Volvo XC70 becomes an SUV, ships in September

Volvo has posted a handful of photos of its new XC70, which is no longer a high-riding station wagon but a full-fledged SUV. Preorders will open in August and the first deliveries will be made in September, the company says.

The images reveal what looks like a mixture between Volvo’s own design language and Chinese design influences. The iconic T-shaped DRLs known as “Thor’s Hammer” are still there, but the main headlight units are now vertical. The bumper sports something like a splitter underneath and has a large air intake in the middle. The hood features concave sections at the sides, the door handles are installed flush with the body, and the wide c-pillars are slanted for a sportier side view.

AutoHome.cn complements the official release with an alleged spy shot of the interior. We are told that the cabin is rather clean and minimalistic with hardly any physical buttons in view, but the image is very low quality. A large touchscreen in the middle is all we can discern.

Earlier patent filings made it clear that the new XC70 is sized 4,815 mm (188 inches) long, 1,890 mm (73.8 inches) wide and 1,650 mm (64.5 inches) tall with 2,895 mm (113.1 inches) of wheelbase. The main powertrain is a Geely-sourced hybrid system featuring a 163-PS (161-hp / 120-kW) engine and a battery rated for 200 km (124 miles) of range per the Chinese standard. Volvo Europe said it was possible that the XC70 would get an international release, but never provided any dates or specifics.