Volvo News

Say what you will about Volvo, but the Swedish brand is clearly happy to risk alienating customers in the interest of road safety.

Volvo Australia has bucked the local new car market's recent decline, recording its 13th consecutive month of sales growth in February, 2019.

Yes, at a glance it seems Australia's new-car market is a sea of red ink and plummeting sales, with numbers seemingly down across the board.

Volvo will introduce a speed limiter to every car it builds from 2020 as the brand moves to meet its target of no deaths in any of its cars from that year onward.

Volvo-owned electric car brand Polestar has revealed the second product in its portfolio, which - unsurprisingly - is called the Polestar 2. Unlike the sporty Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid coupe, the practical Polestar 2 is an all-electric liftback sedan to rival the Tesla Model 3.Featuring two electric motors with a combined output of 300kW of power and 660Nm of torque, the Polestar 2 uses a 78kWh battery pack and has a targeted range of around 500km from a charge. Polestar claims a 0-100km/h time of less than 5.0 seconds. In Europe the Polestar 2 will start at 40,000 euros (AUD $64,000), and is based on Volvo’s CMA platform which also underpins the XC40 small SUV. The car’s battery pack is integrated into the floor and, according to Polestar, contributes to its structural rigidity and improve its noise, vibration and harshness levels.A new interior design not yet seen from Volvo debuts in the Polestar 2, with an 11.0-inch touchscreen media system mounted onto the dashboard. The media system is now powered by Android, and will eventually replace the Census system in the Volvo range.Other features include Pixel LED headlights with adaptive high beam, a unique proximity welcome sequence, frameless side mirrors and a unique illuminated Polestar badge, which is reflected onto the car’s panoramic glass roof.Polestar will also offer an optional performance package that improves the car’s handling thanks to the inclusion of Ohlins dampers, Brembo brakes and unique 20-inch alloy wheels in combination with gold seat belts, brake calipers and valve caps.Production for the Polestar 2 begins in 2020 in China for both left- and right-hand drive markets, and initial launch markets include China, the US, Canada, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK - and Australia will come later.Volvo Cars Australia has confirmed to CarsGuide that the Polestar 2 will be coming to Australia, though local spokesperson Greg Bosnich informed us that timing and local specifications are yet to be decided.

Volvo Cars has revealed its lightly refreshed XC90 large SUV, now available with a mild-hybrid powertrain, ahead of an expected Australian arrival later in the year.

Volvo Cars Australia (VCA) believes its strong portfolio of recent product coupled with its increasingly ‘cool’ image are the key factors in achieving double-digit sales growth in 2018.

Volvo Cars Australia is considering offering a less expensive V90 variant as a response to the slow showroom performance of the V90 Cross Country wagon and its S90 sedan stablemate.

The race for complete autonomy continues to heat up.

Volvo’s mid-size wagon has received an off-road makeover, with the Swedish brand today unveiling the V60 Cross Country.The Scandinavian answer to a Subaru Outback or a VW Golf Alltrack, the V60 Cross Country is no outright bush-basher. Instead, it’s aimed at property owners who might have to tackle some light off-roading in their daily travels. As a result, ground clearance has been raised by up to 75mm, thanks to chassis and suspension tweaks, and power is sent to all four wheels to help navigate slippery surfaces. Other Cross Country kit includes hill-descent control, corner-traction control and a new off-road driving mode."The V60 Cross Country is every bit as refined as the other 60 series cars based on our SPA platform," said Volvo's senior vice-president of research and development, Henrik Green. "The added versatility makes it at home in town and country, thanks to a higher seating position, increased ground clearance and dynamic all-wheel-drive capabilities." The Cross Country arrives with the best of Volvo's safety kit, too, including AEB that recognises pedestrians, cyclists and large animals (the latter of which is less relevant in Australia, where the mighty moose is less of an issue). The semi-autonomous 'Pilot Assist' system is standard fit, along with run-off mitigation and oncoming lane mitigation.While international specification is still being confirmed, the Cross Country will be offered in the UK with the brand's D4 diesel, along with mild hybrid and plug-in versions.