2007 Volvo C70 Hard-Top Convertible PREMIUM

There were overcast skies with a threat of rain on the day I returned my C70 tester to Volvo. But good "vertible" days are spaced too far apart between fall and spring, and so I pulled into a parking lot to drop the top – I just couldn't take my last drive in it with a roof overhead.

As the C70's three-piece lid did its complicated ballet, with hard panels lifting and shifting, and finally settling into the trunk, I looked around and saw that three people had stopped what they were doing just to watch. It's an engineering marvel that draws a crowd whenever it operates, and probably has technicians everywhere praying that they never have to fix one.

Based on the Volvo S40 sedan – itself built on the platform that underpins the Mazda3 – the C70 is available only as the T5, meaning a turbocharged five-cylinder 2.5 L engine.

My tester had a six-speed manual transmission, one of the smoothest and lightest clutch-and-shifter combinations in the industry and an absolute joy to drive, but those who don't like stick shift can opt for a five-speed automatic.

At 236 lb.-ft. of torque, which hits its peak at a mere 1500 rpm, the C70 scoots along when asked, and it's not necessary to continually shift to keep the engine in its sweet spot; you'll mostly only get into the top two gears on the highway.

But dialing in that much power is always a difficult balancing act with a front-wheel-drive car, and while handling is otherwise sharp and accurate, the C70 suffers from considerable torque steer. And those with larger hands won't mind, but I found the wheel too thick to be comfortable.

Standard features include a combination of fabric and leather upholstery, but my car was fitted with a $5,000 Sport Package that covered the heated seats with full leather, along with other goodies such as 18-inch wheels and Xenon headlamps.

The interior is beautiful and uncluttered, but I have a love/hate relationship with its trademark "floating" centre stack: the design is stunning, but it's tough to reach its small, sole storage cubby, and working the tiny and not-very-intuitive stereo and climate buttons takes too much time away from the road.

Volvo did its top-down homework, though, and when you lock the glovebox door, it also automatically locks four storage compartments in the front seats and rear-seat side panels. The rear ones open from the top, but the front ones should too, as it's tough to hold up the lid and then manoeuvre your belongings into them.

I'm torn on the exterior design: it's stunningly gorgeous in three-quarter profile from the front and back, but the doors are too short, and when viewed from the side, the car's long, heavy haunches make it look stubby and disproportionate.

On the up side, though, the shorter door length makes them more manageable in tight parking spaces. And I'd like to know who okayed the hideous black whip antenna on the rear fender.

Although it's technically a four-seater, the C70 is more a 2+2, as there's precious little legroom behind the front seats. You can take your full-size friends along, but don't expect them to be too grateful for it.

The fully-automatic roof takes about 25 seconds to open or close. The trunk is two pieces, one of which forms a tonneau when the top is down; the roof separates into three sections, with the front-most piece sandwiching in between the other two for storage.

I couldn't figure out why the windows automatically went back up once the top was lowered, though; driving around with your convertible roof down and your windows up is worthy of a ticket from the Taste Police.

Some of my colleagues have mentioned hearing squeaks and rattles with the roof up in other C70s, but mine was quiet. However, it did leak in the car wash.

Trunk space is limited to a well that's a fairly generous 79 cm long by 99 cm wide, and a maximum 35 cm deep; a retractable hard plastic cover pulls out to protect the roof and ensure you're not above the "fill" line. Should you need to retrieve something, there's a button inside the trunk that lifts the folded roof up slightly and lets you reach in.

Even by Volvo standards, the C70 isn't cheap: its $56,495 starting price is more than a six-cylinder S80, and among retractable hardtops, it's pricier than a base BMW 328i, Volkswagen Eos or Audi TT 2.0.

If I were buying it and planning on holding on to it for a while, I'd also give some thought to purchasing extra warranty beyond the basic coverage. Given the complexity of that amazing roof, I'd be much happier to see someone else footing the bill should anything go wrong.

Four-seat convertibles straddle the line between indulgence – the wind in your hair, the sun on your scalp – and practicality – room enough for your family and stuff.

Many try to be sporty; many try to be luxurious. The result is often a nice car, but a compromised car, one that doesn't quite deliver the driving pleasure of a roadster, but which also isn't as comfortable as a more conventional auto.

Volvo, of course, has always been good at striking a balance. They're among the most stylish cars you can buy these days while also being among the safest. The C70 is an example of just how good they are at it: a coupe-cabriolet with a folding hardtop which negates much of the drawbacks in terms of wind and road noise of typical four-seaters while retaining all the style and panache with the roof folded.

Certainly, my Zanzibar Gold C70 was a real looker. Whether the top was up or down, its low, wide stance, chiselled shoulders, long rear deck and great detailing (turn-signal repeaters in the mirrors; gorgeous 18-inch wheels) drew all kinds of stares.

Top down, it looks as good as anything else in its price class. Top up, because of the roof's three-piece construction and a gently curving roofline, it's the best-looking of all the hardtop convertibles on the market, equally at home as a coupe cruising around at night as it is a convertible meandering along the boulevard on a sunny day.

A relaxed pace seems to suit the C70 best. While its five-cylinder engine is fortified by a strong turbocharger, the weight of the top mechanism and all the safety gear – pop-up roll bars behind the rear seats, side-curtain airbags that deploy from the top of the door sills – means that the Volvo convertible can feel a little lethargic in around-town driving, at least until the turbo spools up a bit.

The news is better on the open road, where you're almost always in the engine's fat torque band and rarely need to row the six gears (an automatic is also available) to summon up sufficient passing power. The engine, which produces 218 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque, is flexible and extremely smooth.

The presence of 18-inch Pirelli P Zero tires was an encouraging sign for the C70's cornering capability, and, indeed, it hangs on gamely around fast bends.

But it only takes a couple of corners to discover that this really isn't a sports car. It's impressively capable and will never bite you back, but there's little entertainment to be had by driving it hard. The steering feels a little loose around the straight-ahead, the brakes have a soft, long-travel pedal and there's a fair amount of body roll.

Best to dial back the pace and enjoy the more positive aspects of the C70's repertoire: refinement, ride quality and a real sense of solidity, despite the huge hole in the structure the roof has created.

So the sport package fitted to my tester, really, had little to do with sport; it's more about improved equipment.

You not only get bi-xenon headlights, headlamp washers and those gorgeous wheels, but the interior is bumped up a notch as well, with leather seating surfaces (with heat in front), auto-dimming mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and other convenience features.

Individually, the pieces are nice: the multi-function steering wheel is a thick three-spoke affair with metallic inserts, the shifter has a fillet of aluminum draped down its centre and the handbrake gains a leather boot. All of the major controls are housed in a metallic waterfall that cascades down from the top of the dash and even the door handles have a nice, chunky heft to them.

Still, the overall impression that the interior gives doesn't quite live up to the C70's $56,000 base price. While many pieces have been upgraded, the overall design and architecture of the C70 is based on the much less-expensive C30, S40 and V50 models, cars that start around the $30,000 mark.

At that price, the plain door panel caps (they're a huge expanse of putty-coloured plastic) and the hard plastic on the bottom of the dash is more forgivable; at more than $63,000 as tested, those pieces are a little harder to stomach in the C70.

No complaints, though, about overall comfort. There's plenty of room in the front seats to stretch out (roof up, headroom is decent, too) and the two rear buckets are comfortable for shorter adults and perfect for growing children.

The top is one of this car's prime attractions, of course. Push a button on the console while holding your foot on the brake pedal – this is a Volvo, of course, so safety first – and it performs an incredible mechanical ballet, splitting into three main pieces and folding into the trunk in about 30 seconds.

Because of its three-piece design, the roof does preserve quite a bit more space in the trunk than you might expect; more than the 3 Series BMW, which also has a three-part roof and almost as much as soft-tops like the Saab 9-3 and Audi A4.

What you don't get, however, is easy access to your stuff. Even with a convenient little switch that motors the roof out of the way when it's folded, your bags still have to fit underneath a stiff plastic cover, accessible through a pretty narrow opening. Loading larger pieces, or even a stuffed briefcase, requires you to have the roof up first. During the winter months, when you'll pretty much leave the roof up all the time, you can swing away the divider and the trunk becomes positively huge.

With the top up, this is one of the most refined, livable coupes in its price range. Wind and road noise are but a dull murmur – meaning you can better enjoy the killer 910-watt Dynaudio sound system – and outward visibility is excellent, an important safety feature enabled by the hardtop's thin pillars.

Cruising along on a cool autumn night, the climate control and seat heaters keeping you warm and toasty, the C70 suffuses you with a feeling of calm and serenity.

It may not be the most electrifying drive and it may be quite expensive for a car based on a similar platform to the Mazda3 and European Ford Focus, but the C70's balance of attributes makes it a very appealing package nonetheless.

Statistics Canada says slightly less than 500,000 Canadian marriages ended in separation or divorce between 2001 and 2006.

Experts in marital matters cite poor communication, problems in the sack, a change in priorities or an act of infidelity as the most common reasons for splitting up.

Funnily enough, those same experts failed to mention two-seat roadsters as a cause of marital discord.

Said roadsters, when brought into a relationship unexpectedly, can cause just as much harm as a fling with the new intern.

If you're looking for an open-air convertible driving experience, and want to avoid the potentially relationship-ending utterance, "Where are the back seats?" try one of the following convertibles with room for four:

2007 Volvo C70

The C70 is arguably the most striking looking Volvo ever. It's also the most comfortable cabriolet here and the quietest at highway speeds.

The C70's only engine choice, a 218 hp, 236 lb.-ft. of torque turbocharged 2.5 L inline-five, is shared with the S40 sedan.

There's an optional five-speed manumatic, but the C70 test car had the base six-speed manual.

Its fuel consumption splits the Audi and Saab at 11.5 L/100 km city, 7.5 highway and 9.8 as-tested.

Audio and sport packages bump the C70's $56,495 base price to $63,745, almost as dear as the A4.

As attractive visually as the C70 is, its supermodel looks don't accurately tell the Volvo's driving story.

Despite employing the most power in the trio – plus the perceived advantage of the stick – the Volvo is slightly slower than the less powerful Saab in the 0-to-100 km/h run at just under 7.5 seconds.

Grip from the optional Pirelli P Zero Rosso rubber may be tenacious.

But the Volvo's lack of suspension travel and soft suspension only amplifies the limp chassis on less-than-perfect roads.

Shaking and quaking from the front suspension further impinges on the driving experience and the C70's steering is as wooden as a Swedish teak table.

WHY BUY? First-class accommodations for four, quiet at speed.

WHY NOT? Brittle ride, loosey-goosey chassis, anesthetized steering.

PLEBEIAN ALTERNATIVE: 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible $37,899

2007 Audi A4 Cabriolet

2.0 T quattro

The A4 delivers on most of what one comes to expect from any Audi from the past decade:

It's pricey: A front-drive A4 cabrio starts at $55,200, but with all-wheel-drive, a six-speed manumatic transmission and a sundry of luxury, convenience and trim options, the Audi ends up being the most expensive cab here at $65,070;

It has a standout interior: The A4's cockpit uses the highest quality materials and is screwed together to the tightest tolerances;

It's confident in the corners: Agile and secure at high speeds, the A4 is way more composed than the C70, with steering that was accurate and well weighted.

So why second place?

Unless the manumatic function of the Audi's slushbox is employed, its comparatively weak 2.0 L turbo four, with 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque, always seems complacent in its duties.

Though one does get the meanest fuel consumption ratings at 10.8 L/100 km city, 7.2 highway and 7.8 as tested.

Maybe the A4's biggest surprise is its less-than-absorbent suspension.

Potholes and dips unruffle the A4 at every opportunity.

Where the Saab absorbs the hits and continues along its merry way, the Audi's suspension clomps and makes a bunch of un-premium noises in the process.

WHY BUY? High-quality cabin, agile handling.

WHY NOT? Leaden performance, rough ride, high price.

PLEBEIAN ALTERNATIVE: 2007 Volkswagen Eos $36,900

2007 Saab 9-3 Convertible

With a revised model for '08 waiting in the wings, the '07 9-3 seems like yesterday's news.

However, after spending some quality time flogging the Saab on everything from crammed city streets to bumpy back-roads, you get the distinct impression that the engineers from Saab still have a trick or two up their sleeves.

One ploy is a low price.

Even with the optional five-speed manumatic, plus audio, premium and appearance packages, the 9-3's $52,135 base price climbs to only $58,170.

The front-drive 9-3 can be had with a 250 hp 2.8 L V6.

Yet, with the base 2.0 L turbo four, with 210 hp and 221 lb.-ft., it's still the quickest cabrio here at only 7.3 seconds from 0-to-100 km/h.

Although not in the Audi's rarefied league in build quality, the 9-3 interior's controls are well defined and simple to use.

The thin chrome line surrounding the car's instrument panel, body-colour trim panel encircling the cockpit and the truly comfortable, yet supportive, seats are all highlights.

With the nosiest cabin top-up, and the worst fuel consumption at 11.6 L/100km city, 7.3 highway and 10.6 as-tested (hey, turbos like the juice), like most relationships, the Saab's not perfect.

But where the Saab separates itself from this trio is in its predictable road manners.

The Saab rolls more in the corners than the Volvo or Audi, while dealing with midcorner bumps with aplomb.

The elasticity of the suspension means that where the C70 and Audi skitter over rougher roads, the 9-3 delivers a composed ride.

WHY BUY? Real-world handling prowess, real-world pricing, supportive seats.

WHY NOT? Updated 9-3 less than a year away, wind noise, sucks gas.

PLEBEIAN ALTERNATIVE: 2007 Pontiac G6 GT convertible $35,960

PRICE: $56,495

VEHICLE: 2-dr. 4-pass. conv. FWD

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Engine 2.5 L5 DOHC Turbo HP 218 @ 5000 Torque (lb-ft) 236 @ 1500 Trans. 6M Brakes Disc-Disc Tires 235/45R17

SPECIFICATIONS - mm (in.): WB 2640 (103.9) L 4582 (180.4) W 1820 (71.9) H 1400 (55.1) Curb Weight - kg (lb.) 1711 (3772) Cargo Capacity - L (ft3) Top Up 362 (12.8) Down 170 (6.0)Fuel Tank - L (gal.) 62 (13.6) Fuel Grade - Prem

CONSUMPTION - L/100 km (mpg): City 11.3 (25) Hwy 7.3 (39)

SAFETY: ABS(f/r) std Side Airbags std TCS std

POPULAR OPTIONS: Trans. 5MM A/C std Cruise std Sunroof N.A. CD std