- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0T, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
224kW, 440Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 10.5L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2010 Volvo XC60 T6 Road Test Review
THE VOLVO XC60 has been a consistent best-seller for the brand in Australia, eclipsed only by the more established XC90 in showroom sales figures.
Classed as a large SUV but in truth more of a mid-sizer, the XC60 boasts modern aesthetics, accommodation for five and a variety of features designed to appeal to young families.
We tested the range-topping T6 variant, the most powerful model in the XC60 line-up.
The Drive
The interior is almost architectural in its design, and very Scandinavian in its execution.
The floating centre-stack is by now a Volvo hallmark, and proof that form can peacefully co-exist with function. Faced with unvarnished light oak wood, it also provided the interior of our test car with a warmer feel than most other European cars.
High quality plastics are in abundance here, and everything from the dashboard to the painted plastic inserts on the steering wheel feel solid, well-made and very premium. The leather upholstery of our test car was also of excellent quality.
The seats are comfortable and supportive, although the centre rear seatback is a little too hard to be comfortable on long trips. On the plus side, parents will appreciate the built-in child booster seats in the outboard rear seat cushions, as well as the standard ISOFIX baby seat anchorages.
Generally speaking, the driver’s position is good. The centre-stack is angled towards the driver, the electronic parking brake frees up space in the centre console, the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach and the instrument cluster is clear and uncluttered.
Outward visibility is good too, with a large rear windscreen and large wing-mirrors aiding rearward vision. The reversing camera (a $795 option) that was fitted to our tester helped as well.
However, some drivers may struggle to get used to the multimedia system’s multifunction ‘joystick’ that’s mounted behind the right spoke of the steering wheel.
Irritatingly, the joystick’s position on the steering wheel prevents front seat passengers from entering sat-nav data. It’s a job that only the driver can do.
A further point of annoyance is the steering wheel's location, offset quite noticeably to the right of the driver’s seat. As with the steering wheel’s joystick, some people will find this quirk to be profoundly annoying.
There are no complaints about luggage capacity though. With the rear seatbacks up a total of 490 litres is available in the XC60’s boot, and folding the 40/20/40 split rear seatbacks produces a completely flat load area.
As an added bonus, the front passenger backrest folds flat to the same height as the boot floor too.
With virtually no wheelarch intrusion into the boot, the entire area can carry a versatile range of loads, from prams to a living room’s worth of flat-pack furniture.
The standard power-operated tailgate makes loading the boot a little easier, too.
A 12-volt power outlet is fitted to the boot area too, but unfortunately shopping bag hooks are conspicuously absent.
On the road, the most impressive aspect of the XC60 T6 is its engine. It’s remarkable enough that Volvo managed to squeeze an inline-six into the enginebay in an east-west configuration, but its even more impressive that they could fit a turbo in there as well.
With 210kW of power and 400Nm of torque, the turbocharged 3.0 litre six has no trouble shifting the XC60’s 1846kg mass. The T6 is no slouch.
Volvo quotes a 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.5 seconds, and we’ve no reason to doubt that figure. Boost from the turbo arrives early in the piece, and acceleration is smooth and strong.
Peak torque is available between 1500rpm and 4800rpm, giving the T6 an even wider torque band than the twin-turbodiesel D5.
Peak power arrives at 4000rpm, meaning the T6 has excellent tractability at nearly every point in its rev range. The T6’s engine is an extremely flexible one, and it serves the XC60 well.
The six-speed Geartronic transmission is a good piece of equipment too, with a set of ratios that are well-matched to the T6’s output.
While not bad for an SUV, the XC60 is thirstier than a comparable medium wagon or sedan. During our testing we recorded an average figure of 11.4 l/100km after a fairly even mix of urban and freeway driving. That’s 0.5 l/100km better than the factory figure but nowhere near as thrifty as the diesel-engined XC60 D5.
Handling is very car-like, even vaguely sporty. The steering is lacking some feedback, but the XC60 responds well to steering inputs. However, the suspension’s stiffness does cause it to lose a little of its composure over bumpy roads, and the damping could be a little softer.
Although the ride is a bit on the stiff side, it’s not overly harsh. The 18-inch wheels do thump a bit over speedbumps and potholes, but for the most part the suspension does a good job of isolating the cabin from the road.
Gravel roads are no problem either, and both ABS and stability control function well on loose surfaces.
The Verdict
On the whole, the Volvo XC60 is a neat package that’s best suited to family buyers wanting good safety, great build quality and a sleek design.
The T6 engine is a solid performer and supplies ample power to all four wheels, and the driving experience showed up few faults.
As the most expensive model in the range the XC60 T6 retails at $65,950 before on-road costs, making it a cheaper proposition than the Audi Q5 3.2 FSI and BMW X3 xDrive 3.0i.
However, adding options like metallic paint, dual front power seats, sat nav, Bluetooth phone integration and parking sensors will take the price up beyond $70,000.
Volvo’s extensive suite of electronic safety aids such as a blind-spot monitor, lane departure warning and active cruise control also cost big dollars.
But even so, considering the solidity of its build, the quality of its interior and the excellent engine that powers it, the Volvo XC60 T6 is a compelling reason to look beyond the German brands for your next luxury SUV.