Review Car

Station wagon fans for instance myself appreciate the combination of utility and drivability offered by this vehicle. Volvo certainly affirms the latter using the 2015 V60 owners manual. For utility, this wagon not just boasts a large cargo area, but modern connected features and advanced protection features.

With the brand new V60, Volvo continues attempting to convince US consumers, who tend to help prefer SUVs, that wagons are the superior alternative. The V60 can be purchased in either front- or maybe all-wheel-drive, with engines ranging from five to 6 cylinders. The base price for that model comes in at $35, 750, nevertheless Volvo loaned me a near top-of-the-line T6 R-design, being released at $45, one hundred fifty. Australian buyers can get the same design for AU$84, 367, while UK buyers are looking at the equivalent Polestar T6 edition for £49, 775. Being a less sporty, nevertheless equal in electric, option, UK buyers can select the 150 horsepower T3 edition at £22, 005.

These prices may seem a bit substantial, but Volvo is usually marketing its cars from the premium segment. That became apparent if you ask me from the V60s log cabin, which offered a reputable feel and a fantastic degree of ease and comfort. Whether slogging by way of heavy traffic, embarking down the the road, or trawling to get a parking space on the mall, the V60s log cabin amenities took off a lot of the edge. It was a motor vehicle that, no make any difference the trip, I could enjoy getting behind the wheel.

This V60 R-design design I drove carried light blue Polestar badges, but that decided not to mean it was the same as the V60 Polestar design I drove lately in Southern Florida. That blue badge only implies that Volvos favorite tuning retail outlet, Polestar, reprogrammed the engine for a lot more power. That programming comes standard using the V60 T6 R-design design.

Under the engine sat a transverse-mount, in-line six-cylinder engine; only 3 liters but turbocharged to produce 325 horsepower along with 354 pound-feet involving torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, Volvo claims any zero-to-60-mph time involving 5. 5 moments, respectable but definitely not earth-shattering. Unlike Volvos brand-new Drive-E powertrains, the T6 R-design isnt built all the for efficiency. It turned in average fuel economy to me of 23. 6 mpg, from an EPA-rated 19 mpg city along with 28 mpg freeway. By contrast, Volvos V60 T5 Drive-E can be purchased in at 240 horsepower and should bring in about 30 mpg regular.

The Drive-E model may be the wiser choice, but drivers that appreciate how the cars handle have to the V60 T6 R-designs suspension tuning and the night-and-day difference between transmissions normal along with sport modes.

While using automatic transmission, the V60 proved a fairly easy suburban driver. The engine had ample power, the rotating radius was good, and I liked the solid steerage feel. However, I found the transmission seemed to be loathe to kick down once i needed to go fast. This six-speed looked programmed to promote efficiency. If I wanted to get wherever fast, I could tap the steerage wheel-mounted paddles to help force a downshift. Underneath moderate acceleration, the upshifts were really noticeable, taking any toll on that premium car sense.

Pulling the shifter up to sport model designed for a huge modify in behavior. Merely putting the V60 into sports activity mode made the entire car surge onward. Suddenly I had a throttle that was ready to give me all the power I needed. The transmission was willing to kick down aggressively once i hit the brakes and keep engine speed in its power band. Tapping the change paddles held the transmission in guide book mode, rather than letting it slip back into automatic after minutes. I found personally snapping the shifter into sport mode on the merest hint of a turn or mountain.

The V60 R-design has an sport-tuned suspension, more firm compared to the Touring suspension involving lesser trim designs. However, it still ingested bumps fairly effectively while holding the automobile reasonably flat in hard cornering. All-wheel-drive comes standard when it reaches this trim, offering a tad bit more confidence in the wet. To aid cornering, Volvo carries a torque vectoring system, but rather compared to push more torque toward the outer wheels in any turn, this system will depend on traction control to help slightly brake the interior wheels in the turns.

Sport, Environmentally or Elegance

This instrument cluster, absorbed by an LCD, showed me a sizable tachometer with an electronic digital speed readout, bookended by directory bar gauges showing temperature and the mysterious power rating. In the controls, Volvo calls that display its Sport theme. I also had Eco and Elegance available, each showing different information plus a theme-appropriate color. I preferred the activity theme because it had one of the most noticeable speed clue. Volvo doesnt make much use of the real estate about this LCD, except showing turn-by-turn directions when route guidance is usually active.

All infotainment functions were on what Volvo message or calls its Sensus Join system, using a 7-inch LCD towards the top of the center stack and the most clever use of very minimal settings Ive seen. Volvo keeps the typical volume dial within the left, tuning dial within the right paradigm, but adds a wonderful amount of functionality to the next tuning dial. Its integrated FINE and Exit buttons i want to navigate menus and choose options throughout the Sensus Connect system.

Entering alphanumeric figures is tedious while using the systems onscreen rotary screen, but Volvo keeps a keypad within the center stack, which takes away a lot of the pain. The voice-command system proved accurate and even more convenient, once I obtained the hang of the usb ports.

The Connect label is usually a recent addition to help Volvos Sensus system, adding a devoted 3G data link through AT&T powering many different built-in apps. Featuring good organizational perception, Volvo includes one of the links to navigation-oriented apps within the destination menu. These types of apps included Yelp, Park and Pay, WikiLocations plus a simple local search option. The apps proved a bit slow to connect, requiring some tolerance, but I was extremely pleased with the primary three. I in particular like WikiLocations, which worked as a form of tour guide with regard to my immediate place by showing information of nearby points of interest.

Local search proved less prosperous. When I explored a store label with two locations from the San Francisco fresh area, it only had a few results to show that where many miles away. By contrast, entering the very same search term into my iPhones Search engines Maps app returned the best results. Volvo works by using Nokias Here program for maps along with business locations, which doesnt apparently have as good a directory since Google. However, Yelp proved a good alternative.

As with regard to navigation, the Sensus Join system showed me maps in approach and perspective check out, with some milestone buildings rendered in 3D. The system worked fast and offered excellent route guidance, such as lane guidance. It showed me live traffic on numerous surface streets, complementing the highway insurance policy coverage, and computed choice routes around targeted traffic jams.

Most of the other apps for sale in Sensus Connect heart around audio. Rather than show these apps one of many audio sources menu, I had make use of the main apps menu. In the V60, I had access to Pandora, Stitcher, Rdio along with TuneIn. Volvo can add and update apps above the cars data link.

Volvo splits up its other audio sources into the usual radio along with media. The past offers satellite along with HD radio, as the latter includes Wireless bluetooth streaming and sources connected throughout the cars USB slot, including iOS gadgets. Volvo hasnt attended the more state-of-the-art Bluetooth streaming specification that enables full music library appraising the cars screen, so I were required to set my playlist about my iPhone prior to I hit the street.

Volvo supplies a 650-watt Harman Kardon head unit with 12 speakers for option, but the V60 I drove sported just the investment 160-watt 8-speaker system. It made to get a pleasant listening experience while I had, but the seem quality wasnt so that I wanted to very much focus on the stereo, and hit the item with all my favorite tracks.

The Sensus Join screen would also provide shown the view through the back-up camera, if that were optioned in. Unusually, safety-focused Volvo does not make the back-up camera an ordinary feature, although the V60 arrives standard with sonar parking sensors and the City Safety system, which automatically gets the brakes in order to avoid low-speed collisions.

A back-up camera can be found with Volvos Comfort package, while a host of driver-assistance features for instance adaptive cruise management and lane-departure warning can be found in the Technology deal. The model I drove sported the a are generally carte blind-spot check option, lighting up icons from the side mirrors when other cars have been off to the left- or right-rear groups.

The 2015 Volvo V60 T6 R-design embodies the multi-utility nature of the station wagon, supplying a spacious, comfortable interior and also good driving characteristics. All it desires are rear-facing jump seats from the cargo area for that kids.

Although the software came up a bit slowly in the Sensus Connect system, it is good to determine these connected features delivered. I like the way Volvo makes their navigation apps accessible through the destination menu. It becomes nice to understand the audio apps arranged under audio options, as well. Volvo has not yet yet worked available plan pricing for that cars data link, but offers the initial six months totally free. If you are in an area with no 3G data, then it wont be helpful.

I enjoyed operating this 2015 Volvo V60 quickly, but was a lttle bit let-down by the six-speed automatic, in particular in typical metropolis driving. As this sort of, I think the V60 T5 Drive-E, with its eight-speed transmission and far higher fuel economy, is a a lot more compelling option. Its 240 horsepower should be adequate for yourwants of most drivers. However, Volvo doesnt provde the Drive-E model together with all-wheel-drive, which stands out as the deciding factor for anyone living in n . climes.