Certain automakers are tied to various qualities or traits – Subaru has all-wheel drive, Saturn has no-haggle pricing, and Volvo has typically stood for safety, a point the 2006 C70 is sure to solidify in shoppers’ minds. The body has been reinforced throughout, with heavy emphasis added to the A- and B-pillars, a new front subframe designed to better absorb crash energy, a bolstered rear cross brace, and thick aluminum beams within the doors to add extra support. Also beefed up is the chassis, including added strength in the center tunnel, which, unfortunately, squeezes out the necessary room for an all-wheel-drive system’s rear driveshaft – the Volvo C70 is destined to remain a front-driver.

Stability and traction control systems are standard, as are new door-mounted side-curtain airbags that inflate upward in the event of an accident. Rollover bars, part of Volvo’s Rollover Protection System (ROPS), behind the rear seats rise up during a rollover or rear impact. The three-panel roof system is constructed of steel, and active front headrests are standard.