It's all quite clean and pleasing. Most significantly, measured by function and simplicity of operation, the V70's various controls are better than most other luxury brands, and particularly German brands, which still insist on layering more menus in their interfaces while adding more buttons. This might be enough reason for some to choose Volvo.
The navigation system is new, and promising. The screen pops up vertically from the center of the dash, though it's canted forward at what seems like a strange angle. The driver surfs through menus and makes choices with buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes, almost where you'd expect paddle shifters for an automatic transmission. Our initial reaction is that it's better than other systems (unless, of course, you absolutely need those paddle shifters). The menus are no more difficult to learn, and they're managed without taking hands from the steering wheel and fishing for the controls. Passengers can control the system with a remote.
The seats are excellent. It's hard to find a better mix of comfort and support for daily driving. The optional leather upholstery is smooth and stretched tautly over the front seats. Ventilated cool seats are optional.
The value of the fold-flat front-passenger seat should not be underestimated as it allows hauling of long items, such as a ladder or a nine-foot fly rod rigged and ready to move to the next spot upstream. The design seems to do nothing to diminish the seat's comfort, yet its back can fold forward to a level on the same plain as the folded rear seat and cargo floor. In-cabin storage tends to be short in modern Volvos, though it's decent in the V70. The center console and glovebox hold quite a bit of stuff. The pockets behind the front seatbacks are handy and the cupholders work well.
The rear seats are not the roomiest, given the apparent size of the vehicle. We wouldn't recommend six-footers sit back there for a cross-country trip. However, there is enough room that someone 5-foot, 9 inches won't get claustrophobic or cramped riding across town, and we think it would be fine for families until the kids are well into their teens. The rear DVD system puts a screen in the back of both front headrests, which we prefer to those that drop from the headliner.
The cargo area is one of the V70's strengths. The rear seat folds easily, 40/20/40, allowing lots of flexibility with passengers and Next Page