Volvo XC60 T6 2009 Review

Road Test

Price Guide: $64,950 (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges)
Options fitted to test car: nil
Crash rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON unleaded
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 11.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 284
Also consider: BMW X3 xDrive 3.0i (more here), Audi Q5 3.2 FSI quattro (more here)

For Volvo, the new XC60 is an especially significant model. For one, the company is happy to say it is the safest ever Volvo. For seconds, the XC60 is seen as a breakthrough in terms of on-road dynamics. Not just for handling and roadholding capabilities, but also its successful management of the often-elusive compromise between ride comfort and on-road adroitness.

For many of us, this is an important step for Volvo. Since it went front-drive with the 850 model in 1992, this element has been, at best, questionable – particularly with early turbo variants.

The XC60, according to Volvo insiders, turns a significant corner revealing promising new vistas for the enthusiastic driver. The theory is we now have a Volvo that handles responsively, yet rides capably on all sorts of road surfaces.

In a way, there's every reason why the XC60 should exhibit a degree of on-road poise: it stems from the family platform seen in the recently launched Volvo V70-XC70 models, the S80 large car and Ford's Mondeo range, using coil-over struts at the front and a coil-sprung multilink system at the back. We'll come back to all of that shortly.

Fitting in below the XC90 and XC70 Volvos, the XC60 approximates BMW's X3 and Audi's Q5 in overall dimensions although its wheelbase is quite a bit less than the short-overhang Audi.

The XC60 is the handiwork of Volvo design chief Steve Mattin, who reckons it is the boldest crossover so far. Certainly it has a lithe, lean look with its wedgy shape, 18-inch alloy wheels (on T6) and decent 230mm ground clearance, but there are plenty of other SUVs treading the rakish line as well -- Mazda's similarly dimensioned CX-7 for example.

Being a midsize SUV, the XC60 does pretty well in providing passenger and luggage space, even if it isn't class leader in either category. The back seat can be a bit tight if taller passengers are travelling in the front seats, and the seats-in-place cargo area is a fair but not outstanding 490 litres.

Where the XC60 scores definitive points is in both interior presentation and the typically Volvo attention to design detail making for easy loading and unloading. Volvo always tends to go the extra yard when it comes to wagons and the XC60 fits the mould well with things like its 40-20-40 triple-folding back seat that provides excellent loading versatility, dual booster cushions for kids, a wide tailgate (claimed to be best-in-segment) and a rear floor (covering a space-saver spare) that folds completely flat.

The Volvo interior ambience is noticeable, and welcome, with features such as the iconic, super-slim centre console, supportive seating, tasteful attention to detail and elegantly simple controls giving an appropriately Scandinavian feel.

The XC60 T6 shares top billing with the D5 LE version, although equipment varies a little between the two -- the D5 comes with dual power seats up front, as well as a power sunroof, while the T6 doesn't. Nevertheless our T6 test car came with a well padded out standard specification list: laminated (also water repellent) side window glass for maximum insulation and lower noise levels (not on D5) climate control, power adjustment on the driver's seat only (and heating only if you pay for it), cruise control and trip computer.

Like some cars in the prestige category the XC60 lists Bluetooth as optional, but it's maybe a little surprising to note you have to pay extra for a sunglasses holder. Big-ticket options available in the T6 include satellite navigation, power sunroof and power adjustment for both front seats that come as standard on D5 LE.

Volvo has priced the XC60 carefully. In T6 form, it comes in a bit below the new Audi Q5, and quite a bit under BMW's 3.0-litre petrol X3 (more than $10,000 under). In a nutshell, the aspiring new Volvo SUV shapes up, on paper and on promises from the company, to make a fair bit of noise in the prestige SUV segment.

On the road, the promise and the reality thankfully gel pretty well. Although it fits the midsize SUV mould comfortably in terms of size and weight, the XC60 T6 actually feels nimble and far from heavy on the road.

The new 3.0-litre transverse, inline six-cylinder turbo puts its 210kW and 400Nm of torque to good use. It's a sweet engine with smooth and quite punchy acceleration despite the close to 1.9-tonne weight impediment. It works away quietly, dismissing highway overtaking with the help of the six-speed Geartronic auto in a satisfying rush. It moves off from a standstill without any noticeable initial turbo reluctance -- largely explained by the maximum 400Nm coming in very early at just 1500rpm.

A check of the fuel figures shows there is a penalty though: the official average consumption figure is an only reasonable 11.9L/100km, a little above the 11.3L/100km we averaged on test. Fortunately the T6 will accept any unleaded fuel from 91 RON upwards, which is pretty good considering the T6 runs a high compression ratio for a petrol turbo engine at 9.3:1. It's happiest (and stronger) on 95 or 98 -- as is the case with most modern turbo mills.

While the XC60's handling might not be a revelation to those accustomed to BMWs and Audis, there's no doubt this is a different Volvo -- more a sibling of the V70, S40 and C30 models than the company's biggest SUV, the XC90. The ride is pleasantly absorbing, with much-improved balance between shock absorption and wheel travel than older large Volvos, as well as responsive, nicely weighted electro-hydraulic steering that swings from lock to lock in a handy 2.9 turns.

Perhaps the only whinge concerning the steering is that it manifests a common trait in such systems with its slight sense of detachment from the road. It's quickly adjusted to though.

There's another surprise at the tiller too -- at 11.7 metres kerb to kerb, the turning circle is actually quite reasonable, which is a welcome change for those who recall the Starship Enterprise manoeuvrability of older generation Volvos.

The XC60's 4WD system comes from Haldex and is described, without economy of words, as All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction. As in many SUVs, it works on an on-demand basis -- that is, most of the time it operates in front-drive mode unless extra traction is needed. It is focussed more at staying on the road than taking the T6 on deep-bush adventures although, if you do insist, its standard hill descent system uses the brakes to maintain a crawling pace on steep off-road descents.

The net result of all this is that, as much as a reasonably weighty SUV can be, the Volvo XC60 T6 is swift, lithe, supple and capable across the spectrum of driving conditions.

Which brings us to safety, and the intrusiveness, or lack of it, that comes with the new City Safety accident avoidance system that is standard on all XC60s.

The system's intention is to eliminate, or at worst minimise the effects of collisions at speeds up to 30km/h -- urban speeds. It's a ramping up of the now-familiar "active" cruise control concept where the car itself reads the traffic and reacts accordingly. The XC60 is actually able to come to a stop independently of the driver if there's a collision imminent and the speeds are low enough -- or at least slow down sufficiently via the brakes to minimise the effects of a crash.

Rather than using radar to read what's happening ahead, the Volvo measures the distance to vehicle travelling in the same direction, or stopped, via a laser sensor at the top of the windscreen.

Perhaps a fear for some drivers is the system's ability to register what is potentially a crash and what isn't. During our week with the XC60, we can only assume City Safety was working away unobtrusively in the background because after a time it is accepted in the same way as any of the safety systems (anti-lock brakes, stability control, airbag deployment ) we are accustomed to today.

The only surprise is that City Safety doesn't include active cruise control on the highway to match speed with the vehicle travelling in front. It does incorporate 'Collision Warning with Autobrake' though, which alerts the driver at higher speeds if there's a sudden reduction of the distance between vehicles, and will brake automatically with up to 50 per cent of maximum braking if the driver doesn't respond.

Does this all work in limited visibility situations, such as fog, or heavy rain? Volvo says it does, although, being an optical device, it may not function as effectively. The hint is that the sensor should be kept as clean as possible at all times.

So that's our experience with the new XC60 T6. No doubt it delivers pretty much what Volvo claims. The style is refreshing, the interior as tasteful and Scandinavian-functional as you'd hope, the on-road dynamics are truly something of a breakthrough and, as you'd hope from Volvo, it brings new dimensions of active safety.

As usual with just about any SUV, we remain inclined to question the validity of petrol-powered engines though. The five-cylinder turbodiesel XC60 D5 for example produces adequate performance, while the efficiency claims draw attention with a drop in the average fuel figure to an impressive 8.3L/100km.

Couple that with a reduced CO2 output -- 219g/km compared with 284g/km for the T6 -- and you're left wondering exactly what you are after in an SUV. Especially when the LE version of the D5, which is priced a touch below the T6, adds dual power front seats and power sunroof to the standard equipment mix.

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