Volvo XC60 D3 DRIVe SE Lux Premium Start/Stop 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The XC60’s cabin and interior is typical of a Volvo - lots of style and everything is well designed and laid out. The driving position is a little higher than normal, offering excellent forward visibility, although it doesn’t feel like you’re sitting in an off-roader. There’s plenty of adjustment available to make finding the best driving position an easy task.

The D3 DRIVe uses Volvo’s 2.0-litre 5 cylinder 20 valve diesel engine to power it. Producing maximum power of 160bhp and good torque of 295lb-ft mid-range, it’s ideally suited to the XC60. Top speed is a respectable 124mph and 0-62mph comes in 10.3 seconds, while still returning a decent average fuel economy of 49.6mpg and reasonable CO2 emissions of 149g/km.

The XC60 handles better than some other small off-roaders, but it’s not quite as sporty in its handling as maybe Volvo would like you to believe. There’s plenty of grip available when cornering and body roll is kept well in check and there’s good traction. The steering, however, while being well-weighted, lacks feel. You may want to consider the optional adaptive suspension system if you want a more exhilarating driving experience.

The suspension does a good job of absorbing uneven road surfaces and potholes and at cruising speeds it’s a nice, refined ride which makes it a pleasure to drive cross country. Engine noise and road noise are well dampened inside the cabin and the seats are superbly comfortable.

The XC60 looks stylish and modern, both inside and out, and there are unmistakeable Swedish design touches to be enjoyed especially in the cabin interior.

The SE Lux Premium tops of the range and comes well equipped with power steering, central locking, DSTC stability control, 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, rear parking sensor, leather seats, alarm, immobiliser, CD with MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth and satellite navigation as well as heated front seats and active headlights.

Volvo also offers an electrically powered tailgate as an option.

The XC60 isn’t just about style – it’s totally functional as well. It has generous boot space of 495-litres and this can be boosted to 1,455-litres by folding down the rear seats. The rear seats are split 40/20/40 so there’s lots of flexibility for carrying awkward or long loads. The boot is wide and there’s no lip or sill, so loading is easy.

Passengers enjoy generous space with lots of head room and leg room both up front and in the rear and the five seats are extremely comfortable to spend time in.

EuroNCAP awarded the XC60 the maximum five-stars in its crash-tests, with individual ratings of five-stars for adult safety, four-stars for child safety and two-stars for pedestrian safety. The XC60 is one of the safest cars Volvo has built and includes safety features such as City Safety to avoid low-speed frontal impacts, roll stability control, braking assist, electronic brake-force distribution system and stability control as well as the usual six airbags and side-impact bars. Customers can also opt for additional safety features which include blind spot warning and lane departure warning systems.

Volvo’s reputation for build quality and reliability are well known and the XC60 is no exception. It all has a very solid, durable feel to it and the engines used in the XC60 have all been tried and tested in other Volvo models, so you shouldn’t have any surprises in terms of reliability.

The XC60 comes covered by Volvo’s three-year 60,000 mile warranty and regular servicing is at 18,000 mile intervals.

The XC60 D3 DRIVe SE Lux Premium is competitively priced at £33,800 and offers very good value for money next to rivals like the BMW X3 and Freelander, although most will never be used off-road much. Running costs are reasonable for its class. Insurance is in group 30 and Road Tax is in VED band F.

Residual values are good as the XC60 is very popular, especially the DRIVe SE Lux version, which means that dealers may not be willing to discount much. It does mean that you should have no problem selling it on in the future as it will be much sought after as a used buy.