AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 161engine and all-wheel drive, that
Volvo expects to be the most
popular pick in the Australian line-
up. This engine features clever
turbo-lag reduction tech called
Power Pulse, which uses puffs of
compressed air from a small tank
to get the turbo working sooner.
The XC60 D5 in top-spec
Inscription trim, like all the
cars available for test at the
international presentation in Spain,
was equipped with the plush air
suspension system, an option on
most models in Australia.
It’s a pleasant SUV to drive.
Volvo doesn’t aim for the same
kind of pseudo-sporty driving
feel as some of the Germans,
and is the better for it.
Handling is neat and tidy
and the turbodiesel engine
delivers better-than-adequate
performance without fuss. But it’s
always obvious that there’s a four-
cylinder engine under the bonnet,
and this soundtrack may not align
with everyone’s idea of a premium
SUV driving experience.By John CareyV
olvo’s second-generation
XC60 adds some
sophisticated Scandinavian style
to the traditional Volvo virtues
of safety and sensibleness. It’s a
good thing, too, having taken out
the Wheels magazine Car of the
Year award for 2017.
This all-new model brings
increases in spaciousness,
effi ciency and safety. These are all
baked into what Volvo’s designers
and engineers call SPA, shorthand
for Scalable Product Architecture.
What this acronym means in
material terms is a strong core
structure, modern four-cylinder
petrol and diesel engines (all with
at least one turbocharger) and a
good automatic transmission, plus
high-grade suspension, brake,
steering and electrical systems.
The new XC60 is larger than
the model it replaces. While
extra distance between the axles
brings better rear-seat legroom
than before, the 505-litre cargo
bay isn’t especially big.
The XC60 introduces three
new active safety systems to
incrementally increase the
life-preserving powers Volvo
engineered into the SPA’s
electronic network of sensors
and computers.
Steer Assist can help you
swerve safely to avoid a low
speed impact, while Oncoming
Lane Mitigation can steer
you back into your lane of an
oncoming vehicle is detected.
Decked out in high-grade
Inscription specifi cation, the
XC60’s interior is a beautiful,
elegant place.
There’s a warmer, simpler
feel to the ambience than in the
Volvo’s rivals from Germany.
Still, the XC60 does feature an
equally powerful arsenal of
infotainment and driver-assist
tech, much of it controlled via
the large, portrait-oriented
touch screen in the centre of the
attractive instrument panel. This
reduces button clutter to the bare
Scandinavian minimum.The front seats are perfectly
positioned and comfortably
supportive, while the three-place
second row delivers the kind
of fl ipping and folding fl exibility
essential in an SUV.
The XC60 range opens with
the 140kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel
D4, matched with an eight-speed
automatic and all-wheel drive,
priced from $61,990.
The T5, with a 187kW 2.0-litre
turbopetrol, starts at $64,990.
The T8, a plug-in hybrid all-
wheel drive that combines a
235kW 2.0-litre petrol engine with
an electric motor and lithium-ion
battery that offers up to 45km of
range on electricity alone, tops
the line-up at $92,990.
The T6, at $78,990, runs the
same engine as the T8, minus
the electric assistance and with
a conventional mechanical all-
wheel-drive system.
It’s the D5, priced at $75,990
with a 173kW 2.0-litre turbodieselS VOLVO XC60 FROM $61,990
Safety
(EuroNCAP)
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for moneyOverallSTARS
THINGS WE LIKE
Gorgeous interior in high-grade
models
Exterior style
Volvo’s safety features
Comfortable suspension
Strong, frugal T8 plug-in drivetrainTHINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Four-cylinder turbodiesel is pretty
noisy
Very expensive servicing
The Germans are sportier handlers
SPEX (D5)
Made in Sweden
2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel/
eight-speed automatic/all-wheel
drive
173kW of power at 4000rpm/480Nm
of torque from 1750-2250rpm
0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds (claimed)
5.2L/100m highway; 6.4L/100km
city; CO² emissions are 144gkm; fuel
tank is 71 litres
Warranty: Three years/unlimited
kilometres
Standard: Seven airbags, stability
control, automatic emergency
braking, steering assist, Bluetooth,
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto,
navigation, leather, 21-inch alloys,
four zone air, power tailgate
Redbook future values: 3yr: 52%;
5yr: 36%compare with ...
Audi Q5, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace,
Land Rover Discovery Sport,
Mercedes GLC, Range Rover Velar