Volvo aims high with XC60

Volvo has built on the success of its XC90 with a new smaller SUV crossover that delivers as much in terms of power and driving ability as its bigger brother. The new XC60 is Volvo"s mid-range SUV contender that comes into a packed market segment. The Swedish manufacturer has adopted and modified the XC90 look into the new and slightly smaller model. This version is slightly shorter, lower and narrower than the bigger XC90 while using a similar engine. And to add to its credentials, the XC60 has received the 2009 Semperit Irish SUV Crossover of the Year Award. The key footprint of the car is not much smaller than the XC90, giving the new model, with its standard all-wheel-drive ability, good road-holding, especially on twisty rural roads. On the inside, it feels a little smaller, and this is the impression that SUV crossover drivers want to see and feel; they want to become a little less conspicuous. The reason is that the 2.4 litre Volvo turbo-diesel engine under the bonnet is neither the thriftiest nor cleanest engine on the market. This is a high offender in the medium-sized SUV crossover market, pumping out 191g/km of CO2. That rating pushes the vehicle into the high VRT category and, worse still, gives it a penal €1,000 per annum road tax bill. The key cut-off point in terms of CO2 emissions in the mid-range SUV crossover segment of the market is 190g/km and there are now a few creeping in under this limit. But few enough of them can achieve the Volvo XC60"s driving performance. The BMW X3, Honda"s CRV and the Toyota RAV4, as well as Ford"s new Kuga, remain the best CO2 performers in the segment. So what has the XC60 got to offer? Why pay over the odds for a SUV crossover that has a Volvo badge? In engine performance terms, the new Volvo XC60 delivers 163bhp from a 2.4 litre turbo-diesel engine. That performance is the best in the segment that now is made up of at least 18 contenders. The engine torque rating at 340Nm is also high, but not any higher than that of the Honda CRV diesel. This Volvo is a heavy machine, weighing in at 1.8 tonnes. That"s about 200kg heavier than most of the competition. And that"s why it"s impressive that this Volvo can deliver an acceleration performance that"s a match for some of the small SUVs. The 0 to 100km/h rating is 10.5 seconds, which is only beaten by the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007, two equally good SUVs. Life is full of compromises and that"s true of the XC60 performance, which is a balance in which the CO2 rating loses out. I"m sure that Volvo could have tuned the XC60 in such a way that it crept in under the 191g/km rating at the expense of acceleration performance. But that would take away from the feel of the vehicle, which is solid and powerful. I drove the automatic version with its six-speed gearbox. This is one smooth performer, a real comfort to drive and with the D5 higher power option, it can accelerate when needed. I"m a little disappointed with its towing ability, however. The XC60 comes with a 1.6 tonnes braked trailer rating for the manual gearbox entry model, which is the only marginally ahead of the Jeep Compass. Move up to the automatic box and the rating jumps to that of the other smaller competitors at two tonnes with ease. The Volvo has impressively simple yet practical styling. The Scandinavian influence is obvious and gives an uncluttered feel to this car. The XC60 has an impressive list of features on board. The entry S model comes with 17' Segin alloy wheels and roll stability control system, front fog lights, roof rails and rear spoiler. On the inside, the goodies include electronic climate control, information centre, cruise control, leather steering wheel with remote audio controls, aluminium trim and performance sound audio system with CD player. The SE models get hill descent control for safe off-road driving. This could be useful as the XC60 has good ground clearance at 230mm - a match for many of the bigger 4x4 out there. In terms of extras, the SE Lux models offer even more features. Volvo has a safety reputation that has been further enhanced by the latest XC60 feature. Its called City Safety and Volvo claims that it"s a unique feature that can help the driver avoid or reduce the effects of the type of low-speed impacts that are common in city traffic and traffic tailbacks. If the car is about to drive into the vehicle in front and the driver does not react, the car brakes itself. I had a few demos of the feature from Adrian Yates at Volvo and can confirm that it works. Volvo has a pricey reputation, too, and that means the €46,950 entry price for the XC60 should be no surprise. That puts it well behind the BMW X3 in terms of cost in the SUV segment and marginally ahead of nearest rival, the Honda CR-V. If you are a Volvo driver, then the XC60 with a little less space gives more value and equal performance to the bigger and much more expensive XC90. If you"re not hooked on Volvo, then the Honda CR-V is a real competitor in terms of price, while the Ford Kuga does it for me in terms of value. The Volvo XC60 has some style, it"s a safety leader in many respects, but the extras are expensive on top of what is already a good but costly package.