectations? It offers the versatility of a midsize SUV in a package that handles and drives like a trim Volvo wagon.

 

Volvo of course offers other crossover models – the two-row seat XC60 and the three-row XC90. For buyers who prefer more of a wagon style, the XC70 combines the all-wheel drive technology of those models with the kind of wagon design that people have appreciated from Volvo for many years. That’s because Volvo designers never lost sight of the roominess and utility that have been Volvo hallmarks.

 

The 2011 Volvo XC70 can play sporty when you want, too, thanks to more power in both the standard 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine and the 3.0-liter turbo six in the XC70 T6 model. The 3.2 gives you 240 hp, and the turbocharged inline-six in the XC70 T6 gains 19 hp for an even 300 hp. This engine’s 325 lb/ft of torque (the force that moves the car) makes the XC70 feel like a V8, but it’s more fuel-efficient. Not having to carry around the bulk of an SUV certainly helps efficiency, too.

 

With an MSRP of $32,000, the XC70 3.2 model’s versatility starts with the choice it gives you between the new-for-2011 front-wheel drive model and the available all-wheel drive system. The Volvo All-Wheel Drive with Instant Traction^™ system can handle all kinds of weather – something appreciated all across America after this past winter. For rougher terrain, the XC70’s 8.3 inches of ground clearance and Hill Descent Control (HDC) enhance its SUV-like capability.

 

So, the Volvo XC70 can get you where you need to go, even when the weather is trying to stop you. The XC70 will also haul perhaps more than you’d expect with a cavernous 72.1-cubic-foot cargo area (with rear seatbacks folded).

 

The cargo area is shaped to make the most use of that room. The Convenience Package’s convenient power tailgate also brings more cargo-area enhancements and other amenities. The XC70’s luggage compartment floor is equipped with aluminum rails and movable storage points. Side panels offer integrated anchor eyelets to keep luggage securely in place, and available Volvo Genuine Accessories – like several cargo mat options, an electronic hot and cold storage box, a bumper cover, cargo covers and cargo dividers – offer more options for securing different kinds of cargo in the XC70.

 

Volvo Genuine Accessories also include an extensive line of roof-mounted carrying systems. You can add one of four different roof-mounted bicycle carriers or one of seven different sport equipment carriers. If you need even more carrying capacity, there are also three different roof boxes. Whether you ski, snowboard, kayak or even windsurf, Volvo has the right accessory for you. Plus, 2011 Volvo XC70 models offer a 3,300-pound towing capacity, along with an available trailer hitch and towing mirrors.

 

To Volvo, versatility doesn’t mean all work and no play. In either model, the optional Volvo Navigation System includes Real Time Traffic, Map Care and a rear park assist camera. A camera system can also be added as an accessory without the navigation system.

 

The XC70 caters to passengers, too, with an available rear-seat entertainment system featuring dual DVD players. A seven-inch LCD screen is integrated into the back of each front seat headrest. This advanced dual-screen technology lets passengers view DVDs, listen to music or play video games – either the same or through different sources. The sound can go through the car’s main audio system or the included wireless headphones.

 

Did you expect that kind of versatility from the XC70? Come in and see it for yourself, and start thinking about all the activities you can enjoy with the 2011 Volvo XC70.