The C70 uses front-wheel drive and Volvo's well-proven 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, rated at 227 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 236 pound-feet of torque from 1500 to 4800 rpm.   The flat torque curve puts the power to the front wheels evenly and makes the car highly responsive.   Volvo estimates 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds with the six-speed manual gearbox and 7.4 seconds with the five-speed automatic.   That's not the performance of a hot rod, but it is certainly more than respectable.  

Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 19/28 mpg City/Highway.  

We found the 5-speed automatic shifts crisply.   Called Geartronic, the automatic features a satisfying and obedient manual-shift mode for those times when you want a little extra control for shifting or holding a gear.  

The brakes work very well.   We found them to be resistant to fade on a winding road that overheated the brakes on some lesser cars.  

The C70 doesn't feel heavy when you flick it around in the curves.   The rack-and-pinion steering is power-assisted and electro-hydraulic, and provides a solid feel.   We wouldn't call it light or nimble, but turning the C70 doesn't require a lot of effort.   It simply gives good feedback through the healthy leather-wrapped steering wheel.  

The same could be said of the ride.   The chassis is stiff, a key to crisp handling and a smooth ride.   The current C70 doesn't shake like many convertibles do, another benefit of the rigid chassis.