The BTR-70 is a successor vehicle to the BTR-60PB. Both vehicles have the same turret armament.

The BTR-70 is slightly longer in the hull. It also has a recognizable gap between its front set of road wheels and the rear set.

Triangular-shaped access doors are in this lower hull space on both sides of the vehicle. They provide side entrance and exit for troops. (The BTR-60PB has only top hatches.) Also, the wave deflector attaches differently on the BTR-70 than on the BTR-60PB.

The BTR-70 has two upgraded, 8-cylinder, 120-hp gasoline engines. The hull, which provides improved protection over the frontal arc as compared to the BTR-60, is of all welded-steel. Like the BTR-60PB and BRDM-2, the BTR-70 is has a small conical turret armed with a 14.5-mm KPT machine gun and a coaxial 7.62-mm PKT machinegun.

The troop compartment can hold six infantry men, seated facing out and each is equiped with a firing port and vision block. The BTR-70 is equipped with an NBC protection system, a central-tire regulation system, and a fire detection/suppression system. Mounted at the front of the hull is a winch which has 50-m of cable and can pull 6000 kg. The BTR-70 is fully amphibious. It is propelled in the water by a single water-jet at the rear of the hull. Theis space provide in the troop compartment for light antitank and crew-served weapons such as RPG-7 and two AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers.

BTR-70 M1986/1 In an effort to improve the armament and survivability of the BTR-70, several improvements were made including: improved turret with high angle of fire weapons and smoke mortars, modified wave deflector, additional side armor brackets, and top mounted firing ports.

BTR-70Kh This BTR-70 variant is used to conduct chemical reconnaissance.

SPR-2 A proximity fuse jammer mounted on the BTR-70 chassis. This vehicle is the successor to the tracked SPR-1. This jammer is designed to prematurely detonate proximity fuzzed artillery rounds.

BTR-70MS Maschina Svyazi (signals vehicle) used as a communications support vehicle.

BTR-70KShM Komandno-Shtabnaya Maschina (command and control vehicle) used as a mobile command post vehicle.

BREM repair and recovery vehicle Bronirovannaya Remontno-Evakuatsionannaya Mashina (armored repair and recovery vehicle) consists of a BTR-70 with the turret removed and replaced with a crane and other repair equipment.