XC60 success a safe bet

They may not have made a song and dance about the XC60, but Volvo should be proud to produce one of the safest cars on the road, writes Suzie Bostel

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THE Swedes are a modest lot. They have produced what is probably one of the safest ever cars, certainly the safest in the Volvo range, but there has been no shouting from the rooftops or singing and dancing about it. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the team behind the car seemed happy to nod and smile at the swarm of journalists that buzzed around the newcomer.

Yet they have every reason to make a fuss. Not only have they produced a visually stunning Volvo with dramatic looks and an attitude to boot (in a Volvo no less) but it is also packed with the firm’s accumulated safety know-how and technology with more than 80 years of experience and safety knowledge on board.

Marking Volvo’s entry into the small premium utility segment, the XC60 is the smallest model in the XC range. However, it has made the biggest news thanks to a system called City Safety that helps the driver avoid or reduce the effects of low-speed impacts common in city traffic and tailbacks.

In short, if the car is about to drive into the vehicle in front and the driver does not react, the car brakes itself. Volvo is the first manufacturer in the world to offer this type of feature as standard.

It’s the boldest looking Volvo so far, and it’s a radical departure from the Swedish firm’s design traditions. Sculpted lines, curved flanks and flowing contours give the newcomer a hefty wedge-shaped stance, while new-look lamps draw attention to the enlarged iron mark in the trapezoidal grille in case you missed it the first time.

Its crossover characteristics are most evident when viewed from the side, with the muscular looks of the XC below, complete with bold wheel arches, that diffuse into the sleek flowing lines of a coupe on the upper part of the car.

Plus, there will be a new light show in town thanks to the LED lights set into the tail lamps. For the first time in a Volvo, the rear position lights also double up as brake lights, which means that the entire shape of the shoulder lights up when braking, giving the XC60 an even more distinctive and dramatic look.

The cabin is more driver-focused and has been designed specifically to make the driver feel like a pilot at the controls of a business jet. It features the characteristic slim centre stack found in Volvos, but has a fresh design and features a new integrated monitor screen lay-out angled slightly towards the driver.

A laminated glass panorama roof ensures space and light in the cabin, while the load opening is said to be the widest in the segment. The boot has a capacity of 480 litres.

The new XC60 is available with the six-cylinder turbocharged T6 engine, producing 285bhp, and two five-cylinder turbodiesels: the 185bhp D5 and the 2.4D with 163bhp.

A front-wheel-drive with a 163bhp 2.4-litre diesel engine and CO emissions of about 170g/km will join the range sometime during 2009. Engines are mated to a six-speed gearbox, either manual or automatic with Geartronic.

Volvo says it has pitched the XC60’s driving dynamics to deliver a blend of sportiness and comfort. Using a sporty chassis set-up, the body has extra torsional rigidity, while an active chassis system monitors the car’s behaviour and adjusts the dampers to suit the current driving conditions. There are three chassis settings to choose from – Comfort, Advanced and Sport – which the driver can select at the touch of a button.

Described by Volvo Cars president and CEO Fredrik Arp as “the safest Volvo ever”, it will come as no surprise that the XC60 has a very high level of active safety.

In addition to All Wheel Drive (AWD) with Instant Traction, Roll Stability Control (RSC) to prevent rollovers and Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) are fitted as standard. Optional functions include Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and speed-dependent power-steering.

The XC60 points the way towards Volvo Cars’ future and, in terms of its placement, the company sees the XC60 as the C30 owner’s next car. Like so many other manufacturers, Volvo is aiming primarily at lifestyle rather than age, with the new model best suiting customers with an active urban lifestyle.

Although the team behind the new XC60 isn’t the gloating sort, it’s only fair to let Steve Mattin, Volvo Cars design director, have the last word – “This is a Volvo the way I want it to be. A Volvo for myself, if you like”.

Model: Volvo XC60. Estimated starting price from £24,750, with first deliveries in November

Engine: 2.4-litre diesel unit developing 163bhp

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Economy: TBA

CO rating: TBA