If you’re an SUV guy (myself, I love small cars) put the XC 60 T6 AWD on your test-drive list – especially if you or your girlfriend has ADHD. It’s powerful, luxurious and spacious, but what truly sets it apart is the XC 60’s safety intelligence.
Genuine innovation
Volvo shares this interesting stat: “75% of all collisions occur below 30 km/h.” Hence the City Safety feature: it automatically brakes, unbidden, when a collision seems inevitable. And if you’re traveling under 30 km/h at the time, it won’t hit whatever’s in front.
I tested it, driving towards pylons attached to a bendable board – the effect looked like a little wall but wouldn’t damage the car or driver if hit hard. I approached at about 25 km/h, but at first couldn’t force myself to collide. I braked before the feature did.
“A lot of people do that,” said Nelson the Volvo rep, a car freak who clearly loves his work. “Try again.” Approaching at 30 km/h, I concentrated my foot off the brake. It halted hard – a snapping jerk – inches from the ‘wall.’ Fascinating.
Designed for urban drivers, shouting on phones while shifting, scanning their iPods, shaving, whatever – City Safety comes standard with the XC 60. My video skills are poor but Volvo offers this demo:
A bit much?
But this car bubble-wraps the driver. The Driver Alert System beeps and lights up the instrument panel, warning you to rest after a couple of hours driving. Straddle a line, and it brays the first six notes of the William tell overture. Annoyed, I had to turn these off.
However I loved blind spot sensor. Lights in the side mirrors alert you when other drivers disappear into your danger zone. Very useful and unobtrusive.
Big and thirsty
Though its 3.0L 6-cylinder turbocharged engine is ULEV II classified, the XC 60 retains dipsomaniacal tendencies. At 4.6m long, 1.7m high and weighted down with extras like all-wheel drive, it’s a lot of car to pilot. And the 11.7m turning circle wants the room of the suburbs more than downtown.
Still, if you want safe, don’t even think twice.
MSRP: $45,495
As Driven: $59,685
