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2010 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD Review
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Rarely do I look at a small crossover SUV and think, “Hmm, that’s mighty sexy.” Rarer still do I see one of these ubiquitous family haulers moving with the agility of a sports sedan. Add to that rarity a semblance of an attractive interior and you have something special.
This Volvo XC60 is a rare breed indeed for it is magnificence in nearly every way.
No, a bunch of Swedes did not pay me off in herring. I merely speak the truth and many automotive writers agree. Volvo did an amazing job with styling this vehicle. The swoopy lines are very appealing to the eye while maintaining a connection to Volvo’s overall styling. There is a strong design language that I hope shows a glimpse into Volvo’s thinking in the future. The tail is my favorite, sculpted component – shapely, elegant and functional.
Nice.
To back up the sleek looks of Volvo’s XC60, my tester received the beefy, turbocharged 281 horsepower (making 295 lbs feet of torque) inline 6-cylinder engine. This power-plant’s output and performance makes the XC60 more than competitive with the likes of Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Lexus and Infiniti. There is a normally aspirated 6-cylinder which produces nearly 50 horsepower less but gets 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (whereas the turbo gets 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway). I averaged a sub-mediocre 15 mpg – keep in mind I speed more often than governors have extramarital affairs.
It’s funny to me that Volvo builds such undercover speed-demons like this XC60 as they are known for safety. There are MANY electronic nannies aboard the Volvo XC60 including the worlds first City Safety auto-braking feature – standard. This system can detect a vehicle stopped in front of you, prime the brakes and even HIT the brakes to stop you before you rear-end the car ahead.
Great for driving and texting in city traffic.
I sampled this system (using Volvo supplied cones that simulate a vehicle’s rear radar signature - - NOT a real car). It’s uncanny and will stop you as long as you are traveling under 18 mph, typical speeds reached in stop-and-go traffic. I had to try several times to prevent my instincts for pressing the brakes, it worked surprisingly well and I never hit the cones.
BUT – there is a catch!
If there is a person that runs in front of your XC60, it will NOT stop automatically. This includes: bicyclists, joggers, parents pushing obnoxious/space consuming side-by-side strollers, CARS TURNING ahead (not enough surface area to register I’d wager) and just about anything that won’t reflect infrared back to the Volvo XC60. If you are attempting to impress your friends and aim for a trashcan, you WILL NOT STOP.
I shut off a majority of other safety systems like the lane departure system as it was irritating (I swerve on purpose). Other electronic commands take some getting used to mastering as there are many buttons and settings. I recommend reading the book.
Ah, the interior. Such beauty, such sophistication and what an amazing view out of the optional, massive panoramic sun roof. Seriously, next to the floating center console and grained, multi tone leather treatment I was in awe of the combined presentation. It is a feast for the eyes and oozes tactile satisfaction.
Save for one thing- 
The aforementioned floating center console (which was a delightfully colored bamboo-like color in mine) is great to look at and sucks to sit near, if you are over 6 feet tall. I am constantly hitting the side of this thing with my right knee and it became downright uncomfortable. During spirited driving, I really nailed myself while taking a corner and my right leg jerked. Not the thing you want to have happen while driving.
Otherwise, I was fairly comfortable and (as a parent) I simply thrill at the 2 rear integrated booster seats in the back. They are a snap to use and my 4-year-old loves using them. Simply pull the latch, lift up the seat, adjust and ta-da! No bulky, pain in the neck child seat needed.
Driving impressions? This is a good driving machine with good cornering reflexes for a vehicle that’s about 9 inches off the ground. It will stick and cornering transitions are fairly predictable. I attempted to upset its balance by keeping it in gear (the 6-speed automatic transmission has a manual mode that will hold gears – to a point) and forcing boost and rpm to kick in at the absolute apex of a particular corner. It wallowed and squealed a bit, but composure was never lost. The ride is a hair stiff and the engine noise is a tad more pronounced than some of the competition. It is still a confident, comfortable ride that imparts more sport than squish.
Even with my idiotic antics, the Volvo XC60 T6 AWD remained resolute in its quest for safe yet sprightly performance. Cranking punk-rock through the awesome 650 watt Dolby® Surround Pro Logic® II surround sound stereo system seemed superfluous for such a well buttoned machine. The music made me want more speed and there was plenty to be had.
I was able to coax consistent 0 to 60 times of a tick over 7 seconds. Quarter mile times were just as consistent at a hair over 15 seconds. Both times are very good for a vehicle that weighs 4,174 lbs. What’s not as easy to record is the feel of this thing at launch and how powerfully it yanks itself out of a corner. That turbo and the AWD system pour on the juice and keep things sane in nearly every situation.
Don’t believe me?
Do you remember the spat of storms and tornados that happened south of the city late June (remember the massive hail and rainstorms that shredded trees?). Well, I was the guy plowing through one of those storms at unsafe speeds in complete confidence – I had just received my Volvo XC60 tester.
It’s love from Sweden baby!
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