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Road test: Volvo V60 T8, and an elevated "Cross Country" version - Walla! vehicle

2020-08-31T06:49:14.938Z


Volvo station wagon, once a description of a boring cube and today two of the more successful cars you can buy in the luxury category. First test for the V60 and the cross country version


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Road test: Volvo V60 T8, and an elevated "cross country" version

The Swedish manufacturer presents a pair of twins, each with its own uniqueness; The V60 is a unique performance station in Israel, while the elevated 'Cross Country' version is unlike any other crossover. What is hidden under the elegant shell?

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  • Meyer
  • Volvo
  • Cross Country
  • Crossover
  • Area
  • 4x4
  • Station
  • Premium
  • Hybrid

Rami Gilboa

Monday, 31 August 2020, 09:12

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The Volvo V60 Cross Country giving up the pose gets a winning combination of taste, usability, performance and at a great price

On my way back, the test leader flashed a gloomy thought in my mind: "Is it possible that in the age of crossovers, a generation of drivers is growing up here who have never driven a polished road car? The truth is that I, too, in my iniquity, am beginning to get used to the rotten road behavior of modern crossovers; But a short drive in a pure road car like the Volvo V60 T8 is enough for me to remember the physical truths that never change - height and weight are the driving enemies of the driver.

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Two variations for one station wagon; White T8 for the road, silver cross-country in the definition of "half-crossover"

These truths stood out on my favorite driving roads but they were also illustrated in the relaxed ride home, at a time when the quality of the sound system is more important than the dynamic features of the car. In moments like this you discover how pleasant and relaxing the V60 is, a quiet "cruiser" with cruise control that reduces congestion from the tired driver. This is how the V60 T8 hybrid is loaded (the white vehicle in the photos, NIS 290,000), and so is the V60 Cross Country, which is raised by 6 centimeters (silver vehicle, NIS 270,000). The cross-country version is NIS 30,000 cheaper than the hybrid road version and both, how do we say that? Cheaper than I would expect from Volvo's premium cars; Not only do the Swedish twins cost tens of thousands of shekels less than their corresponding German models, they even cost less than the Hyundai Santa Fe, and are very close to the Kodiak 4X4. a surprise.

The uniqueness of the station wagon is a relatively vertical rear wall and a roof that remains high, even towards the stern. This makes the trunk much more useful for transporting belongings, bicycles and washing machines

Viking family tree

Volvo has always loved inventing unique niches with elegant and useful designs. In 2020, Volvo's world is made up of family 'sedan' cars, nicknamed the "S". Like any cash-strapped manufacturer, Volvo also has a line of elevated crossovers, these are XC models (40, 60 and 90) that compete with Audi's Q models, BMW's X, Mercedes GL's, Cadillac XT and others. The two V60s we are examining today are station wagons that are equivalent to European models that are not imported to Israel - Audi 'Avent', BMW 'Turing', Peugeot 508 'Break', and others. Europeans (and selfish ones) die for fast station wagons, sometimes packaged in pure performance versions; Audi's RS, BMW's M3, and more. In Israel, the niche of 'magnificent performance station wagon' was abandoned and this year Volvo returns to it, with both versions of the V60.

Muscles and usability in T8

Scandinavian charm

At 143 inches high and 476 inches long, the V60 has a very long and elegant silhouette; The bow is stretched forward to the almost vertical front, the roof continues backwards, without the usual downward slope in crossovers. The side of the car is delicately carved, 19-inch tires are mounted in the corners of the body. The front grille is concave and large, with the prominent VOLVO logo in the distance. The lighting units are impressive, and the vehicle looks from dawn to prey. The rear window is quite vertical, with lighting units embracing the rear window, I liked.

On days when "who's taller" and "who's more chubby" fights are raging, the V60's tense and low silhouette won't enchant anyone. One of the shortcomings of the elegant chassis is a very low seating position. You will sit close to the asphalt, mini cars look at you, urban crossovers tower above you ... The experience is different from what is customary in 2020, but I got used to it very quickly.

The front is quite aggressive, with plenty of air intakes and modern lighting units

IKEA on the go

The V60's cabin is a classic Volvo; Its design is introverted and relaxed, pampering and embracing, a real premium. The upholstery and upholstery materials are excellent, though not at the level of the most sophisticated competitors (which also cost more). I loved human engineering, I even got used to the 9-inch vertical monitor. It is detailed and works well, although the font display is a bit small in some cases; I would expect to have an option to increase the font, for the benefit of those who have difficulty reading.

The level of materials and production is excellent, though not a category leader. The connectivity is complete, the sound system is very good

But that's the only complaint about the human engineering - the Volvo's cabin is full of every good, providing plenty of space for four people. The fifth passenger will have to push his feet on the sides of the massive tunnel along the floor of the car, inside which the main battery is installed. It's an optimal position in terms of weight distribution and lowering of the center of gravity, but it robs the cabin of significant volume - including the sacrifice of the cabin in the center console, which is unable to store even a compact camera or eyeglass case. You will also have a hard time finding a place for a family water bottle.

The rechargeable battery takes up living space from the passenger compartment, including even the center console; You can't even put a compact camera in it

As befits a station wagon, the trunk of the V60 is large and useful. The five-seater configuration has 529 liters, with folded rear seats you will get 1,441 liters. Folding the seats leaves a flat floor, on which you can sleep in a happy relationship - open the roof window and you can watch the falling Persoids, just so that no meteor will fall on your head! Two V60 versions are high in technology and sophistication, and we will not waste your time on detailing the equipment levels, and the full safety specifications. Three levels of equipment (Momentum, Inscription, R-Design), will allow you to find your happiness.

The trunk is spacious and useful, with a large door and no raised threshold

Performance station wagon

How do you measure "performance station"? By the amount of luggage that can be loaded through the back door, or by the number of horses rejoicing under the hood? According to the horse count, there is no doubt that the white V60 is a performance station wagon. The 2.0-liter petrol engine delivers 303 hp, joined by 87 electric horsepower. With a combined output of 390 hp and a cumulative torque of 65 kg, the station wagon jumps from standstill to 100 km / h in 4.9 seconds, and even manages to play A small squeak of tires in a leap and shifting into second gear. As is customary in electrified cars, the initial acceleration is stronger than the figure of 4.9 seconds indicates; The first meters are powerful to the point of aggression, and then the acceleration calms down a bit. The petrol engine drives the front wheels, the electric is responsible for the rear and together, a hot-tempered machine is obtained.

The smile of the jeep driver looking at you from above will be erased as the light turns green and the road winds

To control this power the 60V low-cut 60V / 40R19 low-end tire locks, sits on suspensions in Volvo's Dynamic rating (a compromise between the more comfortable Touring rating of the cross-country, and the even sharper Sport). These figures are added to the elongated and low body, to give the hot Swede excellent road behavior - bending the body under braking is almost non-existent, in speed turns there is very little inclination to the side. These features greatly reduce the impact of weight transfers, maintaining excellent tire contact with the asphalt.

The traditional Volvo grill and diagonal grill with the most Volvo configuration available

The V60 is a fast and delightful vehicle, but it is not sporty on the edge; It has no small understeer, the brakes are not ventilated and may heat up under high load, the control of the gears is done using the gear lever (and not a steering wheel). In Europe, the sporty Polestar version is marketed, upgraded with Ohlins shocks, Rambo brakes and other tuffins; Between us and my personal taste, the test vehicle provides an excellent blend of performance, comfort and family; Even so, you are swaying on the verge of having your license revoked, at every exit on the highway.

Wow, she looks good. Forget what you thought of Volvo station wagons

Power stations

Armed with a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, the V60 T8 delivers 303 / 6,000 hp and 40.8 / 2,200 kg. The electric motor adds 87 hp and 24.5 kg, driving the rear wheels directly. After a full charge, the 11.6 kilowatt battery allows an hour to travel 35-40 kilometers on pure electricity, and in complete silence. It is suitable for urban consumers who are theoretically able to travel from Ramat Hasharon to Tel Aviv and back, without starting the gasoline engine. After charging and in automatic 'hybrid' driving mode, the Volvo will travel 80-90 kilometers on only 3-4 liters, very impressive.

Open the charging socket in the plug-in hybrid version ensures a rare combination of engine performance, with fuel economy

Once you have exhausted the charged electricity from the wall you find yourself with a hybrid vehicle that still, gives good and clean performance. At any moment you have a very high power, and you can choose from a variety of charging modes: you can fill the battery for city travel, you can keep the battery full until you get to the city, but you will most likely leave the vehicle in 'auto hybrid' mode. Even after the battery is depleted, it will travel 12-14 kilometers per liter, with long-distance driving at speeds of 100-130. In sporty driving? With such engine performance you will burn a liter of fuel every 6-7 miles, the pleasure is worth every penny and every polluting particle.

The silver cross country is 6 inches taller than the white road version, black plastic wings suggest a slight terrain inclination

The elevated version, 'Cross Country' on heels

In the world of Volvo there is room for a high-end classic crossover like the XC60 but also for a slightly elevated station wagon, this is the silver composition in our photos. The main difference between the two station wagons is that the cross-country is six centimeters high - it has a ventral spacing of 21 centimeters, compared to 15 in the regular V60. 21 inches sounds round, but not when it stabilizes under a 478-inch chassis; The result is problematic vehicle angles of 15 degrees of approach, 21 degrees of abandonment.

Despite a nice ventral spacing and "space" mode on the dashboard, I would lower expectations when it comes to technical space

At the reading of the data, the intuition of the terrain cried out to me, "Do not remove wheels from the asphalt!" But the little demon inside me was stronger. I went for a short detour on vegetarian trails, he illustrated to me that the cross-country shock absorbers are exceptionally comfortable. They excellently absorb soil disturbances and for that matter, also asphalt attacks that we encounter on the road. I wanted to check the traction control performance but the knowledge that I was wearing 235 / 45R19 tires, cooled my enthusiasm; I have no doubt that the system functions better, than I trust the durability of the tires.

Perfect partner for relaxed picnics

But who is talking about real space? The cross-country is designed to handle ice and snow plains, and I guess with nail tires it does that excellently. In Israel, this is another quasi-terrain that will spend most of its time on the asphalt. The ride comfort of the cross-country is better than that of the white V60 T8; It is not only tires with a higher cross section but also touring suspensions, more comfortable than those of the road version. The external differences between the cross-country version and the road version are completely minor: black plastic wings in the quasi-terrain version, internalized roof rails, and that's it. Everything else is the same to similar, inside and out.

Quality of production and national pride despite Chinese ownership

The cross-country version has a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 250 / 5,400 hp and 35.7 / 1,800 kg. This engine is much weaker than the T8's hybrid system, but it's enough for 6.9 seconds from zero to 100, totally worthy of non-hooligan driving enthusiasts. It's not a car that kicks you in the butt but it's nimble and meaty. The power goes backwards with the help of a real drive shaft, with an efficient Haldex system. We could have welcomed more power in triple-digit detours but nothing to complain about, the vehicle satisfies any reasonable requirement. Beneath the rear bumper of the cross-country hides a removable towing hook, a kind of "go with, look without" towing capacity is 750 kg without brakes and 1,800 kg to tow with brakes.

The cross-country is less tight than the T8 but is still very fast. It is six inches taller than the T8 but its center of gravity is low relative to any crossover overlooking it from above. On the other hand, in the absence of a hybrid system, it is offered at a really attractive price - NIS 270,000, and you have a Volvo station wagon in the yard. Cool and high quality, prestigious and very impressive.

More on Walla! NEWS

A song of fire and ice: Volvo S60 T8 in first test

To the full article

The cabin is comfortable, spacious and ergonomic. The seats are fine

The choice of the troll

Both versions of the Volvo V60 are not suitable for everyone; They are unique and different, elegant, and really not forceful. Those looking for an extroverted design and an elevated deck will not find what they are looking for here. And on the other hand, there is a very high-end branded and positioned offer here, a premium product rich in technology, style and uniqueness, usability and performance - and surprisingly, an attractive price in relation to what you get. The big question is, which station to choose? My first temptation was the white shark, T8. I love the station wagon section, I really enjoyed the refinement and potential for fast driving, even if not really sporty honed.

And on the other hand - the T8 is fast on me, and I guess it will not be a month until my driver's license is revoked. So in Matuta, pack my silver cross country. It is very unique and elegant, fast enough for me, it gives an easy trail option, and it will also save me NIS 30,000.

Removable tow hook in cross country

The most advanced is the most lucrative

Compulsory insurance starting at NIS 54 per month

By the insurance company WE SURE

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On the technical side: the Volvo V60 and V60 Cross Country

Technical Specifications

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Source: walla

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