In the Safe Lane

As expected,a super-stiff chassis and independent suspension take care of dynamics and it has more autonomous and intelligent safety systems than a nuclear submarine. Even Volvo,ever bashful,says this is its safest car ever. The blind spot information system alerts the driver if any vehicle is in his blind spot; the lane departure warning softly steers the car back into a lane. It has a radar-based adaptive cruise control,collision warning with auto brakes,radar and camera-assisted automatic braking,roll stability control,whiplash protection system,adaptive brake lights and ready alert brakes.

There is an on-demand four-wheel drive system from Haldex and you get a hill descent system that works in reverse too. The Volvos build is impeccable. It feels tough,solid and large,standing on its tall suspension and has a genuine luxury product vibe about it. Even the precision with which the doors close has to be experienced.

There are acres of space on the inside and the cabin looks very inviting. Theres plenty of piano-lacquered wood,brushed aluminium frames and beautiful double-stitched two-tone leather seats. Volvo is famous for making super-safe cars that are understated and last forever. What the company is not famous for are brilliant seats. These are supportive in the right places,feel like they are one size larger than normal and are great to look at.

You dont expect much driving pleasure in the traditional sense at the wheel of this behemoth,but very soon an impression of invincibility shines through. The thick wood-rimmed steering wheel feels special. The steering is beautifully weighted too.

The XC60 muscles its way down the road impressively,and in the comfort mode,the dampers and widely spaced suspension towers absorb the rough patches and craters without too many bumps. There is a layer of stiffness but that allows you to drive over bad bits without really slowing down. But in comfort,the car rolls a fair bit.

Hit the sport button and things tighten up. The big Volvo turns into corners with plenty of enthusiasm. The straight-line stability and braking inspire more confidence and you can carry a lot of speed into a corner. A closer examination of this Volvo reveals why this system is so effective; its a semi-active set-up that adjusts shocks up to 500 times a second.

Whats not impressive is the D5 diesel under the hood. Performance is up to par. It goes from 0 to 100kph in under 10 seconds. But the twin-turbo unit gets a bit vocal at the top of the power band and feels strained. And the six-speed auto,though perfectly capable of a normal commute,feels a bit slow-witted when pushed hard. Clearly,this car is for covering miles and miles at a quick but not rapid pace.

What sets the XC60 apart from its other siblings is that it is a hugely appealing car. It offers something different from more conventional SUVs like the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 and that,for Volvo,is an advantage.

The XC60,priced at around Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom,Delhi),is beautifully finished,has the ability to go off tarmac,drives and steers well and is crammed with cutting-edge safety features. It is massive (very important in our market),gives the impression of delivering more car for your rupee,and its insides are both robust and plush at the same time. Volvo will offer a two-year/60,000 km warranty with all scheduled services provided free. Finally,a Volvo thats at the top of its class. n

(The writer is deputy editor,AutocarIndia)