ON THE ROAD: VOLVO XC60 D5
Pretty car
Certainly one of the most attractive SUVs in this segment. Design has become quite an important aspect of life at Volvo Cars, with each model taking a distinctively Nordic look, but adding some international flavours. The front end for instance, is quite Swedish, but yet stylish at the same time. Thor’s hammer LED daytime running lights split the headlights and give a more aggressive look. The car’s side profile shows presence, while the rear end is dominated by the huge L-shaped LED lights.
The interior?
A very welcoming place. Lots of high quality materials used on the dashboard, doors and of course the leather seats. Volvo is known for its high comfort levels and the XC60 does not disappoint on that front. The large touch screen infotainment system takes some getting used to though, with the menu not the easiest to navigate. However, once you have it figured out it becomes easier. We liked the piano black touches, as well as the chrome-covered bits that gave it an extra premium feel. There were some optional extras included as well, such as heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, keyless entry and Head-Up Display. A 230V, 2-pin plug was also included, which was quite useful when charging items like smart phones and even laptops.
Does it perform to expectation?
A few years ago Volvo decided that all its cars would carry engines that are no bigger than 4-cylinders. I was sceptical. However, it seems they are pulling it off nicely. For example, the D5 we drove is a turbo diesel, just 2-litre in size. Yet power is on par with competitors in the segment and it carries a sprint time that is also comparable. Most importantly the average fuel consumption is commendable, which means it ticks pretty much all the boxes.
Conclusion?
The Volvo XC60 D5 is a highly competitive car in its segment with pretty much all the bells and whistles that its German and English rivals carry. Volvo goes about its business slightly differently from them though, but in the end achieves the same results. I think it is definitely one of the top SUVs in the mid-sized family premium segment.
QUICK STATS
VOLVO XC60 D5 R-DESIGN
ENGINE: 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel
POWER: 173kW / 235 PS at 4 000rpm;
TORQUE: 480Nm at 1 750rpm
0 – 100KM/H: 8.5 seconds
GEARBOX: 8-speed automatic
DRIVE: all-wheel-drive
TOP SPEED: 220km/h
FUEL AVERAGE: 6.9 l/100km
CO2 e: 147 g/km
PRICE STANDARD: R805 900
NATURAL RIVALS: Audi Q5, BMW X3, Jaguar F-PACE, Mercedes-Benz GLC
*PRICE RIVALS: BMW i3S, Jaguar E-PACE D180 R-Dynamic SE, Kia Grand Sedona 2.2 CRDi SXL, Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe
BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Medium
*A price rival falls within R30 000 or so of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars over R350 000, R20 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R10 000 for cars below R250 000.
