They say that whoever drives a Volvo once, can't get unstuck. He cannot drive another car. The XC60 I have in my hands this week is capable to give you that experience. It is a SUV with an air of luxury that if you taste it, you'll want to breathe only him.
External, the XC60 shows, using this modern, contemporary, but also serious design, with the muscular wings and the strong lines running through the bodywork, the huge rims (zanders, better) in this lovely anthracite color, that it is not another SUV.
You know this as soon as you enter the its welcoming interior. The high quality leather of his embrace you. You look at the tdashboard, the excellent fit of materials and you say, "this is the car that will accompany me into my old age".
The Swedes have done excellent work and they've made an excellent qualitative and ergonomic Car. At first it might require some fumbling to find where and how the parking brake is attached (there's a button on the left, under the steering wheel, and it's the wrong way round than in most cars) or it might take a little time to get used to the dozens of buttons on the console, but soon enough, the XC60 will be very familiar to you. more hospitable from your house.
The spaces are huge, everywhere and there's no chance of anyone complaining, just like for small items. My only objection, in my opinion, genius hidden space behind the centre console with the anti-slip material, which I think shouldn't be flat, so that things don't slide off it.
The hidden space we were talking about
How's it going?
Where it all shows, however, is on the road. The Volvo XC60 has a rolling quality and soundproofing that makes it... five-star hotel to be ashamed. Even on the stoned road of Metaxa in Glyfada, the XC60 absorbs vibrations and noises to such an extent that you think you're driving on asphalt! In general, it gives you such a feeling robustness, comfort and safety, which you wish you were driving in a Swedish blizzard (obviously, of course, you would need four-wheel drive there).
The XC60 is easy to drive on all terrains. The height of, helps
Yeah, but on the road, how's it going? First of all, the two-litre engine (with its 190 hp and 400Nm of torque, available from 1,750 rpm) is a modern, modern car. miracle. If not the best, surely one of the best two-litre diesels you will find in this futile world. At idle and low, not only do you not hear the characteristic rattle, but You don't hear it. at all!
On very high revs, makes a distinctive, sweet, sporty sound that you'll only hear in gasoline engines. Its performance is Stunningas it has plenty of excess torque whenever you ask. And so, when you decide to move quickly, it will take you very quickly. And the consumptions are such that you wonder how it is possible to have such a powerful, fast, comfortable and robust car and achieve, without chasing it, consumption figures in the order of 5 lt/100km.
I did, however, notice a slight hesitation, often, in throttle response, which reminded me of turbo lag and I'm pretty sure it's coming from the transmission. Which automatic dual-clutch transmission however, in the position D do changes so smooth that you don't understand either, and it didn't mess up my choice of relationship, no matter how hard I tried. When you move the dial to the left, in the Position S, the XC60 takes on a more sports character, while letting you play freely with any of the eight (!) relationships you choose it without hesitation and without any dumb steps.
When the pressures, the steering wheel of the XC60 will always provide you with the information you need and will help you while will turn without dramas and without scary inclinations. At the limit, it will show a slight understeer, which the electronic aids will pick up, and if you overdo it, the Volvo will forgive you and won't send you to the... lighthouse, as it's easy to pick up. The XC60 has monumental behavior even in the very close pieces.
On high speeds does not exhibit any ripple tendencies, while maintaining the directionality under any circumstances. The brakes I have left them for the end, since I have only one word to describe them: Amazing!
More generally, in the XC60, Volvo gives lessons for the combination of absolute comfort and road behaviour achieved without a car losing its driver-centric character.
Off the road now, the distance of 230 mm from the ground, it opens up roads without necessarily missing four-wheel drive and the XC60 won't get stuck easily, passing where only four-wheel drive cars often go up.
In conclusion, I note the excellent operation of the gps, but also the XC60's menu, and I point out that for a luxury car like the XC60, some equipment details, such as a reversing camera and electric seats, should be standard.
Comfortable, luxurious, easy-to-use interior of the XC60, will still satisfy and the most difficult buyer
How it seemed to me so the XC60? Η bitterness I felt, returning it to Volvo, didn't leave me much to think about. Not only because it's much better than I expected. Nor because it is a objectively excellent car who's worth more than his money. But mostly because I felt in my skin how Volvo makes someone get stuck with a model of...
It's a surprise, but I explained why I put it in the GARAGE of TopSpeed.gr. It is a car that deserves it...