Volvo XC60: Luxury Driving, Affordable Price
Newly redesigned XC60 turns heads
Indisputably, Volvo is an innovator when it comes to building safe vehicles. Years before government mandates required that certain safety features be included, the Swedish automaker was at the forefront of a technological evolution which brought three-point safety belts, enhanced child booster seats and side impact protection systems to today’s cars.
SUV Competition
An area where Volvo once trailed the competition was in the development of sport/utility vehicles, having not introduced its first model, the XC90, until 2002. At that time chief competitors such as Mercedes, Audi and BMW were well entrenched in the market, but the XC90 quickly became a hit and is currently Volvo’s most popular selling model worldwide.
For an encore, Volvo introduced the five-passenger XC60 for 2010, a smaller car-based SUV (crossover) model that competes against the likes of the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Lexus RX350, and Cadillac SRX. Powered by a standard 3.2L V6 or optional 3.0L turbo-charged T6 engine, the XC60 is paired with a six-speed “geartronic” transmission that can be operated in either automatic or manual mode.
Uniquely Styled
Outside, the XC60 continues the “tall wagon” appearance of other Volvo models including the XC70. Wide shoulders, a wedge profile and the ubiquitous Volvo nose and trademark grill blend to form an attractive, well-balanced crossover.
Massive taillights rise from either side of the rear and up to the roof, offsetting a large centered brake light.
Inside, the Volvo XC60′s interior is clean, spacious and nicely appointed, featuring a fresh and ergonomically friendly dash layout. Audio, cabin comfort and navigation controls can be found in the center stack with saddle leather and brushed aluminum treatments adorning the interior.
Safety features abound including torsional rigidity, roll stability, traction control, comprehensive airbag system and head restraints for all. The XC60 has a solid look, feel and drive to it, inspiring confidence to all that this crossover lives up to its reputation.
Smart Storage
Storage is plentiful thanks to the XC60′s wagon-like cargo area which doubles capacity when the rear seat is folded down. Rear seating passengers, by the way, will discover that the XC60 offers plenty of shoulder and legroom for taller riders.
Perhaps what is of interest to most customers is City Safety, Volvo’s automatic braking/collision avoidance system which automatically stops the XC60 when traveling at speeds of 18 mph or less and when a collision with the car in front becomes apparent. Embedded infrared sensors located in the upper windshield constantly monitor the distance between both vehicles, automatically stopping your crossover if a crash is likely. This standard feature alone is a strong Volvo selling point for a car with a base price of $32,995 ($37,200 with the all wheel drive T6 engine package); low 40s fully equipped.
See Also — Edmunds: 2010 Volvo XC60 Review
