Volvo C70 Review

The Volvo C70 converts from coupe to roadster with the press of a button. Its folding steel roof deploys from the trunk and converts from open car to hard top in just 30 seconds. The top is made of steel, so when the top up is up, it's quiet and feels like a coupe, and it offers the security of a coupe. Press the button, and the joy of top-down motoring is yours.

The sporty C70 is based on the S40 sedan, but it has more luscious lines. The engine, suspension and transmission are proven Volvo components, while the rigid chassis was designed to meet Volvo's industry-leading safety standards.

We found the C70 to be an excellent highway cruiser, smooth and steady at high speeds. The C70 drives like a sports car. It has a solid feel and strikes an appropriate balance of responsive handling with a smooth, well-controlled ride quality and fade-resistant brakes. We liked it best with the six-speed manual, but the five-speed automatic is crisp and responsive.

The styling is brilliant, with elegant coupe lines, and the retractable hardtop is an engineering masterpiece. The cabin features comfortable seats, the latest in Volvo interior styling and fabrics, and a clever cubby behind the center dash. The stereo sounds superb. Everything operates as it should, and it's a beautiful piece of work.

The C70 helped launch a trend toward true hard-top convertibles when it debuted as a 2006 model, and it was an immediate sales success. Changes for 2010 are limited: The standard alloy wheels have been re-styled, and some options and option packages have been revised.