REAL WORLD SAFETY

Much of Volvo Cars’ recent success can be attributed to the overwhelming popularity of their SUV models. The company best known for their practical brickwagons have swiftly shifted its centre of gravity to crossovers.

The transformation is astonishing not least because Volvo does not carry a diverse portfolio of SUVs to choose from; it wasn’t until 2019 that the XC40 became the third SUV offering in Volvo showrooms. For the better part of a decade before that, it was just the XC90 and XC60 spearheading Volvo’s charge in the SUV segments.

Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake.

Latest evolution of City Safety in the XC60 is able to help avert or mitigate collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and even large animals – day or night.

But where variety was lacking, it was more than compensated for in quality and substance; both the XC90 and XC60 have been hugely successful, raking in awards from critics as well as sales from consumers.

From its launch in 2008, the original XC60 was consistently Volvo Cars’ global best-seller every year, a trend which the current second-generation model continues. Clearly then, in the XC60, Volvo has found the formula of a resounding winner.

SHARP LOOKS

“I clearly know that based on the direction that Volvo is heading as a company, I will get one (again) later on.”

- Bobby

Volvo’s dedication to safety needs no introduction. We are talking about the car maker which invented the seatbelt and then letting everyone use it for free. While most car makers study Euro NCAP requirements, Volvo engineers are out there visiting crash sites. So, even if other car makers offer comparable levels of features, Volvo’s safety equipment are developed and calibrated based on real world data.

Lane Keeping Assist (LKA).

The XC60 sends a subtle vibration through the steering wheel and steers you back to the centre if you unintentionally start to stray out of your lane.

Blind spot information system (BLIS).

With steer assist starts by alerting, then escalating to active support to guide you and your loved ones back on track.

Cross Traffic Alert (CTA).

When reversing out of a tight spot, driver assist with cross traffic alert keeps an eye for approaching vehicles and will even auto brake if an imminent collision is anticipated.

360 Camera.

Four high-definition cameras combine to give a 360-degree bird’s eye view to give better vision when navigating tight spaces.

Underpinned by its safety, the XC60 also owes much of its success to a well-executed design. The second-generation model is a ground-up re-development based on the SPA platform, but influences from the hugely successful predecessor remain loud and clear.

The proportions are familiar, but the details are thoroughly sharpened, and the result successfully implements Volvo Cars’ latest design language into a body that clearly carries the XC60’s lineage.

Run-off Road Mitigation and Steering Assist.

Run-off road mitigation steers and brakes if you unintentionally stray towards the edge of the road.

The XC60’s cabin brings forth the best of Scandinavian design in projecting luxury through sophisticated minimalism. It is crafted from natural, luxurious materials such as real wood, genuine metal, and not forgetting the handmade Orrefors crystal gear selector.

SHATTERING PERFORMANCE

The Volvo XC60 convincingly shatters these old adages of automotive engineering with its powerful yet sophisticated T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain that punches out a devastating 407hp and 640Nm whilst returning a rated fuel consumption of 2.1 litres/100km. Proof of its potency? Watch…

As seen in other recent Volvo Cars, however, the XC60 offers more than just blind pace. Solid dynamic fundamentals of the SPA platform bless the XC60 with confident handling, thereby assuring that performance is accompanied by a commensurate degree of control.

But unlike most offerings in the market, the XC60 consciously steers away from the direction of outright sportiness. Instead, the priority was to create a car that pleases and delights with its sheer ease of use and focuses on being unstressful to drive. If the aim was to create a pleasant driving companion for all occasions, the result can only be described as an unequivocal success.

WHAT'S NEW IN 2021?

It’s not yet the facelift, but the XC60 is, after all, mid-way through its model life-cycle, and some minor updates have been implemented to freshen things up.

Firstly, the line-up is streamlined with the T8 now carrying the ‘Recharge’ badge in line with Volvo Cars’ global direction in badging its PHEV models. The single turbo T5 petrol model is still available, but the T8 now comes exclusively in Inscription Plus trim.

Most noteworthy change is the inclusion of a wireless charging tray cleverly integrated into the centre console cupholder cluster. The design makes use of the sliding lid to create a variable length tray that will hold phones of different sizes in place without them sliding about. Brilliant.

“They have not changed much with the basic formula, but they didn’t have to because even in its original configuration, this second-generation XC60 is already a very capable all-round car.”

- Kon

"The XC60 is an SUV you should look at."

- Thana

"Volvo makes me feel serene and in peace with myself.

Everywhere you look in a Volvo is nothing but elegance and class."

- Thana