The folks at Volvo must get tired of the myriad of references comparing their modern, curvaceous styles to the boxes of old, but they just keep introducing these gorgeous shapes that visually defy their heritage. That is not to say that they don’t incorporate historic details into their designs, rather the overall shapes are far more curvy. The 2010 XC60 is a step away from the wagons Volvo is known for and firmly into the CUV foray. Perhaps the surprising thing is that the XC60 may be the most sensual looking CUV on the market!
The weather was horrible for most of our week with the XC60 and that meant that every time we tried to take photos it was either raining or snowing. Unfortunately, the white colour, complemented by a sheen of road grime just does not do justice to the Volvo’s curves. This is one beautiful machine. From the adaptive headlights all the way back to the exceptionally funky LED tail lights, there are subtle curves that look just right.
The style continues indoors, where the attention to detail is second to none. Any plastic surfaces are soft to the touch and have a very clean looking matte surface. The focus on the dash is the brushed metal center stack that is a similar waterfall design to that in the C30, with a handy little storage shelf in behind. Typical of Volvo, the seats are comfortable and supportive and clad in soft leather with 2 different textures. The leather trim is carried over onto the door trim panels, where a nicely textured insert is far more comforting than the plastic that many manufacturers use in this spot.
Practicality is a big deal here at Driven Wheels, as the Grant family has 3 active kids and a rather large pooch. First off, the back seat is large enough that we had all 3 kids back there comfortably and even stuffed in a pair of teenagers and the dog on one trip with no complaints. One of the Volvo folks mentioned that the cargo area folds perfectly flat, right up to the front seat backs, making it just right for transporting pets. This was before I mentioned that we have a dog, which tells me these folks understand their target market.
Perhaps the most criteria for a family when choosing a people hauler is the vehicle’s ability to move stuff in addition to people. To that end, I have “developed” the ultimate Canadian standard: the 3 Hockey Bag Test. In other words, can I take both of my boys to the rink along with all of our gear and still use all of the seating. The XC60 passes this test with flying colours, with the cargo area swallowing all 3 bags, water bottle carrier and trainers bag. Longer adult hockey sticks intrude on the rear seat somewhat but that is to be expected.
Our tester was a 3.2 AWD model that is powered by a 3.2 litre V6 that puts 235 horsepower & 236 lb-ft of torque through a 6 speed automatic transmission. This combination is smooth and quiet at pretty much any speed and the transmission software has been well tuned to ensure the transmission is always in the right gear. We were the last publication to review this particular vehicle, so snow tires had not been fitted which meant that when the first snow of the year arrived we actually had the opportunity to check out the AWD system. Usually press cars have snow boots, and they just bite like crazy to the AWD doesn’t ever really come into play. The XC60 handled 10 cm of snow on the road without a concern, with the combination of AWD and traction control making it sure footed on acceleration and cornering. Under braking, the all season tires showed their limitations and the anti lock brakes brought things to a controlled stop without any drama.
