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Volvo XC60 2.4-litre diesel Road Test Report

2.4-litre diesel

This vehicle stops you from hitting cars, which are directly in front – pure sci-fi? Actually it’s not. The boffins have developed a Crossover, that uses the latest technology to keep you as safe as possible. The Volvo XC60 is the maker’s first small premium utility vehicle and it will compete in one of the fastest growing segments in the world.

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Performance

On test we drove the Volvo XC60, which was powered with a 2.4-litre diesel engine, this unit had a power output of 163ps. On the road engine noise was low and un-intrusive unless you revved the engine out. This version with the 2.4-litre diesel engine had 340nm of torque at 2750 rpm – giving the car plenty of shove to overtake slower moving traffic. For a crossover the figures make interesting reading - on our diesel powered test car which had an automatic ‘box, the XC60 can get from zero to 62mph in 10.9 seconds and it has a top speed of 118mph – the manual equivalent has a top speed of 121mph and can do the zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds.

Ride & Handling

On the road the XC60 has a smooth ride although we would opt for the smaller wheels as some of the larger sizes hamper the ride comfort. The steering is mediocre, it is not as direct as this tester would like but then again it’s not as loose as some rivals. The XC60 has good brake and throttle response and it seems that the Volvo engineers have put a lot of work into the driving dynamics. However, Volvo has never been rated as the ultimate driving machine so if its driving performance you want, then you’d be better off looking at the Audi Q5 or the BMW X3.

Build Quality & Reliability

Just like all of the Volvo range, the build quality is first class. Open the door, jump in and you’ll find that the car is well built. The interior looks classy and the switch-gear is within easy reach of the driver. The material and plastics look solid and feel expensive which gives the cabin an executive feel. The cabin has a light and airy feel, this can be further enhanced by the optional panoramic sunroof. The Volvo range is, on the whole very reliable and the XC60 should be no different.

Safety & Security

The USP of this vehicle is the new technology that Volvo has installed on the car and the best bit is that this City Safety comes as standard on all the XC60 range – so what is it? At Volvo, the engineers have found that most accidents happen when traveling at speeds below 19mph. Surveys indicate that 75 percent of all crashes take place at these low speeds, and in 50 percent of cases – mainly due to distraction – the driver has not braked at all. These accidents typically happen in towns and typically when in tailbacks of traffic. City Safety is a new safety technology developed in-house by Volvo, to either eliminates such accidents or at least reduces the severity of the impact. City Safety should reduce whiplash and damage to vehicles. How does it work? City Safety works at speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph). A laser sensor has been fitted behind the rear-view mirror and pointing through the windscreen, it keeps an eye on traffic in front of the vehicle. It can detect vehicles and other objects up to 6 metres (approximately 30 feet) in front of the car’s front bumper. City Safety reacts to vehicles in front of the XC60 that are either stationary or moving in the same direction. Based on the gap to the vehicle in front and the car's own speed, the system makes 50 calculations a second to determine what braking force would be needed to avoid a collision. If the driver has not started braking and the system has worked out that a crash is imminent then City Safety will help either avoid or reduce the severity of the collision by automatically braking the car and reducing the throttle opening. At the same time, the brake lights are automatically activated to warn other traffic. We carried out the tests to allow the system to work in a safe environment and the results were phenomenal. The XC60 is packed with other safety devices including airbags and Collision Warning Device.

Space & Practicality

The XC60 has lots of space to carry day-to-day goods and leisure equipment. For extra carrying versatility, the front seat backrest can also be folded flat, enabling very long loads to be carried. The car is a practical family car as visibility is excellent. The slim A-pillars help forward visibility and rear vision can be supplemented by the availability of a Park Assist Camera (PAC). Volvo’s unique Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) further improves effective visibility to either side.

Ownership & Value

Probably the safest car on the road…The XC60 is a good driving car and exudes comfort and starts from a price of £24,750. With the 2.4 diesel engine CO2 emissions were 219g/km as were driving the car with the automatic gearbox, for the same engine with the manual ‘box it emits 199g/km of CO2. The new City Safety device on the car makes this Volvo probably the safest car in the world, if you do get distracted in head to tail traffic the system should kick in as long as you’re traveling at under 19mph. The baby crossover from Volvo has upped safety standards; this car really is perfect for the school run.

Submitted: 12/11/2008 11:25:58

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