Volvo’s excellent V60 stands right at the pinnacle of the brand’s decades’- long heritage of making the most safe, reliable, capable and desirable estates in the world. It brings all these attributes, ground-breaking technology and striking Scandinavian design together to create what’s being hailed as the best new estate money can buy.
Designed to prove that estate cars don’t have to be dull, the V60 combines stunning looks with Volvo’s legendary practicality. Perfect for modern family life, its versatile design and plethora of practical touches make it the ideal car for those who need an estate but don’t want to be stuck with the dull and boxy lines typical of this type of car.
Viewed kerbside, our Volvo V60 R-Design in Fusion Red is a handsome and elegant car. The brand’s hallmark clean Scandi lines and eye-catching details are displayed to their best advantage and the result is a car of class, substance and purpose. From its distinctive headlights with their T-shaped daytime running lights and indicators to the tail-lights that emphasise the muscular line that flows down the car’s flanks, the V60 is the epitome of modern, elegant design. The R-Design models’ feature a high-gloss black exterior trim, dual integrated exhaust pipes and 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.
Enter the cabin and the visual delights continue. The clean design and use of premium natural materials such as the hand-finished driftwood inlays of Inscription versions, make the V60’s interior a serene and distinctive place to be. Craftmanship and attention to detail are evident everywhere you look. Being a Volvo, everything is ergonomically placed, and there are no superfluous knobs and switches to clutter the minimal design.
There are a host of features to enjoy, however. Our car was fitted with a power glass tilt and slide sunroof; heated screen, steering wheel and seats; Sensus connect with premium sound by Harmon Kardon with Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, and much more, including an excellent 360 degree parking camera. Music lovers can opt for a fantastic Bowers and Wilkins 15 speaker 1,500 watts premium sound system too.
Despite being Volvo’s smallest estate, the V60 is far from diminutive. In fact, with 529 litres of space, seats up, and 1,442 down, it has the largest boot of any premium compact estate, along with one of the biggest cabins in the class. Flat boot sides and no loading lip make using all the available space easy, too. A retractable load cover keeps your valuables hidden from prying eyes, and petrol and diesel versions even have storage space beneath the boot floor.
A power-operated tailgate is fitted as standard to every V60. It is available with hands-free opening, which enables you to open and close the tailgate by simply putting your foot beneath the rear bumper – perfect for when you’ve got your hands full or when loading bulky, heavy objects in the boot. Its long wheelbase means passenger space is equally generous.
All Volvos are tech rich and generously loaded even as standard. And of course, this includes a pretty much matchless array of the most advanced safety systems available – from Volvo on call, to blind-spot info system with steer assist, cross traffic alert with autobrake and rear collision mitigation, run off road protection and more. This continued focus on safety innovation is all part of Volvo’s vision – that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car.
Out on the road, this is a powerful, dynamic and engaging car to drive. Drive Mode settings allow you to tailor certain dynamic functions and convenience features of the car to suit your personal preference or the road conditions. These include the responses of the engine, automatic gearbox, suspension, steering, brakes and the climate control.
As with all new Volvos, the V60 is powered exclusively by the brand’s powerful, yet efficient, Drive-E engines, designed and built by Volvo. Every engine in the V60 is Volvo’s own 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Drive-E unit. These all-aluminium engines use sophisticated injection and boosting technology to offer an exceptional combination of power and efficiency. Our test car’s 250hp B5 engine coupled with an auto box proved swift, smooth and frugal too.
In summary, there’s so much to admire with this car. It simply ticks all the boxes in terms of style, space, speed, practicality, quality, class and safety. The V60 is one of those very rare cars that are impossible to pick fault with. It really is that good.
