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

The All New 2010 Mercedes GLK350 SUV

The all new Mercedes GLK Class (GLK350) offers entry level sport utility vehicle practicality, fully loaded.

The sport/utility market has fallen on hard times lately as consumers are fleeing this once popular segment in favor of smaller, more fuel efficient cars. That didn’t stopped Mercedes-Benz from moving forward with their plan to take a popular concept model, the Vision GLK, and putting it into production, the result being the first 2010 model available: the GLK-Class.

Fourteenth Mercedes Model

Arriving in showrooms in late December for January sale, the GLK represents the fourteenth model line for Mercedes-Benz, five of which are now sport/utility vehicles. Looking a lot like the GL-Class, the GLK is fresh from the ground up, a five passenger vehicle sporting taut lines, a steeply-raked windshield, projector beam headlamps, and an integrated rear spoiler. Clearly, the GLK is the sportiest of all Mercedes-Benz utility vehicles, the model with the most car-like appearance.

The GLK’s lone engine/transmission arrangement is a 3.5L 24-valve gas-powered V6 paired with the automaker’s popular 7-speed automatic transmission, which includes shift paddles. The GLK has been rated at 268 horsepower along with 258 lb.-ft of torque and is available in either rear wheel drive or 4MATIC full-time four-wheel-drive. Fuel economy estimates have both versions returning 21/22 mpg in highway driving.

Well Equipped SUV

There is nothing entry level about the GLK as desired Mercedes amenities are standard. Dual zone air conditioning; comprehensive air bag system for front, side, window, and knee protection; active front head restraints; center stack with 5” display; COMAND voice and navigation system; and Mercedes’ long list of handling and accident avoidance features are found in every GLK model.

The cabin is richly appointed and includes special touches such as the upper section of the dashboard in black to help reduce glare, an MP3 port found inside of the generously sized glove box, firm but comfortable seating front and back, and optional full leather seating, lighting, and audio packages.

Plenty of Cargo Room

Cargo space is generous whether with rear seat up, completely down, or split. With seats up the GLK has 23 square feet of cargo space that can quickly expand to 55 square feet when the rear seat is folded. If additional storage capacity is needed, you can choose the appearance package which includes aluminum roof wells and 20” 7-spoke light alloy wheels.

Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising attribute of the all-new GLK has nothing to do with engineering or style, but with its price. Mercedes-Benz has aggressively priced the rear driven model from $34,775 and the 4MATIC from $36,775, undercutting its principal competition by thousands of dollars including the Land Rover LR2, BMW X3, Audi Q5, and the Acura RDX.

Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz

See Also — Mercedes C-Class Special Edition: Wow!

Land Rover LR2: Your Compact Luxury SUV

On and off road, the LandRover LR2 can get you there no matter how tough the weather conditions may be.

Sixty years after the first Land Rovers began to ply their way across rural England, the iconic British automaker has rolled out the LR2, a compact SUV which successfully balances off road utility with around town practicality and good looks. Replacing the entry-level Freelander, the LR2 is part of the recent model nomenclature trend used by Land Rover to identify some of its models.

Off Road Workhorse

The LR2 accomplishes what many other vehicles equipped with standard full time all wheel drive cannot do, which is to cross shallow brooks, traverse rocky terrain, and ascend steep slopes. Standard hill descent, roll stability, and dynamic stability control features are part of a larger braking and control system which constitutes Land Rover’s capable Terrain Response System, maximizing traction and control for a variety of conditions including sand, mud, ruts, snow, gravel, and grass.

The exterior of the LR2 faithfully upholds its Land Rover lineage thanks to its eggshell-shaped grille, clamshell hood, side gills, and ample wheel arches. Interlocking bi-Xenon pivotal headlights are a contemporary feature designed to adjust to outside conditions automatically. Turn on the windshield wipers and the LR2 independently senses moisture, activating the headlight wipers for you.  Front and rear fog lights are additional important safety features that come standard on the LR2, while seven airbags protect occupants including a driver-side knee airbag.

Capable I6 Engine

The LR2’s 24-valve 3.2L I6 engine produces 230 horsepower and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that features manual shift control. Together, they help the Land Rover achieve 22 mpg on the highway which compares favorably with similar models from Lexus, BMW, and Volvo.

Inside, the LR2 cabin is overflowing with technological sophistication and luxury appointments. Seating five, the LR2 offers many of the same touches found in larger Land Rovers. The 14-speaker Alpine surround sound audio system is a passenger pleaser, as is the front dual panel sunroof with built-in blinds and the rear skylight. Interior trim appointments include perforated leather seating surfaces with twin-stitched side bolsters and dark eucalyptus trim.

Not Enough Storage

The storage area behind the rear seat is quite limited and the standard sunroof/skylight arrangement negates a roof rack option. One option to expand carrying capacity is to choose the towing package, quite suitable to tow a boat or camper weighing up to 3500 lbs.

When fully equipped to include various option packages such as cold climate (heated front seats, heated windshield, and heated windshield-wiper jets) and technology (SIRIUS satellite radio, phone integration system, etc.), a fully equipped Land Rover LR2 is priced in the neighborhood of $40,000, with taxes, tags and destination charges extra.

Affordable British Luxury

If you are looking for a luxurious, but economical SUV the Land Rover LR2 should be considered.

Photo Credit: LandRover

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