2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
The Volvo XC60 is the smallest SUV in Sweden. Our test with the 163 hp diesel shows what the Ocean Race off-road vehicle has to offer in addition to its self-confident price.
By Frank Mertens
The times when an SUV was simply an SUV are somehow over. This also applies to the Volvo XC60. This is how the Swedes, who are now part of the Chinese Geely Group, refer to their SUV as a crossover model, a combination of XC range and sports coupé. Well, the customer of the XC60 doesn't care about this crude description, if they can do anything with it.
For him, the focus is more on the properties and performance data of this SUV - and this car has a lot of that. First of all, there are the dimensions: the XC60 has an impressive length of 4.62 meters, a width of 1.89 meters and a height of 1.71 meters. There can be no question of compact dimensions - the Volvo shows what it has and that without hesitation. Understatement is not his thing. So if you see the Volvo standing in front of you, you think that it also has enough space in the interior - but far from it. Anyone who takes a seat in it will be disappointed.
Volvo XC60 a bit cramped in the rear
Well, there is enough space for the driver and front passenger to make themselves really comfortable in the well-shaped seats, but when two tall people sit in the front seats, it becomes a bit tight for the passengers in the rear. Here you would want a little more knee room, especially with the dimensions of this Volvo. If you disregard this, the interior conveys a distinct feel-good atmosphere.
We tested the XC60 with 163 hp in the Ocean Race equipment line. On the way, the equipment left nothing to be desired. These include tight leather seats with good lateral support, video screens attached to the back of the headrests to the delight of the son traveling with them, and a large number of driver assistants such as the BLIS blind spot assistant, an active speed and distance control system with pedestrian recognition with automatic braking.
Well, sometimes it can be too much of a good thing, but luckily you can also turn off the assistance systems if you are too annoyed by the blinking and beeping. But at the end of the day these systems are helpful and promote security. On long motorway journeys, for example, it is appreciated when the distance control system ensures a constant distance from the vehicle in front in the speed range of 30 to 200 km / h and automatically brakes the vehicle if the distance is too short.
Radar system detects pedestrians
The XC60 also has pedestrian detection. Using a radar system, ideally people are detected on the roadway up to a speed of 30 km / h and emergency braking is initiated if the driver does not react to the previous warning tone. Especially in city traffic, this is an aspect that should not be underestimated for your own safety and that of other road users.
The safety package also includes the so-called Driver Alert, which uses a bar chart to indicate whether the distance to the vehicle in front is okay. If it is not, there is such a loud noise that from this point on it is better not to drive too close to a moving car again.
The performance of the XC60 we tested is not objectionable. The five-cylinder diesel is a very smooth-running unit, even when cold it is easy on the driver's ears. The 163 hp are sufficient to be able to move the vehicle, which weighs almost 1.9 tons, dynamically. The maximum torque of a whopping 400 Nm is made available between 1400 and 2850 tours per minute.
His sprint time to speed is a good 10.3 seconds, the top speed is 200 km / h. The manual six-speed gearshift leaves a good impression, and this also applies to the directly responsive steering.
Active driving companion
Despite its high body structure, the Volvo hardly tends to tilt, which makes it an active driving companion. But you shouldn't ask for too much sportiness in curves - you're driving an SUV here and not in a sports coupé.
Thanks to a start-stop system, consumption is expected to be 5.7 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of 149 per kilometer.
But we could not achieve this value in the test drives, here the Swede allowed himself 7.4 liters - which is still okay for a car. The base price for the XC60 Drive starts at 35,770 euros. And the emphasis is literally on begins. Because for the equipment line Ocean Race of our test car another 2300 euros are due. In addition to the air conditioning already included in the basic price, this also includes leather seats, special alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and decorative strips with the inscription of this sailing competition sponsored by Volvo.
If you also order the driver assistance package (surcharge 1950 euros) with the distance control system, BLIS and the Driver Alert, the parking aid (770 euros), xenon headlights (1370 euros), which is highly recommended because of the poor all-round visibility, you can easily get a price of well over 40,000 euros. That is a lot of money, but the Swedes get paid according to their premium claim.
