SLEEK SWEDE The XC60 T5 is 4644-mm long and averages 15 km per liter in combined highway and city driving.
VOLVO HAS an ambitious goal: to ensure that, by 2020, no one would be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo car.
To achieve this goal, and in the process double global sales to 800,000 vehicles a year, Volvo Cars is returning to its traditional emphasis on passenger safety and its heritage of restrained Swedish elegance.
Volvo is focusing on the upscale crossover/SUV market segment, where it has three entries: the compact XC60, midsize XC70 and seven-seat XC90. A full model change of the XC90 will be launched on the global market this year as a game changer that will challenge the predominance of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi SUVs on the driveways of affluent suburbanites, especially in the United States.
THE XC60’S square chrome-trimmed grille presages that of the 2015 XC90.
Photos by Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
In this context, the 2014-2015 XC60 perhaps serves as a harbinger of the 2015 XC90, the first Volvo SUV designed and built under Chinese ownership (Zhejiang Geely Holding bought Volvo Cars from Ford Motor in 2010) but without any Chinese design or engineering inputs.
As the most affordable Volvo crossover, the five-seat, front wheel drive XC60 is also the brand’s best-seller. The XC60 is based on the Volvo S60 sedan but has a higher ground clearance and more cargo space. In fact, the XC60 has more cargo space and more flexible seating arrangements than its German competitors, the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK.
THE 2-LITER, 245-HP T5 turbo petrol engine (left) is one of three engine choices offered.
ENGINES. In the Philippines, the XC60 is offered with three engine choices: a 2-liter, four-cylinder turbo diesel called the XC60 2.0L D4; a 2-liter, four-cylinder direct injection turbo petrol engine dubbed as the XC60 2.0L T5; and a 3-liter, six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine known as the XC60 3.0L T6 AWD.
The T5 and D4 engines have Volvo’s Drive-E technology that provides the performance of a large displacement engine with the fuel economy of a small displacement engine.
THE 40:20:40 back seat with center armrest is elevated to give rearseat passengers a good view of the road.
The Auto Engine Start/Stop and eight-speed Geartronic contribute to the fuel efficiency of these models.
The test unit I drove was the 2.0L T5 (P3.545 million) which delivers 245 horsepower/5500 revolutions per minute and max torque of 350 Newton-meters/1500-4800 rpm to the 17-inch wheels via an eight-speed Geartronic transmission. The top speed of all three variants is 210 kilometers per hour, governed by a speed limiter.
Volvo has always been regarded as the world leader in automotive passenger safety. In the XC60, Volvo divided the plentiful safety features into three categories: Preventive Safety (12 features for the T5 and D4), Protective Safety (19 features), and Child Safety (two features) plus 10 features listed under Security.
FOLD DOWN the rear seatbacks, remove the cargo cover and there’s enough space to load a mountain bike.
CITY SAFETY. The most prominent among these are City Safety, a braking system that stops the car independent of the driver when it senses an impending collision with a car in front, active at speeds up to 50 kph; the Driver Support Package that assists the driver to drive safely and efficiently; Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, Roll Stability Control, Antilocking brakes with hydraulic brake assist and ready alert brakes, six dual-stage airbags including inflatable curtain, Active High Beam and Active Bending Lights with dual Xenon technology cornering light.
There are parking assist sensors rear and front, but strangely enough, no reverse video camera.
WITH up to 1,455 liters of cargo capacity, the XC60 out-spaces its German compact SUV rivals.
The exterior design of the XC60 is not overly macho or rugged, but it does establish a capable presence. And it does not look utilitarian like other compact SUVs.
The lines are not as severe and boxy as before, but rounder and more relaxed, although the rear end does look stubby and chopped off.
The trapezoidal grille with an angular slash bearing the Volvo logo is the same as the 2015 XC90’s. Skid plates front and rear protect the underpinnings, while dual exhaust pipes enhance the sporty look.
Inside, functional, understated elegance and Scandinavian style sets the tone. The clean, uncluttered craftsmanship is impeccable. High quality, soft touch materials are used with charcoal leather predominating the upholstery, steering wheel and gear knob, and shimmer graphite trim.
Volvo’s signature free-floating center console contains user-friendly climate and audio control buttons while a 7-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 compatibility, audio streaming, the Sensus high performance sound system, and a cabin filter make this a smart interior.
FLEXIBILITY. Equally impressive is the seating flexibility and cargo capacity of the XC60. The rear seat is not the usual 60:40 split-and-fold configuration, but a 40:20:40 bench seat whose seatbacks fold easily to form a truly flat surface.
When the 20 in the 40:20:40 is folded down, a pass-through space is created allowing longer items to be carried inside with full space for two rear passengers.
VOLVO’S signature free-floating center console and Adaptive Digital Display dominate the cockpit.
Moreover, with the front passenger seat clamshells down, the loading of long cargo items like a ladder is possible if the rear seatbacks are also folded. When the latter are folded, flat cargo space increases from 495 liters to 1,455 liters, big enough to swallow a mountain bike.
Indeed, cutting-edge safety gear and a spacious cabin loaded with the latest infotainment are the XC60’s most marketable features, not to mention its Drive-E technology.
The Dynamic setting of the chassis with MacPherson strut in front and multilink independent suspension at the rear combined with coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, and stabilizer bars fore and aft, ensure a smooth, comfortable ride quality.
Compact-sized and tuned more for cruising comfortably on the highway or city streets than for off-road adventure, the XC60 T5 is pleasant and easy to drive and maneuver. Handling is responsive and secure.
The turbo engine is invigorating and delivers linear acceleration, while road, wind and engine noise are well suppressed. With its 9.1-inch ground clearance and skid plates, the XC60 T5 can tackle some rough terrain occasionally more than a passenger sedan could.
Summing up, the XC60 T5 may not be as engaging to drive as its Teutonic rivals, but it offers more space, flexibility and practicality—all with understated Scandinavian elegance and style.
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