every morning at 7:00 a.m., for
example, your Volvo can be at
your desired interior tempera-
ture every morning. I’ve found
this feature to be convenient
during the hot summer months.
Although you can’t set timers
for remote start, you can start
the engine remotely up to 15
minutes before you get in; this
helps keep the cabin nice and
cool (or warm) when you’re
about to get going.Lock or Unlock Doors This may
seem like a normal feature, but
it also allows Amazon to deliver
to your car. With in-car deliv-
eries, you can use your VolvoA
s technology becomes
more accessible, new
phone apps like Volvo
On Call let us connect even
closer with our vehicles. The
app is free for the first four
years, and I tried it out for a
few months in my S60. Here are
a few things I like and dislike.
A/C Controls and Remote
Start Even when you’re thou-
sands of miles away from your
Volvo, you can turn on the A/C
or start the engine through
the app. With Volvo On Call,
you can set up to eight timers
for temperature controls, so if
you plan to leave your house
as your address, and using a
Volvo digital key, the driver can
open your trunk to deliver the
package. I haven't used this
feature yet, but I plan to before
our S60 goes back this summer.Location Through Volvo On Call,
you can see your car’s location
while it’s parked. If you forget
to lock your car, the app will let
you know via a push notifica-tion. You can also see other
important stats like interior
temperature and fuel level.Maintenance Just as we were
approaching 10,000 miles, the
check engine light came on.
What was weird is that neither
the infotainment system nor
Volvo On Call said anything
about it. Volvo On Call has a
Maintenance tab, and even
when the check engine light
was on, the app said everything
was good. A visit to the dealer
revealed the S60 needed a
replacement of the evaporation
pipes; the dealer replaced them
in about two hours at no cost.“Volvo’s On Call app has some
nice features, but it failed me when
a check engine light came on.”
Miguel CortinaService life:
5 mo/9,752 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 24.2 mpgAvg CO2 0.80 lb/mi Energy cons 140 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved
problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal-wear cost $0
Base price $40,300 As-tested $50,630 EPA City/Hwy/Comb
Fuel Econ 21/32/25 mpg Real MPG 18.9/30.7/22.9 mpg
2019 Volvo S 60
MT GARAGE
78 MOTORTREND.COM MAY 2020
One area that has not been an issue is enough interior space
for the many tasks our Subaru Ascent has performed.W
e have had a few mishaps. The Subaru Ascent was
in New York last year, and City Parking NYC returned
it with fresh white paint scraped along the rear door
and back haunches. After months of waiting for the company to
acknowledge its responsibility, we were asked to submit repair
quotes. They came in at $1,540 and $2,800. The buck has stopped
there, as City Parking dragged its feet before paying for a chunk
of the repair costs. If we weren’t MotorTrend, we wonder if they’d
have coughed up a cent.
Avg CO2 0.92 lb/mi Energy cons 160 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved
problems None Maintenance cost $0 (oil change, inspection,
tire rotation) Normal-wear cost $0 Base price $39,970
As-tested $43,551 EPA Fuel Econ 20/26/22 mpg“Fingers crossed our Ascent can
make it to the finish line with no
more dealership visits.” Alisa PriddleService life:
13 mo/19,043 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 21.0 mpg2019 Subaru Ascent
In other travels, a fast
and furious rock hit the
windshield, and the crack
spread immediately. Turns
out, getting a new wind-
shield for a 2019 Ascent isn’t
easy. The vehicle is new
enough that the windshield
had to come from the
dealer, especially because
ours is equipped with the EyeSight driver assist safety system.
The dealer needs the VIN to ascertain which of four windshields
you have, and failure to use a genuine Subaru windshield could
result in EyeSight not working properly. Aftermarket glass could
block or distort the camera, preventing EyeSight from accu-
rately measuring objects around it. Once the new windshield is
installed, a Subaru dealer must inspect and recalibrate EyeSight
to ensure it’s compatible with the new glass.
Chatter in the Ascent forums suggests as long as the cameras
aren’t moved during installation, a recalibration isn’t necessary.
We played it safe and got the windshield installed through the
dealer. Cost: $865.74, which we’re not calling “normal wear.”
On a positive note: We’ve had no tire issues since we got the
nail puncture fixed. And the front strut has stopped making that
grunching sound as the nose dips upon braking. Maybe the car
really did just need a longer break-in period than most.
At more than 19,000 miles, the Ascent is averaging 21.0 mpg.
It started strong at 22.4 mpg but has been on a downward
trajectory since. It has made a lot of trips north, towed a trailer,
launched a boat, gone off-roading, and continues to perform
yeoman’s service for those in the Detroit bureau.Real wood trim is always a nice
touch, and the Volvo S60’s
interior doesn’t disappoint.