Volvo's latest XC60 SUV is forward-looking, literally
Published Thursday July 2nd, 2009
The new Volvo XC60 alerts drivers when they unintentionally leave their lane, when there's a car in their blind-spot and even if a rear-end collision is probable. It'll also jam on its own brakes and stop just before rear-ending another vehicle at low speeds.
You read that right. XC60 can stop itself with no driver involvement. It's part of Volvo's new City Safety system, which is standard across the XC60 range. It makes this crossover the world's first-ever vehicle with standard equipment that can autonomously prevent a rear-end collision.
City Safety utilizes various cameras and radar emitters to do its job, and it works, too. Just don't go trying to show your carpool buddies in traffic.When the XC60 auto-stops, it does so with only an inch or two to spare.
Very amazing technology, but many folks aren't totally sold on the idea of such driving aids. Your writer is one of them.
Safety features like these can be a good thing in some hands, though they'll undoubtedly create less of an incentive for attentive driving in others.
An interesting thing happened while driving the XC60 that made me 'see the light'-- so to speak. It had been a weekend on the beach with some friends: too much sun, not enough sleep, and all that.
My mini-vacation would conclude with a quiet 6-hour drive up a largely empty, flat and straight stretch of highway.
Drowsiness can hit hard on days like this, and it did.
The XC60 has a 'Driver Alertness' meter that tells you how alert it thinks you are via a five-bar scale. Initially, I dismissed the offensive gauge as a gimmick and didn't pay much attention to it.
My eyes had been getting tired, my brain was processing road signs more slowly than usual, and my peripheral vision had started playing tricks.
I focused harder on the road ahead, and turned up the music a little. Then, my body's own movements started to startle me.
"This is getting bad" I thought, thinking about the most polite way to wake my sleeping co-pilot for a much-needed driver change.
"DING! DING!"
"What the--?"
An image of a coffee cup popped into the instrument cluster, alongside a polite text message advising me to take a break. The Driver Alertness Gauge had just busted me for drowsy driving. Score one for the driver aids.
Incidentally, there's also a full array of airbags, anti-whiplash headrests and a rollover protection system if drivers still manage to find a way to crash.
As far as high-tech rolling vaults go, XC60 is a remarkably sleek and dynamic looker. The curvy, sculpted and flowing body is accented by some rugged cladding, xenon lights and a proud stance.
The interior is a gorgeous piece of design work, too.
Coffee and cream colored leather seats tie in with a two-color dash accented by aluminum and wood trim. It's all assembled with an eye for detail that works towards a relaxing, calm and sophisticated atmosphere.
No issues with entry, exit or space in the XC60 when 5 people are on board.
Visibility is average, enhanced by large mirrors and a backup-camera.
The cargo hold in back is surprisingly generous, though a touch more at-hand storage would have been appreciated up front.
The tester got a turbocharged straight-six engine, developing 281 horsepower from three litres of displacement. It runs just fine on regular-grade gas, with liquid-smooth power delivered to all four wheels via a six-speed manual-mode automatic.
The engine is soft and quiet when driven gently, though it moves the XC along with authority and a lovely wail when opened up. Mileage averaged about 10.5 L / 100km during quick highway cruising, and climbed as high as 14.5L / 100km in the city during my test. In all, there's a nice blend between power and mileage here, decided upon by your right foot.
A 3-mode suspension system allows drivers to select between 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Advanced' suspension settings on the fly, too. This means that enhanced driving dynamics and sharper handling are available without a permanent hit to ride comfort.
The loaded tester was decked out with options that bumped the $45,495 sticker to just shy of $61,000. At writing, Volvo had just announced that a non-turbo 3.2 litre straight-six engine option would soon be available, alongside a dynamic 'R-Design' model.
City Safety will, of course, be standard on all of them. For those after a safe and stylish crossover that's always got its eyes on the road, XC60 is worth a good look.
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