Volvo‘s new XC70 has officially rolled off the production line at its Taizhou plant and is set to commence pre-sales at the Chengdu Auto Show on August 27. Positioned as a luxury D-segment SUV, the new XC70 slots between Volvo’s 60 and 90 series SUVs and is built on the SMA Super Hybrid Architecture.

This XC70 measures 4815mm in length, 1890mm in width, and 1650mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2895mm. In terms of exterior design, the Volvo XC70 adopts Volvo’s new energy family’s closed-off front fascia, bearing a resemblance to the previously unveiled EX90. The vehicle retains the iconic “Thor’s Hammer” daytime running lights positioned above the main headlamps, which house the high and low beams.

Moving to the side, the XC70 features closed-off wheels and flush door handles, which are expected to contribute to aerodynamic performance and a low drag coefficient. To emphasise its sporty appeal, the new Volvo XC70 also incorporates frameless doors and frameless rearview mirrors.

At the rear, Volvo’s classic “Viking Axe” taillights make a return. The vertical light strips combined with the C-shaped corner taillights are designed to offer strong recognition when illuminated. Additionally, the rear wiper is cleverly concealed above the rear windshield.

Based on current information, the Volvo XC70 is built on the SMA (Scalable Modular Architecture) Super Hybrid Architecture, with an expected pure electric range exceeding 200 km. It boasts a combined range of 1200 kilometres and a low fuel consumption of 5.85L/100km in WLTC conditions when the battery is depleted.

The new XC70’s super hybrid system comprises a 1.5T plug-in hybrid specific engine, P1+P2+P4 three electric motors, and a 3-speed DHT transmission. The 1.5T engine utilises Miller cycle and high-pressure direct injection technology, delivering a maximum power of 120 kW and peak torque of 255 Nm, with a thermal efficiency of 44%. The 60 kW P1 motor is responsible for power generation and starting, while the 107 kW P2 front axle motor serves as the XC70’s primary drive motor. The 156 kW rear axle motor acts as an auxiliary drive, providing all-wheel-drive capability when needed.

An innovation of the system is its 3-speed DHT hybrid transmission. This transmission allows the 1.5T engine to engage in direct drive as early as 20 km/h. This is an improvement over typical single-gear plug-in hybrid solutions, which generally require vehicle speeds to exceed 60 km/h before the engine can engage in direct drive.

While the 3-motor + 3-speed DHT structure is more complex than traditional plug-in hybrids or range extenders, it supports seven different hybrid operating modes. This allows the system to adjust energy paths based on driver intent dynamically.

CarNewsChina estimates the price of XC70 to be around 360,000 yuan (50,000 USD).

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