2016 Volvo XC60 Review

This time, Brake Magazine were given the chance to review the recently facelifted Volvo XC60. On first glimpse, you already notice its new sleek design which is the first indication of what’s to come when you step inside the £39,000 luxury SUV.

The exterior of the XC60 screams out class, and the new design offers a softer approach to the typical SUV and the styling shrewdly hides how bulky this car really is. The XC60 is truly eye-catching and remains subtle enough to blend in around the town centre. Volvo have essentially made an SUV that’s easy on the eye whilst maintaining a tough look that will appeal to everyone from a mum on the school run to a high-flying director and fills in a lot of the gaps in the industry.

Lucky enough to have tested the top of the range D5 engine, it did not disappoint and the power from the 2.4-litre diesel engine is ample for day to day use. The improved sound produced from the engine also makes it a pleasant drive with the radio off – something that you simply do not get from other diesel engines on the market. If anything, the XC60 only falls short on cornering. Aside from the excessively large turning circle, the low profile tyres don’t compliment the car at high speeds and you find yourself wrestling with the car on corners.

While driving the XC60 though, you’re at ease with any journey you take on with abundances of comfort. The R-design is fitted with a leather interior and a power-adjustable driver’s seat with a memory for multiple drivers and many other handy extras come as standard, but for only £1,900 you can enhance your drive with a blind spot warning system and adaptive cruise control which makes long journeys less tedious.

Effectively, the XC60 does deliver on all fronts. Volvo have put the XC60 out to compete in a strong market and have added an uncompromising slice of Swedish artistry. The Volvo may not be the fastest SUV on the market, nor the most established, but what it does offer is an abundance of safety features its rivals can’t compete with. It’s boringly brilliant and you just can’t help but wonder what you are missing.