The end of the S and V ranges?

[RizzoTheRat]

I've been umming and aahing about buying a V60, but just looked on Volvo's configurator site and they now seem to only list the EX and XC models, plus the C40.

I found an article from January mentioning replacements for the S and V ranges, and an article on a dealers website saying the V60 has been discontinued but the V60XC is still going.

Interestingly the V60 still shows up on the Dutch configurator but not the British one, so maybe they're phasing out RHD first? Anyone know what's happening?

[jamei303]

Only SUVs for the UK:

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/volvo-shed...

[Yahonza]

Volvo are rapidly moving away from ICE. They don't offer diesels now in the UK, they seem to be discontinuing the plug in hybrid range at least for the XC40. They offer mild hybrids for the XC40 but the road tax for a fully specced up one over 5 years is definitely prohibitive. I guess despite it being their best seller in the UK, it will get replaced by the EX30.

So it will be all electric Volvo SUVs soon, and I assume their more elegant cars will be reincarnated as electrics only.
Are they alienating their buyers?

[FiF]

Setting aside the issue of BEV vs ICE I think this move to remove non SUV from the range is a mistake.

Can understand that generally in many markets the 3 box saloon as in the S range is losing volume. BUT estate / wagons being removed.

I absolutely do not buy the argument that SUVs do the job better, carrying larger items, loading height. Then there is the issue of aero, which is going to be an increasing issue regarding range, a massive great frontal area XC60/90 vs a smaller V60/90.

Just no.

[RizzoTheRat]

Is there a packaging issue with EV's, is it easier to fit everything in an SUV form than lower car? They seem to have achieved it with Polestar though.

Completely agree on weight/aero etc, XC60 is a couple of hundred kg heavier than a V60, and noticeably worse fuel economy.

Interesting that the above article says they're withdrawing them from the UK market though. I'm split between UK and NL and they're still on sale in NL, but I guess days might be numbered. Thinking about it though I do see a lot more XC's around than V's, and S's seem really rare.

I still haven't quite worked out if I want to buy LHD or RHD so if I do go for a Volvo I guess that's one decision I don't need to make

[jamei303]

FiF said:

I absolutely do not buy the argument that SUVs do the job better, carrying larger items, loading height. Then there is the issue of aero, which is going to be an increasing issue regarding range, a massive great frontal area XC60/90 vs a smaller V60/90.

Just no.

No one is using their Volvo to carry a fridge or a wardrobe these days, and XC90 owners don't care about a couple of mpg lost due to aero. SUVs just make for more comfortable family cars.

[FiF]

Seems that Jonny Smith and I are on the same side of opinion on this so happy to disagree with your opinion.


https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168641991026...

https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168686657477...

Autos have evolved into these massive things, very heavy, and as for SUVs with sloping back windows. BMW X6 should have had an anti-tank round at birth. Never has so much metal contained such little useful space. Destroy.

[FiF]

Still going to be supplying them to UK emergency services but not civilians.

Have they thought this through?

[dhutch]

Yahonza said:

Volvo are rapidly moving away from ICE.

So it will be all electric Volvo SUVs soon, and I assume their more elegant cars will be reincarnated as electrics only.
Are they alienating their buyers?

RizzoTheRat said:

Is there a packaging issue with EV's, is it easier to fit everything in an SUV form than lower car? They seem to have achieved it with Polestar though.

Presumably it is a hard sell to the bean counters, given the reduction in the sector, hence no all-electric estate?

But yeah, its certainly following the trend of customer taste rather than pampering to the brands history.

[Majorslow]

Very "unfortunate" that Volvo are getting rid of the S and V models.

I have been looking for a tow car, and have a love for Volvo's.

I have tried the Volvo suv's and did not really like them. Very "square" and load space not really as good as they look.

I love the look of the V90's but the sloping rear end not as practical as the older V70's

So I bought myself an XC70 this morning, will do everything I require of it.... it's booked in to go to our local dump tomorrow for it's first duty, a real shame they will be becoming rarer as time goes on. I had my last V70 for 23 trouble free years.... why get rid of something that works?

[Murph7355]

FiF said:

Seems that Jonny Smith and I are on the same side of opinion on this so happy to disagree with your opinion.


https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168641991026...

https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168686657477...

Autos have evolved into these massive things, very heavy, and as for SUVs with sloping back windows. BMW X6 should have had an anti-tank round at birth. Never has so much metal contained such little useful space. Destroy.

I agree with you entirely on SUV "coupes". But not the rest.

How many Volvo estates have you and Jonny bought?

We've had 2x SUVs. In terms of fit for purpose for the job in hand, they're amongst the best cars I've bought. 7 seats, tons of luggage space, super comfortable and "safe".

Fast? No. 'Ring suitable? No. Thirsty? Yes.

I love a fast estate too, btw. But suspect Volvo's research will likely have been pretty solid.

The bigger issue for them, IMO, is 100k for an EX90. Really!? Can't see us having a third at that price point.

[RizzoTheRat]

Murph7355 said:

I agree with you entirely on SUV "coupes". But not the rest.

How many Volvo estates have you and Jonny bought?

We've had 2x SUVs. In terms of fit for purpose for the job in hand, they're amongst the best cars I've bought. 7 seats, tons of luggage space, super comfortable and "safe".

Fast? No. 'Ring suitable? No. Thirsty? Yes.

I love a fast estate too, btw. But suspect Volvo's research will likely have been pretty solid.

The bigger issue for them, IMO, is 100k for an EX90. Really!? Can't see us having a third at that price point.

£33k for the base spec EX30 don't sound too bad compared to the competition, and a similar price to the petrol XC40. I agree the EX90 sounds crazy expensive when a petrol XC90 is £60-70k, and the PEV only a few of grand more expensive.

The seem to have discontinued the XC40 PHEV as well.

[FiF]

Murph7355 said:

FiF said:

Seems that Jonny Smith and I are on the same side of opinion on this so happy to disagree with your opinion.


https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168641991026...

https://twitter.com/Carpervert/status/168686657477...

Autos have evolved into these massive things, very heavy, and as for SUVs with sloping back windows. BMW X6 should have had an anti-tank round at birth. Never has so much metal contained such little useful space. Destroy.

I agree with you entirely on SUV "coupes". But not the rest.

How many Volvo estates have you and Jonny bought?

We've had 2x SUVs. In terms of fit for purpose for the job in hand, they're amongst the best cars I've bought. 7 seats, tons of luggage space, super comfortable and "safe".

Fast? No. 'Ring suitable? No. Thirsty? Yes.

I love a fast estate too, btw. But suspect Volvo's research will likely have been pretty solid.

The bigger issue for them, IMO, is 100k for an EX90. Really!? Can't see us having a third at that price point.

No idea about how many Jonny has bought but I've had 4, owned personally, and lost count of how many various Volvo estates I've driven as part of job. V40, V50, V60, V70, V70XC, V90.
Also as for SUV version driven, XC60, XC90.

Absolutely prefer the drive and loadspace of the estates. We are both entitled to our own opinions on preference, doesn't make one of us automatically right and the other wrong.

[dhutch]

Murph7355 said:

We've had 2x SUVs. In terms of fit for purpose for the job in hand, they're amongst the best cars I've bought. 7 seats, tons of luggage space, super comfortable and "safe".

Fast? No. 'Ring suitable? No. Thirsty? Yes.

Which there in lies the problem.

They are fundamentally less good for the planet. As well as also being less safe for occupants and surrounding people, both because they have a higher centre of gravity so are worst at the 'moose test' etc and more likely to cross over barriers and central reservations, and because they are taller and heavier so create more damage to anything they collide with.

[Murph7355]

FiF said:

...

Absolutely prefer the drive and loadspace of the estates. We are both entitled to our own opinions on preference, doesn't make one of us automatically right and the other wrong

Agreed totally.

Volvo's mkt research less so

dhutch said:

Which there in lies the problem.

They are fundamentally less good for the planet. As well as also being less safe for occupants and surrounding people, both because they have a higher centre of gravity so are worst at the 'moose test' etc and more likely to cross over barriers and central reservations, and because they are taller and heavier so create more damage to anything they collide with.

Ref safety, how many die in XC90s v V90s? Etc

[Elderly]

Murph7355 said:

Volvo's mkt research less so

.

I believe that it’s Volvo’s estate cars’ low sales figures in the UK
that has produced this decision.

[dhutch]

Elderly said:

I believe that it’s Volvo’s estate cars’ low sales figures in the UK
that has produced this decision.

Are we the only RHD market? Grey import options?

[missing the VR6]

Speaking as a salesman for Volvo, S/V cars don't sell (sadly). Just not worth importing them to the UK market and I'd venture pretty soon the rest of the world, given the publics predilection for SUVs. It's also due to the ongoing supply chain issues and the fact SUV's are far more profitable than cars, as witnessed by Ford dropping most of their cars and keeping SUVS.

Sadly I see it regularly, the SUV boom is almost entirely driven by women and their other halves trying to keep them happy.

There is talk of an electric saloon at some point in the next few years.

[dhutch]

There are certainly a lot more XC40's and XC90's in the carpark at work than V60s or V90s.

[YorkshireMadMick]

I bought a very low mileage XC70 Sport D5 AWD 2008 with 18,000 miles on the clock. She’s not Ulez compliant
But that’s a money making scam. My R129 SL isn’t Ulez compliant either. So sod em.
The XC70 makes for miles of smiles.
So does the SL