You can have your cake and eat it too with the 2018 Volvo XC60.
It has been nine long years since the XC60 received any love, but after driving the second generation of this mid-sized luxury crossover, I must say it was well worth the wait.
In a rapidly changing marketplace, almost all of the XC60鈥檚 competitors had undergone a major revamp.
It comes as a testament to the loyalty of Volvo customers, who continued to buy the previous-generation crossover long after its best-before date.
Perhaps fans of the Swedish brand were reassured in the past few years by highly successful launches of the XC90, V90 and S90.
Now, finally, it is time for the XC60鈥檚 debut.
The XC60 comes in three trims, from the Momentum, which starts at $45,900, to the Inscription, with a $57,050 price-tag.
I drove the sporty R-Design, the one in the middle, with a list price of $55,450.
The XC60 is sold globally, but Canadians will have a choice of three powerplants, a turbocharged 2.0-litre producing 250聽horsepower, a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre producing 316 hp and a gasoline-electric hybrid with an electric motor that delivers a combined 400 hp on the pavement.
While my tester was fitted with the 316 hp powerplant under the hood, it felt more powerful than the numbers suggest.
Safety is perhaps the first thing most people think of when they hear the name Volvo. But I am here to tell you that the XC60 might perhaps dethrone the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW when it comes to driving excitement. Indeed, in the right hands, it will nip at the heels of more sporting competitors such as the Porsche Macan and Jaguar F-Pace.
The previous-generation XC60 was a decent vehicle and drove and handled well. But this generation is head and shoulders more as a driver鈥檚 car.
As with many vehicles in this segment, the XC60 comes equipped with a toggle switch to switch driving modes from Eco to Sport+.
In Sport+ mode, the XC60 practically leaps when prodded. The addition of a supercharger to a turbocharged engine is a marriage made in heaven for enthusiasts 鈥� there is ample power and no dreaded turbo lag any more.
All XC60s come equipped with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Care has been taken to muffle the engine, which only makes itself known when the driver puts the pedal to the metal. Otherwise, it is blissfully serene in the cabin, even when the scenery is flying by. A word of warning for new owners: Because it is much quieter than the previous generation, the new XC60 is most likely going faster than you think 鈥� check your speed on the highway.
In the city, on the Eco setting, the engine turns off at stoplights.
The previous design might have been handsome, but the new sheetmetal, with its smooth lines and bulges, evokes a homage to Volvo鈥檚 new design language, first found in the XC90. It is as good-looking as it gets for a SUV.
While the overall length of the XC60 rose by 44 millimetres, the wheelbase gained more than 90 mm, with the rear passengers benefiting most from the addition.
The interior has shed the Swedish minimalist expression the former generation was known for. It has been replaced with a more traditional formula found in its German and British counterparts. Having said that, the new look gives the XC60 a more upscale look and feel, more in line now with the XC90 (but on a lesser scale).
The front seats are comfortable and condusive to a cross-country trip. The rears have their own climate control as well as heated outboard seats.
The centre-console infotainment screen is now about the size of a tablet computer and, with the ability to pinch and swipe, operates in much the same fashion. When reverse is selected, it not only displays the rear, but gives a bird鈥檚-eye view of the surroundings.
As this is a Volvo, one expects cutting-edge safety, and the XC60 bristles with features that will either prevent or mitigate any collision with pedestrians and vehicles alike. The latest addition (on an already impressive list) is steer assist, which comes into play when the vehicle detects you are drifting over onto the oncoming lane by tugging you back. It also acts if you decide to change lanes and the vehicle detects another vehicle already in your blind spot.
On some models, you can even order Pilot Assist, Volvo鈥檚 semi-autonomous driving system, as an option.
It has been a long time coming, but it appears the 2018 XC60 has been worth the wait. It leverages all of the attributes one with expect of the marque and adds enough to assure the model remains competitive and relevant for years to come.
THE SPEC SHEET
Type: Luxury mid-sized SUV, front engine, all-wheel-drive
Engine: Turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, 316 hp at 5,700 r.p.m., 295 lb.-ft. of torque between 2,200 and 5,400 r.p.m.
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Dimensions (mm): Length, 4,688; width, 1,902; height, 1,658; wheelbase, 2,865
Curb weight (kg): 2,490
Price (base/as tested): $55,450/ $60,615 (includes $2,015 freight and PDI and $100 AC tax)
Options: Vision package $1,800, Climate package $1,250
Tires: 255/45 R20 on alloy wheels
Fuel type: Premium
Fuel economy (L/100km): 11.4 city/ 8.7 highway
Warranty: Four years/80,000 km new car
