Automotive

I've been waiting a long time to replace my current XC70, it's 2 generations previous to this one. Sadly, I'd say it's not going to happen. 

This new car is $65-70k sticker price ($20k more than the F-Pace I drove last weekend), but I don't like it as much as my current car.

It looks pretty enough in the pictures, but what they don't show is the claustrophobic feeling of this vehicle.

Windows are much smaller. Door openings are much smaller. My father-in-law can barely get into the current car - if you have more than size 11 shoe, you'll have trouble too. I banged my shins on the higher door sill twice - one exiting the passenger side after the obligatory "I'll drive it off the lot" business, and once climbing out of the driver's side.

The rear windows are much smaller than the ones on my car, and the sills in the back are very high and very encroaching on the load space... probably because they contain a self-raising tailgate mechanism, and a self-covering cargo area cover. Neither of which appeals to me. 

Further cramping the car is the extremely high central console - as you can see in the picture it's elbow height which is 3-4 inches or more higher than mine. Add to that the fact that you can't possibly rest your elbow on the window sill (4 inches too high) ... well I suppose no one opens their windows on a sunny day but me. Even the salesman agreed the sill was too high, and I had the seat raised all the way (I'm 5' 10" / 178cm).

Finally, the dash top is high and covered with a black mouse fur substance which adds a gloomy feel, and between the rear view mirror and the windscreen is a large blob of plastic containing cameras, lidar sensors, etc. for eventual self-driving capability, which increases the claustrophobic atmosphere.

The engine is now only a 4-cyl vs the previous 5 & 6 cylinder engines. It does have more power than mine, at 316 vs 210, but it doesn't idle well (or quietly). It drones and vibrates in a way unbecoming a $65,000 car with few options.

Here are some comparison specs I just dredged up:

OLD

3700 lbs

24 mpg ave 100k miles

72 cu ft cargo

186" length

109" wheelbase

39.3" headroom

legroom same

NEW

4220 lbs

22-30 claimed

54 cu ft cargo

194" length

116" wheelbase

37.8" headroom 

legroom same

So it's 7-8 inches longer, weighs 14% or 520 lbs! more, has 3/4 the cargo space, 1.5 inches less headroom -- and it costs 50% more than my loaded XC70 which also has a bevy of airbags, twin-pane glass, AWD, every option in the book. And it's no nicer to drive.

Hmmmm - I'm going to be looking elsewhere.

Cazalea

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