Volvo India are sort of unknown name in the Indian market due to their sort of non existent car portfolio. However under the ownership of their new Chinese owners, Geely, Volvo have undergone a sea change. This is due to the fact that they have appointed all their handpicked officers at the top positions in the Volvo India management. It is now ready to take on its competitors in full force. Their current line up of cars now includes some of the coolest cars in the world. It means that the drought from Volvo India is over and now would come an onslaught.
Look-wise, none of the Volvos have been able to cut the mustard in India. However the newer generation of Volvos have broken the mould and have stepped forward to some futuristic designs mixed with a hint of conservationism. One such car or rather SUV destined for the Indian market is the Volvo XC60. It was one of the first cars to move away from the dull and boxy styling of Volvo cars. An aggressive front end combined with some rounded elements in the corners show Volvo’s new design language. The roof line also has a soft curve to it. The new design elements also add a vertically stacked day time running LED lamps and powerful projector head lamps.The air dam is virtually non existent with its small aperture. The side profile of the SUV does show some muscle with those somewhat flared wheel arches and 16 inch multi spoke alloys. The windows also taper towards the rear. Moving onto the rear, we see a new Volvo badging which has the full company name on it in monosyllables. The best design element in the SUV is the outwards protruding L shaped tail lights with LEDs in them. The stop lamp is positioned on the small roof spoiler. Twin tail pipes peek from under the well sculpted bumper.
The Volvo XC60 in India also carries forward the same looks to the interiors. It means a waterfall console made of high quality materials{the Chinese influence is yet to set in on the materials front}. There are too many buttons on the center stack and Volvo India could have done well to provide an Idrive like system. However the layout of the buttons is quite classy and instead of the usual push button system, they feature touch sensitive controls.There is a pop out info system popping out from the dashboard and it has a 7 inch LCD system. The entertainment is taken care by the 16 speaker Harman & Kardon system. There is also an optional navigation system. All round visibility is also quite good and the panaromic sun roof adds to the airy feel in the cabin. The Volvo XC60 is a 5 seater which would sit beneath the Volvo XC90. It provides ample of space for both the front and back seat passengers. The rear passengers also get their own AC vents in the form of the and also their own USB, AUX plug in points. The cargo space is also quite good compared to the others in its segment. The entire cabin is swathed in leather and feels quite novel.
As of now, only one engine option would be available for the Indian market and it would the D5 diesel power plant. This 2.4 liter motor 5 cylinder turbo charged engine makes 205 Bhp of power and about 420 Nm of torque. The engine employs piezo electric injectors. All this torque is available from as low as 1,500 rpm. It is mated to a 5 speed Aisin gear system with all wheel drive. This should set for some scorching lap times. The best thing is that all this torque is linearly spread and this means that the Volvo XC60 in India is at home both in the city and highway. There is no stalling of the motor even at low speeds in 3rd gear. The steering wheel of the SUV is very light and this makes for good responses in the city but this doesn’t translate to some heaviness at highway speeds and may be the only fly in the car’s otherwise perfect handling. Its 4 wheel drive system and many traction aids like traction control, stability control and also front back Hill Descent control. The ride is typical of Volvos, a bit stiff but overall cosseting. The suspension and chassis comes with 3 types of settings. Those are the Comfort, Sport and Advanced modes. The first one relatively softens up the suspension whereas the other two stiffen up the suspension for cornering benefits. Off-roading is also helped by the low ratio transfer case and the 4 wheel drive. The only thing spoiling the ambience is the engine noise which even with the windows rolled up is present. Volvo India could do well to introduce some more sound deadening material under the hood before the car is launched in India. This engine however is BS4 compliant and now comes the best or rather boring part in any Volvo and that is the safety features. The New Volvo XC60 comes with all wheel disc brakes coupled with ABS, EBD, DSC, Active bending head lights, Roll over Protection system, City Assisted Auto braking, Blind spot driver warning, Collision Prevention system, Radar Assisted Camera and so on. Crash test safety ratings across the world show that the car is one of the safest in the SUV segment. This car would compete with the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5. Its price point is pegged at approximately Rs.40,00,000/- {Ex-showroom, Delhi}. Going by the look of it, it seems that Volvo India have got a winner on their hands. The only things they need to do is spruce up their image, get a brand ambassador and put in more show rooms.
Technical Specifications of the Volvo XC60
Displacement: 2400cc, Turbo Charged with 5 cylinders
Engine Type: Diesel
Maximum Power: 205 Bhp @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 420 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Length: 4629 mm
Width: 1587 mm
Height: 1714 mm
Turning Circle: 11.50 mtrs.
Steering: Tilt and telescopic hydraulic power assisted
Brakes: Front Ventilated disc, Rear solid Disc
Gears: 6 speed Manual
Kerb Weight: 1871.00 kgs.
Fuel Tank: 72.00 liters
Top Speed: 246 kmph
