AS even its top designers have admitted – Volvo estates used to be built to carry fridges.
Practical? Definitely. Stylish? Not really.
But times change and the latest V60 shows how the Swedes have progressed as it is a sports wagon with coupe-like styling and decent driving characteristics.
If you want something with serious capacity then Volvo is content for its V70, XC70, or XC90 to meet the need, while the V60 ploughs a furrow that reaps a harvest of sharp looks and enough space to suit a young family.
I have to confess I still initially thought the boot was surprisingly small for a Volvo, but in fact there’s a generous 430-litres to the window line with the rear seats up, increasing to 557-litres when loaded to the roof.
Fold the back seats and capacity jumps to a cave-like 1,241-litres making the estate a versatile alternative to typical saloon or hatchback.
The V60 was developed in tandem with the S60 – both in terms of engineering and design – so the estate’s exterior style retains the flowing side profile and hunkered down feel of the saloon with the relatively low roof sweeping down to the coupe-styled rear end. The face is also distinctive but leaves no doubt of its Volvo heritage.
Cabin design is classy, functional and Scandinavian simple. Volvo don’t overdo the switches so all the controls are easy to see and use. Up front there’s a fine mix of brushed metal inserts, soft leather and nice-to-touch plastics. The layout is stylish and up there with the best in terms of build quality and general ambience.
While the V60 may do some things differently from the norm – when it comes to safety it offers the Swedes’ standard top-notch performance.
The V60 is the first estate to offer Pedestrian Detection with the car employing a digital camera and radar to scan the road ahead. If a pedestrian is detected and the driver fails to respond to warnings the car puts the brakes on.
In addition, safety systems warn if the driver is tired or veering out of their lane, while also monitoring blindspots.
The V60 is nimble with sharper steering than any previous Volvo but the focus is on comfort. The suspension does a great job of smoothing bumps in the road, while road and wind noise are well suppressed.
It is clear the V60 is a smooth cruiser and about 85 per cent of models are expected to be sold with diesels under the bonnet. But the petrol options shouldn’t be ignored as they are a decent alternative with the new 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine in this car proving to be a beauty with plenty of pulling power.
The 178bhp T4 is available with a six-speed auto box but the manual transmission is neat and efficient for those who prefer to remain in control.
The V60 comes in three trims – ES, SE and SE Lux. Alloy wheels, the City Safety System – which detects objects in front of the car and can stop it to prevent low-speed impacts – cruise control, and climate control are fitted to all versions.
Step up to the SE model and an uprated stereo, smarter trim, larger alloys, and Bluetooth connectivity are added, while SE Lux adds electric seats, active headlights and leather trim.
The top two trims can also have a Premium Pack with satellite navigation and a digital radio. There’s also a Driver Support pack – available on every model – which includes the previously mentioned Pedestrian Detection and Blind Spot Information systems, plus Adaptive Cruise Control.
The V60 will be a surprise to traditional Volvo owners and looks set to attract a new generation of fans – particularly those with their own new generation to shuttle to and from school.
FAST FACTS
Volvo V60 T4 SE
Price: £28,675
Mechanical: 178bhp, 1,595cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving four wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox
Max speed: 137mph
0-60mph: 8 seconds
Combined mpg: 42.2
Insurance group: tba
CO2 emissions: 156g/km
BiK rating: 21%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles