How To Put Volvo Xc60 In Neutral

Good design is timeless – case in indicate is Volvo's XC60 SUV.

It has been mildly facelifted for 2022, only the second generation of the Swedish mid-sizer still has the largely unchanged cadre styling (within and out) that first lobbed back in 2017. It remains impressively fresh and contemporary.

For its facelift, the headline change is that all versions feature electrified propulsion, be it in so-called mild-hybrid course or as a more serious PHEV. The diesel option has besides been dropped for skillful.

The other notable news in XC60-country is more bear witness of Volvo's migration to an Android Automotive connectivity ecosystem. And with that, no Apple tree CarPlay (well, not all the same at to the lowest degree).

Our test vehicle is the penultimate variant of the current iv-stiff range, the 2022 Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design. Its effortlessly sporty styling hits the right marks, from its 21-inch wheels to its Nappa leather sports seats and mesh-expect aluminium trim-work. Classy? You bet.

The B6 part of its classification means that the sole R-Design version fits a college-ability version of 48-volt mild-hybrid petrol engine than the tamer B5 stuff fitted to the bottom one-half of the range.

With its sportier vibe comes improved functioning, if without the elaborate supercharged/turbocharged/electric-motorised application of the new flagship Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). Read more about the total range breakup hither.

Electrified, Google-axial motoring is currently the big selling point for a marque promising a transition to an all-electric line-up in the not-too-distant future. And so, does the XC60 hybrid – mild or not – feel similar a stop-gap measure? Or does information technology stack up well enough right at present to serve long-term buying nicely into the foreseeable time to come?

How much does the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design cost?

The B6 R-Design arrives at $82,490 plus on-road costs, which is upward around $600 over the older non-hybrid version.

Likewise pricey? The base B5 Momentum version of the XC60 is $13k cheaper, at $69,490, followed by the similarly powered if more nicely appointed B5 Inscription at $76,490. The range-topping Recharge, which effectively replaces the old Polestar Engineered version, tops the line-up at $97,990.

Logical premium 'Euro' (and Brit) four-pot rivals include Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce ($79,450), Audi Q5 45 TFSI Sport quattro ($fourscore,800), BMW X3 xDrive 30i ($89,900), Land Rover Discovery Sport R-Dynamic HSE ($83,050), Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4Matic ($86,800), Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE ($82,699), and Porsche Macan T ($91,500). Asian competition comes by style of the Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD in Luxury/Sport trim ($81,786) and Lexus NX350h F Sport ($77,900).

Our B6 R-Design arrives at $91,840 list as tested cheers to some judicious option box ticking. Fitted are a Climate Pack of headlight washers and a heated steering cycle ($400) and a Lifestyle Pack bringing a panoramic glass sunroof, rear tinted glass and premium-course Harmon Kardon sound ($3600). Elsewhere, our tester is equipped with Four-C agile air suspension ($2600), Advanced Air Cleaner ($500) and metallic white paintwork ($1950).

What do yous go?

XC60 B6 R-Design highlights:

• 21-inch blend wheels
• Nappa leather/vinyl/textile upholstery
• Aluminium pedals
• Electric front sport seats with lumbar and cushion adjustment
• 'Metal Mesh' aluminium interior trim

That builds atop what is offered elsewhere in the XC60 range, including:

• LED headlights with active bending part
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 9.0-inch portrait-mode touchscreen infotainment system
• Google smartphone integration
• Satellite navigation
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless phone charging
• ten-speaker 220W sound organisation
• Semi-autonomous parking assist
• Power-adaptable front end seats with iv-way ability lumbar
• Iv-zone climate control
• 360-degree camera system
• Ambient lighting
• Keyless entry and start
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Tyre force per unit area monitoring
• Pelting-sensing wipers

Is the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design safe?

…Well, it's a Volvo. What practice you expect?

The Volvo XC60 wears afive-star ANCAP safety rating, covering all powertrains past and present bar the plug-in hybrids, which remain unrated.

The XC60 achieved an adult occupant protection score of 98 per cent, a child occupant protection score of 87 per cent, a pedestrian protection score of 76 per cent, and a condom assist score of 95 per cent. Pretty outstanding on a few counts there.

All Volvo XC60 models come standard with:

• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection
  • Reversing AEB
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Lane-proceed assist with oncoming lane mitigation
• Lane centring
• Run-off route mitigation
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic sign recognition
• Surround camera arrangement
• Front and rear parking sensors

The XC60 also has front end, side, curtain and driver'south knee airbags.

What is the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Pattern like on the within?

While visible facelift changes are subtle enough to miss if yous squint, the XC60 remains one of the cleanest and classiest designs out there. Your author is a big fan… of nearly of it.

The motel ambience is rich and upmarket, with maturity that some digital flash-obsessed German rivals struggle to match. In many means it's not the nigh futuristic vibe but for certain tastes the thematic subtlety is much more than appealing than some of the neon-lit, gin palace-similar SUV alternatives out there.

Material selection and solidity are superlative notch, be it the plastics, metallic finishes or the quality and tactility of the diverse trim materials. Volvo mints a cabin blueprint that's been at the forefront of the increasingly trendy minimalist approach for quite some while now.

Those R-Design front end pews look fantastic. Thing is, they're quite snug fitting and stiffly padded and it takes a lot of fiddling with the myriad electric adjustment to find a setting relaxed enough for long-haul comfort. Perhaps the more than leisurely formed seats fitted elsewhere in range might arrange some buyer tastes better.

The digital commuter's screen is large, clear and nicely simple. You can essentially toggle between minimalist and navigation mapping-type brandish skins in a format that's simpler than some premium displays out there.

I've long liked Volvo'southward pick of portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment. Its modest ix.0-inch display increasingly appears a petty on the small size against big-screen rivals and it seems the 2nd-gen XC60's detail dash fascia design won't allow enlargement without serious remodelling.

Usability wise, the swipe characteristic to change screen content is oh-so handy, though annoyingly many of the car's system adjustments – like the switch for the idle stop/commencement system, for case – are cached a trivial too deep in sub-menus.

An Android Automotive integrated universe, with no available Apple CarPlay too? Hmmm…

While I capeesh that committing to the Google-based ecosystem might bring a depth of connectivity benefits, from Google Play apps to over-the-air updates, merely omitting a user-friendly plug-and-play screen-mirroring feature for we iPhone users is an annoying put-off.

You lot do become fully formed Google navigation mapping in Android Automotive, only and then again Google maps and navigation are available using Apple CarPlay anyway.

Peradventure the saving grace is that Bluetooth telephone and media streaming hurdles some Apple telephone connectivity shortcomings – y'all tin can still make calls and stream music. Nonetheless, at times the Apple tree wireless connectivity tin can drib out. C'mon Volvo: just add together CarPlay and be done with it.

Other quirks? The XC60 demands 2 fundamental fobs. And it helps facilitate everything from remote keyless starts to the aforementioned over-the-air Android Automotive updates. Just, jeez, they have up a lot of pocket space in your pants.

Other stuff? The novel twist showtime/stop dial is a groovy point of divergence, but the whole sliding panel arrangement that effectively helps secure your telephone above the horizontal inductive charging pad is a good idea in theory that just does not work well in practice.

Storage is good, though you lot can't use the cupholders and the phone capturing slider panels at the same time.

Device power for MY22 is at present USB-C rather than the older -A format, and there's 1 in the decent-sized console bin that you lot'll inevitably use for housing/powering your phone (ditto for using as a cubby for the bulky dual-key fobs). The door bins and glovebox are both quite well sized and applied.

Row two offers ample roominess for adults in the outboard positions and, typical of its segment, it'south usable if slightly squeezy accommodation for three adults across. Seating is relaxed and comfy – possibly more-so than the front seats – and the four-zone climate control, aka proper dual-zone in the rear, works fantastically well with air vents situated in the B-pillars.

Outboard ISOFIX anchors and three tiptop-tether points means the XC60 is fully fit for child seat and capsules. Plus, the mid-sizer fits Volvo'due south brilliant height-adjustable integrated booster seats, that pop up from either side of the seat base of operations cushions, eliminating the need for the usual additional booster seat hardware for youngsters who demand them.

Boot space is 505 litres as a five-seater, converting to 1432L with the rear seats stowed. That's decent rather than course-leading, though equally a two-seater information technology'south quite a flat load area. Further, the floor is a lilliputian high in order to business firm the space-saver spare and air suspension hardware, and there are handy suspension pinnacle adjustment controls in the commuter's side luggage infinite wall so that you tin melody the height of the load space to sense of taste if demand exist.

Annoyingly, the machine tailgate functionality isn't faultless. Information technology failed to open up with the requisite human foot gesture when your author really needed information technology, lugging a large slab of bottled h2o into the boot at the supermarket.

What's under the bonnet?

The 'B' in Volvo nomenclature designates a mild-hybrid power. That's the key difference to the older combustion-only Ts (petrol) and Ds (diesel fuel), though T has been used on its plug-in hybrid models also – though with the additional Twin Engine moniker to distinguish its added electrified bits.  So, what separates the B6 in the R-Design from the B5 power units lower in the range?

The B5-spec, every bit fitted to Momentum and Inscription variants, uses a ii.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid assist via an IGSM, or integrated starter generator module. Information technology produces 183kW and 350Nm.

The B6 in the R-Blueprint is the aforementioned simply adds a so-chosen E-Charger. Some references draw this as supercharging; although, instead it actually introduces an electrically-driven compressor to further assistance internal combustion. Upshot? A healthier 220kW and 420Nm.

Comparative do good. Volvo quotes 6.ix-second 0-100km/h performance for B5 and 6.2s for the B6. The penalty for the extra oomph is in economy, where B5'southward 7.6L/100kms plays B6's 8.0L/100km nifty. Both 'B' engines have an viii-speed automatic and mechanical all-cycle drive.

The flagship Recharge (plug-in) Hybrid drive is quite different. Its related ii.0-litre engine is turbo and supercharged with eight speeds and front end-wheel drive, adding an electrical motor to exclusively drive the rear beam. It yields 340kW/709Nm with a rather impressive 4.8s 0-100 acceleration and frugal 1.6L/100km consumption, with a claimed 90km EV-only range.

Steel spring pause is standard on B6 R-Design, though as mentioned, our tester fits the $2600 optional air pause organisation.

At 1886kg (tare) in its lightest configuration, our tester fast approaches two tonnes at the kerb. Information technology'll tow a decent 2400kg braked and its fuel tank is 71 litres.

How does the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design drive?

Motoring has had a patchy history with heavy luxury SUVs powered by additional two-litre petrol fours, and while driveability across the lath improves with time, there'due south yet big discrepancy betwixt the good and the simply make-practice – the Volvo's B6 is certainly one of the best.

Acceleration is brisk and downright punchy, the turbo iv feeling amply energetic yet refined and pleasant – even when chosen to arms. In truth, it's very difficult to notice whether the electric compressor focuses on filling in the low-end response for extra off-the-line torque, or if it's blossoming the peak terminate. From the seat of the pants, I suspect information technology's both.

In short, information technology feels like a larger chapters ability unit than information technology really is and fulsome enough for the chore at hand. Better notwithstanding, the engine rides enough torque across the lath that it never feels caught short for kickdown punch or overtaking pep, and it brings a properly premium vibe at a light-throttle prowl. Driveability is a B6 R-Design strong suit.

It'south non perfect, though. Occasionally it's a touch tardy in throttle response, simply not to any major degree. The aforementioned can exist said of the eight-speed automatic: 98 per cent of the time information technology'south a pillar of polite and smooth shifting, merely in rare situations information technology gets a trivial nippy and tin can hunt effectually a little too enthusiastically.

1 of the XC60's other quirks is the transmission controller, that demands double borer in order to toggle between Bulldoze and Reverse. Information technology takes some getting used to lest y'all constantly keep finding Neutral (one tap) or Manual (three taps), particularly when parking or doing iii-betoken turns.

Surprisingly for its sporty focus, in that location are no functioning or sport bulldoze modes. The steering can exist adjusted through three help settings – its default light setting is perfectly fine all-circular – while the air suspension can be prepare to either Standard or Firm.

In Standard, ride comfort is quite decent. Despite some pocket-size thudding across road expansion joints and speed bumps, the XC60 does a proficient job of smoothing out progress. That's despite its large 21-inch wheels and Pirelli P Zero rubber – this wheel/tyre philharmonic gives the Volvo a lot of grip, especially in the dry.

Torso control could exist a piffling more disciplined, with a chip of axiomatic wobble entering or exiting driveways. Setting the air suspension to firm does tighten upwards that trunk command without the ride becoming so terse as to rob from the Volvo's squeamish upmarket luxury vibe.

Frankly, the B6 R-Design'southward character is strictly 'smart casual' and never actually drums up much in the way of keen sportiness. In that location's null most it that encourages you to go chasing twisty backroads, but so over again there'south nada unruly about a character that ideally fits daily-driven, family unit hauling duties.

About of the XC60's safety systems seem to work predictably and transparently, though the reversing AEB did trigger unexpectedly while bankroll into the home's machine space one time. The overhead surround camera view does have some getting used to and its 'surrounding environment' display isn't slap-up in the nighttime.

How much does the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design cost to run?

Volvo covers its local range with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000kms, whichever comes first. Volvo offers two servicing packages, with its three-yr/45,000km package costing $1750, while a longer five-year/75,000km package costs $3000.

That 8.0L/100km combined consumption claim? It's a fiddling optimistic. On test, our B6 R-Design would dip below double figures but it wasn't all that interested in staying there curt of long highway stints on cruise control.

CarExpert's Accept on the Volvo XC60 B6 R-Design

The B6 R-Design version of the updated Volvo XC60 is hugely likeable.

Stylish, suitably upmarket, notably different to the usual German alternatives, and in many ways more appealing on many different levels.

It does have its quirks, but virtually are easy to acclimatise to and collectively bring a certain – and perhaps uniquely Swedish – charm. Sure, there are some annoyances, merely in that location's nothing in the XC60 experience your author sees as anything like a deal-breaker.

As seductive as the sportiest balmy-hybrid version is, the jury is out equally to whether it's the sweetest spot in the range. By the seat of the pants, the extra pace information technology seems to bring is worth its upcharge, though we'd have to compare B6 power against the tamer B5 version to reveal what y'all lose without the old's Due east-Charger engine trickery.

An electrified XC60? Information technology seems to work a treat and the model feels improved and more evolved considering of it. Fifty-fifty if there's very trivial about its mild-hybrid technicalities that contribute to electric propulsion or improved real-world economic system.

Further, at its $92k as tested, our discipline is fast approaching the $98k inquire for the whiz-bang plug-in Recharge flagship that's measurably quicker and much more eco-sensible.

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More than: Everything Volvo XC60

Source: https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-reviews/2022-volvo-xc60-review

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