2010 Volvo XC60 Review

Sports cars are best suited to the twisting two-lane mountain roads on Highway 1 that lead from this city. But Volvo's new sporty, versatile XC60 model easily handled them and was a smooth cruiser on fast-paced Highway 101, which led back to the city after the Highway 1 drive.

Volvo joins the growing compact premium crossover game with its stylish early 2010 XC60, which was introduced here at a recent media preview. It goes on sale in March.

Volvo calls the XC60 a "small premium utility vehicle." It fits in the fast-growing Small Premium Utility market between the Volvo XC70 wagon and XC90 SUV.

The XC60 is aimed partly at young families with active lifestyles and couples planning families, mainly in large metropolitan areas. But Volvo also says the new model is "aimed at lifestyle, rather than age." In any case, it hopes to broadens its model range to attract more customers with an active urban lifestyle.

The XC60 is expected to draw folks who otherwise might buy the new Mercedes-Benz GLK (Dec. 20-21 AutoTimes) or BMW X3, Acura RDX, Infiniti EX, Audi Q5 and Land Rover LR2.

The new Volvo has standard all-wheel drive and is plenty versatile. It has room for four tall adults (or five if rear occupants are thin), with an especially large backseat area. The spacious cargo area can be enlarged by folding rear seatbacks forward. A power tailgate is optional.

Volvo plans to sell 50,000 XC60s annually worldwide, with "10,000 to 15,000" sent to America each year, Lars Blenwall, XC60 project manager, said at the preview.

The nicely sized XC60 has shapely sculpted styling, with a muscular-looking lower body capped off by a sporty coupe-like upper half. Large 18 or (optional) 19-inch wheels and bold wheel arches enhance the XC60s muscular feel. It makes boxy old Volvos look like classics.

The 130-mph XC60 has a $37,200 list price and comes only with a smooth turbocharged 3-liter six-cylinder engine with 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque that provides strong acceleration (0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds).

The engine shoots power through a responsive six-speed automatic transmission with an easily used manual shift mode. The compact turbocharger provides fast response with no lag.

The XC60 continues Volvo's sporty push but isn't as sporty as the BMW X3 or Acura RDX. Steering is precise and has good feel. However, I wished the steering had been a tad quicker when taking fast, closely spaced left-right curves on Highway 1. The ride is smooth, without being sloppy, and strong anti-lock brakes are controlled by a pedal with a linear action.

Volvo says the advanced all-wheel-drive system, high ground clearance and large wheels help make the XC60 capable of traversing terrain that would be impossible for a regular car. The new model also has a standard Hill Descent Control feature that keeps it moving slow in first gear for a "steady crawl speed" when going down steep grades.

The rigidly built XC60 weighs 4,174 pounds, so estimated city fuel economy is only 16 mpg. The highway figure is 22. Those numbers are about average for this type of vehicle, and only regular-grade fuel is needed.

This new model gets costly with desirable options. They include a $2,700 Technology package, $1,695 collision avoidance package and Climate and Convenience packages, which each cost $1,000.

Volvo's first panoramic moonroof, with two glass panels, will be offered as a stand-alone option later in the model year. An optional new Trailer Stability Assist system is said to dampen the oscillation tendency that sometimes occurs when towing a trailer. The XC60 can tow up to 3,300 pounds. Optional heated windshield washer nozzles are a good idea.

The XC60 has a leg up on rivals in the safety area with its standard "City Safety" feature. A world-first standard item, it's active at speeds up to 19 mph. (Surveys indicate that 75 percent of all reported collisions occur at speeds of up to 19 mph.)

City Safety automatically applies the brakes and stops the XC60 if it is traveling too closely behind a vehicle at between 2 and 9 mph. It also focuses on cutting speed as much as possible prior to an impact between 9 and 19 mph to reduce effects of a low-speed impact to vehicles and their occupants. Using a laser sensor, it works equally well during day and night and doesn't function until it considers that a collision is imminent.

My first reaction during a City Safety demonstration was to hit the brake pedal when the XC60 looked like it would hit an object. The second time, I let the XC60 sharply stop itself before hitting the barrier.

Volvo will give dealers a movable barrier to demonstrate City Safety when a customer or salesperson drives slowly toward the barrier.

Bet on City Safety to help sell XC60s. It will seem to be worth its weight in gold during rush-hour stop-go driving, when many motorists are distracted by yacking on cell phones.

Volvo, which pioneered a long list of safety features, including the first three-point front seat belts in 1959, says the XC60 has class-leading safety features. They include standard roll stability control and optional blind spot monitoring system, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control, which adjusts speed to maintain a selected distance behind a vehicle in front and causes automatic braking if a collision against that vehicle is imminent. Of course, there are plenty of air bags.

The upscale interior's newly designed seats are comfortable on long drives but could use more side support during spirited driving. There's a newly designed ultra-slim center control panel and main gauges can be easily read. Climate controls are fairly large, but radio controls are small.

Door-mounted power window controls set a little too far forward caused me to occasionally accidentally open the left rear window instead of the left front one. Front cupholders are conveniently placed. All doors have small storage pockets, and there's a moderately large covered front console bin.

The hood glides up on twin struts -- once you find the outside release confusingly located to the far right of the hood instead of at its center area. The underhood area is neatly designed, with easily reached fluid-filler areas.

An XC60 buyer doesn't need California's challenging Highway 1 to appreciate this new premium vehicle, which has a good blend of sportiness, comfort and safety.