When you talk about a car manufacturer that has done a visible turnaround, it’s hard for you not to include Volvo as part of the conversation. To be honest, before getting Volvo cars my only experience of a Volvo was the old S60 that belonged to a friend and what I remember is the old interior design as well. Today when you think of Volvo you think of a car that you didn’t think would be competitive with brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz. I love the direction Volvo is taking, I will definitely say that the XC60 is the best that Volvo has to offer in my opinion.
The people of Volvo dropped of the R-Design and what you can immediately tell is that it has been updated from the previous design and one part that is distinctive is the back lights design, they are slicker and Volvo follow a much more contemporary style on this one. The front lights are appealing and they have that new Volvo design that is carried throughout. The interior also follows the new design that has a massive screen in the middle of the of the dashboard and it’s touchscreen. Volvo is nice and easy to drive, which makes it a pleasure to be behind the wheel and take long drives out of town. I was expecting the same features as the S90 that we reviewed recently, but this is not a 90, it’s a 60 so it needs to do what 60’s do. The one thing that really impressed me with the new XC60 was that it has plug point for Apple charger like that ones at home for the people at the back and it charges quite fast too.
The space at the back is large enough for three adults and it is child friendly as well. This is definitely a mommy car that is also very safe, which gives one good peace of mind. One thing that Volvo has always stood for is safety, and you can tell that it’s still their number one priority. One thing that’s annoying though, is driving a Volvo in the township, the sensors always go off but it’s for you own good as well – also you switch them off while you are there. I enjoyed the option of closing the boot with my foot under the car, you just move your foot under the boot and the sensor picks it up and closes or opens the boot. This feature is good when you have both hands full and you won’t need to put anything on the floor to access your car. You can also drop the car with a press of a button at the back by the boot and this is for when you have a trailer – you can lower the car to help with that as well. I enjoyed the keyless option, I just have to have the key in my pocket to open the car which I think should be standard on all cars. The sunroof opens all the way to the back, which makes a huge difference when you need that sunlight inside the car. I loved the sound system – the concert mode is good for karaoke during road trips.
I enjoyed the Volvo XC60. It’s really a good competitor when it comes to SUV’s. I have driven a lot of SUV’s and my top 3 SUV for new fathers are Mini Cooper Countryman, Volvo XC60 and Range Rover Velar and that’s depending on your budget. I am really impressed with Volvo and I can’t wait to test drive the XC90 because it can only get better from this. The only thing I thought they could do better with regards to XC60 RDesign is to add the entertainment screens at the back to keep the kids occupied during road trips.
Diesel buyers will be able to choose between the D4 (140 kW and 400 N.m) and D5 (173 kW and 480 N.m), while those who prefer petrol will have the choice of the T5 (187 kW and 350 N.m) and T6 (235 kW and 400 N.m). It’s not yet clear whether the flagship T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid is destined for SA. The New Volvo XC60 will have standard features on Momentum models include two-zone climate control, cruise control, lane-keeping assist, a 12,3-inch digital instrument cluster, navigation, leather seats (with power adjustment up front), 18-inch alloys and a temporary spare wheel.
Price.
Volvo XC60 D4 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R660 000
Volvo XC60 T5 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R680 000
Volvo XC60 D5 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R729 000
Volvo XC60 T6 Geartronic AWD Momentum: R731 000
Volvo XC60 D4 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R707 650
Volvo XC60 T5 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R727 650
Volvo XC60 D5 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R776 650
Volvo XC60 T6 Geartronic AWD Inscription: R778 650
Volvo XC60 D4 Geartronic AWD R-Design: R709 850
Volvo XC60 T5 Geartronic AWD R-Design: R729 850
Volvo XC60 D5 Geartronic AWD R-Design: R778 850
Volvo XC60 T6 Geartronic AWD R-Design: R780 850