The 2006 Volvo C70

The VIPS Scale - Value - Image - Performance - Safety

VALUE -  This is a tough call.  I am not a big fan of convertibles, but I liked the C70 a lot.  The model I drove had a base price of $38,700...and with a few more bells and whistles, it topped out at just over 44K.  The C70 Convertible package was nice but I felt it was a little too much money for the car.  It does come with a 48 month, 50 thousand mile limited warranty.

IMAGE - The C70 Convertible gets high marks here.  Volvo changed from its boxy look a few years ago, and gave itself an image makeover.  With the top up or down. the C70 looks sharp.  With the top up, you can barely tell it's a convertible.  With the top down, you get a sleek, streamlined look.

PERFORMANCE - More high marks.  The ride, the handling, the power are all excellent.  The C70 is powered by a 2.5 liter, 5 cylinder, turbocharged all-aluminum engine that packs plenty of punch.  The 5 speed electronic transmission can be set to either manual or automatic, depending on your mood.  Fuel economy is decent, 21 MPG in the city...a very nice 29 MPG on the highway.  Best Feature?  With the push of a button, the hard-shell top folds neatly into the trunk in a process that takes less than 60 seconds.  It's the coolest automatic up & down on any convertible period...and it will dazzle and amaze your friends.  Problem here is a big lack of trunk space.  Barely enough room for one set of golf clubs or one big suitcase.  What else did I not like?  The interior is cramped.  Not a lot of headroom or legroom.  Also, no cubbyholes and very little console space for sunglasses, CD's, cellphone or a Big Gulp.

SAFETY - It's a Volvo...need I say more? It has Volvo's dynamic stability traction control, extra high-strength steel pillars, unibody construction with front and side air bags. It's a convertible, so it also has pop-up rear roll bars.