Likewise I do own a 2004 XC70 with 24,000 km so it's roughly been driven the same amount as the one you are considering. I'll comment on a few points raised by others and my other opinios:

1. Agree, this is the best VOLVO I've ever owned
2. Mileage (or miles per kilometer in Canada) seems to be consistent, but that's not why I drive an XC either,
3. Replaced my Pirelli Scorpions with the Michelin HydroEdge I had installed on my previous 2001 XC - better tread wear, quieter, great 3 seasons tire,
4. Have 4 Nokian Hakkapelitta 2's on steel wheels for winter driving - this is a true winter tire and makes my XC70 invincible!,
5. My XC70 has DTSC which makes it safer for my wife if she ever got into trouble on the road,
6. Another option I have are the bi-xenon lights that take some getting used to (when switching to high beam), but are comparable to other European cars and maybe some Japanese cars (don't really know or care),
7. You will inherit the remainder of the 4 year, 50,000 mile warranty, that includes Volvo-On-Call if you ever do get stranded,
8. Please consider all of the "hidden" safety features, that no econo-box have,
9. Once you've owned and driven an AWD vehicle, you'll never go back to a 2 wheel drive (at least I will not),
10. No breakdowns or electrical problems so far! I'll comment further when I take her in for the 1 year inspection in 2 weeks time. I change my own oil and did switch to synthetic around 12,000 km. Other than winter tires and rims, plus normal wear items, my cost for repairs is zilch!

Good luck and hope this helps with your decision.
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Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM

With all due respect, worrying about the gas mileage of a Volvo is a bit like being concerned about the curtains on the Titanic. Your gas mileage comment truly reveals your Toyota roots. (Please don't take this the wrong way, as I own both a 98 V70 XC and a Honda Accord, so I have seen both sides of the reliability coin!).

When you own a Toyota, you have the luxury of worrying about saving a little gas. Nothing will break on a Toyota, so your attention focuses on the little things.

When you own a Volvo, your concerns may very well include being stranded on the side of the road with a failed ETS (drive-by-wire throttle control system) or a myriad of niggling failures. All problems will cost much more to fix on a Volvo than with a Toyota. And there will definitely be more problems with the Volvo. In terms of reliability, they are just in a different (minor) league, compared to the Japanese cars.

Don't get me wrong. There are other benefits to Volvo ownership (for example, my wife and I just decided to hang onto our 98XC rather than get a new Honda Pilot, but the decision wasn't easy). But if you think that gas mileage is a major concern with the car you drive, then Volvo ownership probably is not for you. You may be very disappointed with the whole experience.

It reminds me of a question someone posted a few months ago saying his wife wanted a car with bullet-proof reliability for his wife. She treated a car as an "appliance". A Volvo would just drive someone like that crazy. She needed a Japanese car.

Good luck with your decision.

On the mpg issue, the car's trip computer tells us we are getting 18-19 mpg per tankful with an avg speed of 25. We never clocked the hi-way mpg but should touch 25 if held under 65 mph. Note that the car weighs about 3,500 lbs which takes away from the mpg. Enjoy it ... my wife loves it and is definitely better than our electrical problem ridden 850 which we sold at 96,000 mi.

I love volvos, but they are finicky and require attention to regular maintenance or you'll pay dearly.

Volvo's are not as reliable as Toyota's, and if you are new to the volvo scene, stay away, or you'll be disappointed in repair expenses.
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'88 240, '92 745, '98 v70 John, Tampa Bay

How any miles?
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Leon Ramseur in NC, 2001 V70XC,2001 V70T5 & a totaled 1990 745.

Before I answer your question I need to tell you that Volvos are great cars that also tend to be a sort of mechanical primadonnas. They are not like Japanese cars that can be neglected and still run without any problems. Volvos can run for very long time, but they do require certain amount of attention. As a matter of fact most of European cars are like that. My XC70 gets between 21-22MPG in a city environment and 27-29MPG in a HWY driving. I haven't had any problems with my car with a exception of prematurely burning out light bulbs--it seems this is one of the idiosyncratic characteristics of a lot of Volvos. Even though I have not experienced these problems, newer Volvos tend to have some software problems that usually are sorted out by your dealer during the warranty period. I believe that your years should have most of the problems addressed. Otherwise if you buy this car I am certain that you will love it. In my own humble opinion this is the best Volvo that I have driven so far.

Ta-ta, j.
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Nautica-Blue Volvo 2001 XC70