Volvo XC60 2019 Review Long-term Test #5

It is often remarked that the best way to remind yourself you own a European car is get it serviced.

There’s no hiding the fact luxury marques tend to ask for considerably more for regular servicing compared with their mainstream contemporaries. And that’s despite the best efforts of emerging brands such as Genesis and Infiniti, along with a broader emphasis on capped price and up-front service pricing helping to drive prices down.

With our long-term Volvo XC60 now approaching its final weeks before being returned, and the odometer arriving at its first major service interval, 15,000km, it’s an opportune time to visit the local Volvo service and witness the process for ourselves.

Aside from paying for the actual transaction, we are treated exactly like a regular Volvo customer would be – complimentary wash and all.

Walking into a Volvo servicing department is a little bit like walking into one of those model laundries in an IKEA store, minus the sweet smell of nearby cinnamon scrolls.
The layout of the workshop space at our local service centre, the award-winning Volvo Cars Southern Highlands (NSW), is heavily predicated on organisation and efficiency.

Before we’ve even entered the workspace, Volvo’s WiFi network has communicated with the XC60 while in the car park, ascertaining that two minor recalls require attention (new gas struts for the tailgate and a software update – both non-urgent items).

By the time I walk into the door, the technician has advised that relevant parts are in stock and the recalls can both be completed (free of charge) during the service. It all seems too… convenient.

Onto the service. Volvo Southern Highlands is a proud proponent of Volvo Personalised Service (VPS), a program that streamlines the process from both a customer and technician’s perspective.

The program is rolled out in a dealership only once a specialist from Volvo HQ has visited and analysed workshop operations, and using a topographical map helped deliver greater time efficiencies – be it the order in which the service takes place, or the layout of the workshop.

As such, a single cupboard houses all of the technician’s critical tools, the hoist is tailored to Volvo vehicles and the workshop environment is immaculate.

Each dealer trains a master technician over 12 months on customer relations, day-to-day efficiencies and the like, before VPS can be utilised. And that technician is the person you deal with throughout the transaction, from checking in to providing one-to-one service feedback.

It’s all very personalised; in fact, much more than I would have given Volvo credit for.

Soon, the Volvo XC60 is driven into the workshop, and the complex computer network is running checks on the car’s software while the master technician gets to work on the oily bits. It’s a great insight into the modern day workshop.

Once up the hoist, you can begin to appreciate what the $75k outlay gets you: quality aluminium components throughout the suspension and underbody, engineering for minimal drag, and quality castings. I wouldn’t pretend to be a mechanic, but even my lay eyes can distinguish the hardware on offer.

Rhetoric aside, Volvo servicing isn’t particularly cheap.

In fact, Volvo Cars Australia has one of the most expensive service set-ups, even withstanding its capped price service plans, SmartCare and SmartCare Plus.

When you purchase your vehicle, the Swedish marque offers you choice of either plan – SmartCare, which includes basic consumables, and SmartCare Plus, which adds wiper blades, brake pads and discs, pollen filters and the occasional wheel alignment. You can purchase three-, four- or five-year servicing plans.

The Volvo XC60’s service schedule is set across 12-month/15,000km intervals.
If opting for the most basic SmartCare package, the XC60 will set you back $4230.00 over three years, while SmartCare Plus is rated at $6400.00 over the same period.

Data analyst RedBook estimates that vehicle insurance for the XC60 (40-year-old, Rating 1) would add a further $5955 while fuel (at $1.57 per litre) would incur $6360 over the same period – based on 15,000km annually.

It’s smart to think ahead when buying a luxury car, especially with re-sale.
Despite pushing the boundaries of safety, technology and performance, luxury cars often dip sharply in value after a couple of years of ownership.

The XC60? According to Redbook data, the predicted future values of the mid-size Volvo could be better.

The future retail value of a 2019 Volvo XC60 in good condition is rated at 57 per cent after three years and 60,000km. That compares with 67 per cent for the Mercedes-Benz GLC, 64 per cent for the BMW X3 and 64 per cent for the Audi Q5 – the XC60’s key rivals.

Even though I haven’t paid for the XC60’s service from my own pocket, the number crunching does give insight into the reality of owning a modern luxury car.

For fleet buyers, or many of those in the market for Volvo’s mid-sizer, the outlay for servicing will be a small price to pay given the technology, safety and luxury on offer.

For me, it’s easy to justify a financial burden that I don’t personally have to handle, but after six months with Volvo’s XC60, this price of upkeep simply comes with the territory.

The Volvo XC60 has been a revelation to live with, warts and all.

How much does 2019 Volvo XC60 D5 R-Design cost?
Price: $75,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 177kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 148g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)