Volvo XC60

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC60 

Anyone lamenting Volvo’s decision to delay the redesign of its great--albeit-aging--XC90 has a worthy alternative in the form of the XC60 crossover. While it’s somewhat smaller, being classified as a mid-size crossover, the XC60 benefits from the same Scandinavian design influences as its bigger brother, and packs many of the same technologies.

The XC60 is in its first generation and serves as the replacement for Volvo’s lackluster V70 wagon, which bowed out of the market at the end of 2010--about the same time the XC60 arrived. It's a strong performer as crossovers go, combining good looks with vibrant powertrains, and like with most Volvos, it comes with an array of safety features.

The vehicle comes in several different flavors, including both front- and all-wheel drive models. There’s only one size available, however, which means anyone with more than five in the family should consider something bigger.

Volvo XC60 

The base model combines a 3.2-liter straight-six engine with front-wheel drive and is the most fuel-efficient of the bunch. It returns a reasonable 19/25 mpg city/highway and is rated at 240 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. For anyone looking for something a little bit sportier, the XC60 also comes with a turbocharged 3.0-liter six good for 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque in standard trim or up to 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque in R-Design models. In addition to the power bump, the R-Design XC60 also gets a sporty bodykit and some other performance mods including stiffened suspension.

Further down the track the XC60 will serve as the basis of Volvo’s first plug-in hybrid model in the U.S. The automaker has already shown off a concept version but remains coy on its launch date, stating only that it is due in showrooms in a couple of years.

Volvo XC60 

On the road, the XC60 performs brilliantly, belying its tall appearance. We find it drives like a much lower vehicle, with a secure, planted feel in tight corners that is much more car-like than you’d find with most crossovers and SUVs. Also aiding the XC60’s on-road performance is a sweet six-speed automatic transmission and well-weighted steering.

Volvo XC60 

When it comes to safety, the XC60 ticks all the right boxes and scores top marks in independent crash testing. There’s also an array of advanced safety features like Volvo’s City Safety pedestrian and object avoidance system, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert Control, Distance Alert, and the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)--and both Road Sign Information and an Active High Beam system were added for 2013 to the Tech Package. The XC60’s safety alone makes the vehicle worthy of consideration for anyone in the market for a mid-size crossover.

The 2013 model year brought a few more standard features, including rain-sensing wipers, headlight washers, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, with new Tunnel Detection for the headlamps. Features were realigned between the XC60 T6 and R-Design models