Volvo XC70 RETURNS as an Extended Range Plug-in Hybrid SUV

The Volvo XC70 returns after almost 10 years away as an extended-range plug-in hybrid SUV, promising long-range EV running.

It’s getting on for a decade since the Volvo XC70 went to the car graveyard in the sky, ousted by Geely’s takeover of Volvo and a move towards smaller engines and more stylish design, although when we reviewed the last of the Volvo XC70s in 2016, we still found it an appealing offering. True, Volvo did effectively replace the XC70 with the V90 Cross Country, but it too has since withered on the vine.

Now, the Volvo XC70 is returning, but this time around it’s not a rugged high-riding Estate but yet another SUV to add to Volvo’s offering, a bit bigger than the Volvo XC60 and looking a lot like a slightly lower XC90.

Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo CEO, said:

The XC70 marks our strategic entry into the extended-range plug-in hybrid segment, a perfect bridge to full electrification. It enables us to maintain and develop a balanced product portfolio, while offering a highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars. This is also an example of regionalisation, where we adapt to the local market needs.

Volvo says the new XC70 sits on the SMA Platform and can travel up to 124 miles as an EV, but that figure is a Chinese CLTC figure, and a WLTP range will be a chunk less.

What’s not clear – because this is really an extended tease for the new XC70 ahead of a proper debut – is what exactly Volvo means by an extended range moulded. Is it a regular PHEV with a much bigger battery than Volvo’s current PHEVs, or is it a range Extender model with a petrol engine powering a battery which then drives an electric motor?

Volvo says more details on the new XC70 will be revealed in the coming months, and although it’s aimed at the Chinese market it does seem likely it will find its way to the UK and Europe as the appetite for PHEVs continues to grow.