Volvo, traditionally it’s been seen as one of the safest car manufacturers in the world, but not always the trendiest. Back in 2007, when the XC60 was introduced, they made massive inroads to changing this perception and created sales success in the burgeoning compact luxury crossover SUV market.
All was well with this situation but the market got tougher, much tougher. With updated competitors in the form of revised VW Tiguan, BMW X3 and new entrants from Jaguar F Pace and Discovery Sport – Volvo needed to fight back. Not that sales were affected, they actually went up towards the end of the first generation’s life.
Enter the all new, second generation 2017 Volvo XC60. Built on Volvo’s SPA platform and ready for a future with battery and hybrid power in line with Volvo’s pledge that: “every Volvo it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor”
Now, the outgoing XC60 wasn’t exactly an old fashioned design, but the newly launched model really moves the game on, both in terms of modernity and style. This is most obvious in the headlights, a variation of the XC90’s Thor Hammer design, and the rear lights which following the form of the V90.
In line with the success of the ’90 models, the inside of the new XC60 is also a revelation. From the newly designed seats to the now familiar central tablet, Volvo really is blowing their competitors out of the water when it comes to style and quality of the interior. Where the premium German brands can keep up in terms of quality, the XC60s design is bold and striking. Worth also mentioning is the high quality of the leather, all supplied from Scotland’s Bridge of Weir Leather.
I tested both D5 R-Design and T5 Inscription variants with various options added to both cars (we’ll go into these more when we drive the car on home soil) so got a reasonable overview of what buyers car expect.
As with other models of Volvo tested recently, opting for the petrol doesn’t really bring any benefit to counteract the drop in MPG. They don’t sound any better than the diesel and the extra 130Nm of torque you get from the D5 really suits this type of car and the type of driving you’re likely to be doing.
Interestingly, Volvo discovered through their customer feedback, that most people didn’t want a stiff and sporty ride, even in R-Design trim.
Getting out on the road, it’s clear that Volvo has built the XC60 to target the typical family buyer where the ride is definitely tuned for comfort. That’s not to say that it’s a wobbly mess, it isn’t, rather it’s just a very comfortable place to ride, especially on the optional air suspension.
This family targeting extends to the safety systems which, as you would imagine for Volvo, are cutting edge. As well as alerting you to a crash situation and applying the brakes, the XC60 can also steer you away from danger in certain situations. This feature is an optional extra, and some might be worried about the car steering you into an even worse danger, but with so many tired and careless drivers on the roads, this really could be a real lifesaver.
Volvo is clearly onto another sales success with the new XC60 and it’ll be interesting to see how far they can eat into the sales of the German manufacturers. It amazes me that some people haven’t found out yet that Volvo makes modern, stylish and technologically advanced cars, not boring and safe ones. Perhaps the highly anticipated XC40 will be the car that really helps them break free of this image?
We’re really looking forward to testing the XC60 T8 with its hybrid assisted, 400BHP. That’s on par with the Porsche Macan Turbo so is a very exciting prospect!. With 28% of XC90 owners opting for this configuration, we might well see quite a few of them on the streets too.
