2010 Volvo XC60

Volvo, known famously for making safe automobiles, has introduced their safest vehicle yet, the Volvo XC60. Though not the most fuel efficient or powerful SUV in the market, this fresh looking and reasonably priced SUV comes with safety features that you just can’t miss.

 

In the past, Volvo’s automobiles have notoriously followed conservative and sometimes old-fashioned design cues. With the 2010 XC60, that’s about to change as the SUV is as contemporary as the year 2010 is current. The SUV is large and muscular looking with a steep grille, broad shoulder-line, and big LED tail lights that blend in with the SUV’s curves very well. The lower body is wide and the upper body manages to looks sporty. This new bold design still maintains some of Volvo’s trademark design aspects so it stays true to the family line while still being current.

 

On the inside, the Volvo uses light wood inlays, silky materials, soft-touch plastics and brushed metal for the many panels and accessories that are spread throughout the interiors. As for the comfort factor, the crossover features velvety beige floor mats and seats that are both minimalist and comfortable. The interiors are finished in saddle leather. On the top is the panoramic sunroof. As for colours, the interiors follow light tone schemes that accentuate the SUV’s large room-space.

 

The XC60 is available in two variants, a 3.2 litre forward wheel drive and a 2.8 litre turbocharged all wheel drive one (T6 AWD). Both engines are petrol powered and produce 235 and 281hp at 6200 and 5600 rpm respectively. Torque generated is 320 and 400Nm at 3200 and 4800 rpm respectively. Both engines are touted to give a city mileage of around 7kmpl and boast of 0-100kmph acceleration in under 8 seconds.

 

Thomas Bruberg, Volvo’s head of safety communications says, “The XC60 is the safest car in the world.” Which albeit a bold statement is not far from the truth given the endless list of the XC60’s safety features that include active bi-xenon lights, collision warning with auto brake, driver alert control, blind-spot information system, dynamic stability and traction control, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, distance alert, trailer stability assist, roll stability control and the much hyped “City Safety” feature. Studies show that most accidents happen at speeds lesser than 30kmph and this is where the City Safety comes to play. It allows for lower-speed autonomous driving when the driver’s attention drifts away. This is possible thanks to a set of lasers and a camera above the rear-view mirror. When the car ahead is driving at a speed differential of 16kmph, the City Safety hits the brakes just in time to avoid collision, that is, if the driver wasn’t paying attention at the wheel, and if the speed differential is around 30kmph a collision is possible but there is minimum damage or injury. The system is not without its faults as it uses lasers and reflection to determine what course to take, bad weather, dirty windscreen and other factors may impede the system’s normal functioning.

The crossover SUV is available in basically two variants, the 3.2 quoted at a starting price of USD $ 32995 or around Rs. 15 lakhs and the T6 AWD starting from USD $ 37800 or roughly at around Rs. 17 lakhs.