Volvo Reviews

NO-ONE tells Volvo jokes at barbecues anymore and traffic light confrontations now are instigated with great trepidation. This is a new era for Volvo in terms of performance, and from Volvo Australia's perspective, one where sales just keep on rising. The primary reason is a fresh line of product. The boxes went a long time ago but its only recently that the transition from rectangles to gentle curves hit home with buyers.Volvo Australia's new managing director Matt Braid says more than 7000 cars are forecast for sale this year, up from 4945 last year. Its mainly attributed, he says, to the mid-size S60 sedan - a rival to the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 as well as examples from premium Japanese makes - and from this week, its wagon version, the V60. "The S60, V60 and XC60 are the strong players at the moment," he says. "They're offsetting a bit of a fall last year with the XC90 (once the most popular Volvo) and the smaller S40 and V50."The S40/V50 duo are suffering, Braid says, from intense rivalry in the compact premium sector. While the V60 has a big job to help increase sales, it carries those on broad and very capable shoulders, as I discovered this week at its launch.VALUEThere is no surprise that the V60 offers a lot for the money. Volvos now are all like that. The surprise is more that the emphasis is now on the driving experience rather than solely on keeping its occupants alive.The V60 comes with the choice of three drivetrains, 12 paint colours, a wide range of leather colours including pairings, and if that doesn't satisfy you, an option list so big that it can add about $25,000 to the price of the $54,950 entry-level T5.The T5 also comes as an R-Design version (15mm lowered and tightened suspension, body kit, snappy interior, and so on) for $59,150 and shares the 2-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and six-speed auto driving the front wheels.Step up to the D5 (2.4-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel) and you'll spend from $60,950 and then climb up to the T6 (3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol) for $67,950 and in R-Design trim, $72,150.TECHNOLOGYThe V60 is based on the new S60 sedan and picks up a very taut and responsive chassis and a comprehensive list - when you add in the options - of safety gear.Standard is the City Safety system that automatically stops the car when it detects low-speed impact. Options include collision warning with full auto brake, the very clever radar-camera pedestrian detection and driver alert.More interesting is the 2-litre four-cylinder engine that will also be used in the Ford Falcon. It's a beauty, though drive it like it's stolen and Volvo's official fuel economy doesn't see eye to eye with reality. Except for the neat - but optional - full multi-media system, the V60 is more about relatively simple components honed for maximum efficiency.The only cruncher in all this is the lack of a spare wheel. You get an aerosol can of goo that is one step up the ladder from walking home. Not safe, Volvo!DRIVINGThis thing is really good. It is a quiet, comfortable wagon that Volvo freely admits is more for driving than delivering cargo. For that, Braid says, get the V70. The chassis is taut and the steering rarely feels vague like similar electro-hydraulic units. You push this into a corner and it sends back positive news through the steering wheel.Don't laugh at the 2-litre in the rather porky 1870kg body - it's an eager engine that has superb low-end torque (320Nm at 1800rpm) that makes it a quick machine through tight, winding roads.Volvo claims 8.7L/100km in the front-wheel drive wagon but I got 11.9L/100km.  The T6 - inline six with a turbo - is a great engine but maybe too much and too expensive for its class. Still, it has all-wheel drive and hangs on like a limpet through the corners. It returned 10.9L/100km/h on the test route.The seats are comfy and, in the R-Design option, get cuddly with your body thanks to heavy bolstering.  Ergonomics are pretty spot on - Scandinavians can't help themselves with some nuances, as anyone who has assembled Ikea will testify - and standard child seat bolsters in the back, split fold-flat rear seats, rear vents and personal item storage just add the sauce to the herring.VERDICTI'd recommend this as a buy, but if you travel outside the city you'll need a spare wheel and that's an option.VOLVO V60Price: from $54,950Warranty: 3-years/unlimited km, roadside assistResale: n/aService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 5-star Euro NCAPEngine: 2-litre, 4-cyl turbo-petrol, 118kW/230Nm  2.4-litre, 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 151kw/420Nm  3-litre, 6-cyl turbo-petrol, 224kW/440NmBody: 5-door wagonWeight: from 1870kgTransmission: 6-speed auto (all); front drive (2-litre), AWD (2.4 and 3-litre)Thirst: 7.1L/100km, 98 RON, CO2 188g/km (2-litre); 8.7L/100km, CO2 205g/km (2.4-litre); 10.3L/100km, 98 RON, CO2 247g/km (3-litre)"Affordable balance of pace and grace with extra room for the toys"

Volvo’s new S60 sedan is one very stylish machine and shows yet again just how far the Swedish marque has moved away from the once dowdy (though very practical) cars it used to produce.

It's "naughty". Apparently. Volvo’s new S60, that is. Well, that’s what they say.S'pose it’s all relative. The look and dynamics of this fairly sleek sedan are unremarkable next to the (mainly German) rivals Volvo pitches it against, but by its own relentlessly stolid standards, the S60 may indeed seem just a touch roguish – like wearing a yellow cardigan instead of beige.VALUELooks good initially. Not so good the longer you look.The range starts at $51,950 for the T5, $57,950 for the D5 diesel topped off by the T6 at $64,950. The first is front-wheel driven; the others get all-paw traction. Irritatingly the T5 (in fact, a direct injection turbo charged four with a twin clutch auto – not a five pot as the name suggests), isn’t due until early in the New Year.Those prices put the S60 right in among the 3 Series, C-Class and A4. Volvo reckon they hold the whip hand in terms of power for the price, but are prestige punters going to be swayed by kilowatts?   The options are many and varied. Tick a few and the driveaway price goes north fast. TECHNOLOGYThe S60 is bursting with tech, most of it safety related, almost all of it optional.Not all the wizardry revolves around stopping the car, however. Drive-enhancing devices attached to the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control variously vector torque in the ever alert all-wheel-drive system and even permit some loosening of the restraints, though the electronic chaperones are never entirely absent.On the whole, it’s a sound set up DESIGNHere’s a Volvo that invites you to look again. While the C30 is funky only from the C-pillar back, the S60 has flowing lines that, if hardly revolutionary, are something of a revelation for Volvo.It’s even better within; thrones made for grand touring comfort ahead of pews with more leg and head room than the pert rear third suggests from outside. The now familiar floating centre console is shrouded with too many buttons and dials for the sake of elegance, though materials and finish rival the Audi benchmark.SAFETYFor all the preening on its admittedly impressive (though costly optional), active and passive safety measures, there is no spare tyre. None. Not even a well in which one can be accommodated.Nor, as is the case with BMW, are the standard tyres of the run flat variety. These provide at least the possibility of lasting until civilisation is reached. The S60’s are conventional 17 or 18-inch Continental or Pirelli rubber.Your solution in the event of a flat or puncture? A can of sealant, a call to roadside assist and an indeterminate wait for a suitable replacement.No fog lights either, for any money. The electro hydraulic steering unit apparently takes up too much space.Against that, the standard fitting of City Safety, which automatically brakes the car to a halt if the driver fails to react to an imminent low speed bingle, is outstanding.Adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection system, blind spot information system and lane departure warning can be had in an optional $5000 package.DRIVINGDynamically are also an obvious step forward for the brand.You gotta have faith in your car to showcase it on Tasmania’s Targa roads. The S60 goes some way to rewarding it with AWD that sends all the torque either forward or aft, a quick-witted system that imbues you with confidence and permits rapid cornering with complete surety. The T6 makes by far the best of it, with almost instant response as it launches onto the straights.Even on its 18s, ride is exceptionally composed while delivering ample feedback through a fist-filling steering wheel that weights up meaningfully with speed. But the Geartronic automatic just isn’t with the program, reacting especially slowly with the diesel, hunting for gears in drive and not entirely satisfactory even when held in sport mode and prodded manually.Again you’re left wondering how the twin-clutch version would go.VERDICTA leap forward for Volvo that doesn’t advance the game.VOLVO S60Price: $57,950 (D5); $64,950 (T6)Engine: 2.4-litre 5-cylinder turbo diesel (151kW/420Nm); 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo petrol (224kW/440Nm)Transmission: 6-speed automaticThirst: 7.1L/100km (diesel); 10.2L/100km (T6)

NOTHING says "try hard" more than a supposed "sporty" car with fake carbonfibre trim.You won't find anything quite so gauche in the Volvo C30 T5 R-Design, the turbo version of the cute compact Swedish sports car.What you do find is tasteful brushed aluminium with interesting textured patterns, high-quality soft-touch plastics and cutting-edge interior design that reflects the radical exterior design.Introduced in 2007, the C30 still looks fresh and exciting and now comes with the efficient DRIVe diesel variant at one end of the spectrum and the T5 R-Design model at the other.VALUEThe C30 range starts at $36,150 for the diesel rising substantially to $47,150 for the six-speed manual T5 R-Design and $48,650 for the five-speed adaptive automatic Geartronic transmission. That's about $4000 more than the non-turbo five-cylinder models, so although you are not paying for cubes, you are paying for output.And it's not an inconsequential amount of power either. You will definitely notice the extra 44kW of go, even though torque is the same at 320Nm. There are also changes to the suspension and steering that make it a more dramatic drive and it's difficult for an enthusiastic driver to put a dollar figure on that.DESIGNThe C30 should be considered a motoring icon as progressive and stylish as Audi's TT. It looks like nothing else, it seems to be ageing quite well and it is immediately recognisable as a Volvo; even more so now that the Volvo emblem is bigger on the new honeycomb grille.There are also cosmetic changes to the bumpers, new headlights and some new exterior colours, including the dramatic "Orange Flame" metallic of this test car which drew approving looks and attention everywhere it went. The R-Design adds raunchy 17-inch Cratus alloy wheels that not only look great, but the five-spoke design is easy to clean, plus front and rear spoilers, side skirts and chrome-plated 90mm sports tailpipes.Inside, there are new trim colours and surfaces such as the aluminium in the test car, but also an "Oyster Burst Deco" texture in the centre stack and door panel inlays which Volvo claims replicates Swedish Hagstrom guitars made famous by performers such as Elvis Presley, Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix. There are also R-Design emblems embossed into the front seats, a leather-rim steering wheel, leather/aluminium gearshift knob, aluminium sports pedals and blue speedometer and tachometer.The floating centre stack echoes throughout the Volvo range and is designed to be a cross between a Nokia mobile phone and a Bang & Olufsen remote control. It works well visually and functionally, except for the fact that in the manual you keep hitting the buttons with your hand when you change into third or fifth gear.SAFETYIt's a Volvo, so it's packed with safe kit such as emergency brake lights which are standard right across the range. These activate over 60km/h flashing the stop lights five times a second if the brakes are applied forcefully in an emergency. When the vehicle slows to 10km/h, the stoplights stop flashing and the hazard lights come on.It also has stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, dual front and side airbags plus full-length curtain airbags, a whiplash protection system for front-seat passengers and a side impact protection system.DRIVINGWhile 169kW of power is not extreme, it must be remembered that this car weighs less than 1.5 tonne. So that power-to-weight ratio, together with almost no turbo lag, is quite effective in propelling the vehicle along smartly.Unfortunately, there is also massive torque steer that pulls and yanks the steering wheel from side to side.Volvo claims the T5 R-design should return fuel economy of 8.7L/100km for the manual. Over a week of driving on city roads and highways, it yielded 9.1L/100km which isn't far off the mark. All the same, Volvo has increased the tank by 10 litres to 62 to give an effective range of more than 650km.The faster-ratio electro-hydraulic steering feels great with just the right amount of sensitivity and feedback. It works brilliantly with the 30 per cent stiffer springs, firmer monotube dampers and stiffer stabiliser bars to improve change of direction and nimbleness. Fortunately, the ride is still reasonably compliant for a sporty car.The cabin is a pleasant and comfortable place to conduct the business of driving, although the rear two seats are a little cramped and difficult to access. Surprisingly the small cargo area works well and if you only have two on board you can fit a large amount of gear with the seats folded flat.VERDICTLove the styling and the driving is dynamic without being edgy and uncomfortable. However it is hard to go past the DRIVe diesel which is such great value while still being a dynamic city car.VOLVO C30 T5 R-DESIGNPrice: $47,150 ($48,650 auto)Engine: 5-cylinder, 20-valve, DOHC 2521cc turboPower: 169kW @ 5000rpmTorque: 320Nm from 1500-5000rpmTransmission: 6-speed manual (5-speed auto), FWDAcceleration: 0-100km/h in 7.1secsEconomy: 8.7L/100km (9.4 auto)CO2: 208g/km (224 auto)Fuel: 91-98RON, 62-litre tankSteering: electro-hydraulicSuspension: coilover strut (front); multi-link independent (rear)Brakes: ventilated discs (front), solid discs (rear)Safety: ABS, electronic brake distribution, stability and traction controlDimensions (mm): 4266 (l), 2039, (w), 1447 (h), 2640 (wheelbase)Turning circle: 10.6mKerb weight: 1469kg

THE wheels are the first hint that something is different about this Volvo.  The two-door  Volvo C30 DRIVe hatch features futuristic plate-style wheel covers that are supposed to reduce air turbulence and improve fuel efficiency.And that is what this car is all about. Economy.  It sips fuel at a claimed 3.8 litres of diesel for every 100km, giving it a conceivable cruising range of up to 1300km on a single 52-litre tank while emitting 99g of CO2.The only car more economical on our roads is the diesel Fiesta ECOnetic. It beats any hybrid on the market and even the three-cylinder Suzuki Alto.PRICINGSo, as far as value is concerned, it's at least cheap at the fuel pump.  However, it's a Volvo so it also comes with a host of safety features, plenty of creature comforts and excellent build quality but a price tag to match.It's about $12,000 more expensive than the Fiesta but at $36,990 it's still one of the cheapest and best-value Volvos ever produced.TECHNOLOGYHelping it achieve its anorexic fuel diet is the increasingly popular stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary, even for just a coupe of seconds.However, in diesel cars such as the Mini, this technology feels jerky as diesel engines shudder as they stop and start.  Volvo claims stop-start reduces fuel consumption by up to 8 per cent.If you find it annoying, you can always turn it off with the button on the centre console. But you will have to do that every time you start the car as it defaults to being switched on.The stop-start system's economy drive is aided by a regenerative system that charges the battery as soon as the driver brakes or lifts off the accelerator, relieving the engine of that function and therefore reducing fuel consumption.Technology in the DRIVe isn't limited to economic gains.  There are also a lot of creature features such as Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity and surprisingly for a car made in the cold climes of Sweden, the climate-control airconditiong goes down to a chilly 14 degrees. Just what you need to beat Aussie summers.DESIGNEven though it's now a few years old, the C30 is still a fresh-looking design that is destined to be timeless.  Making it a little more futuristic are the wheels which are aided in their wind-cheating ways by a deflecting panel behind the grille to improve airflow around the engine and an aerodynamically smooth underbody.Interior design is similarly practical and stylish without looking like a 1970s Swedish soft-porn film.  Take for example the innovative and stylish floating centre stack which is designed to look like a cross between a Nokia phone and Bang & Olufsen remote control.Consequently, even though there are a lot of buttons, it is intuitive and easy to use. However, it is not without its design faults.Because of the proximity of the centre stack to the gear shift, I inadvertently and prematurely ended several phone calls when my thumb struck the "exit" button as I engaged third or fifth gear.SAFETYAs expected in a Volvo, safety is a major focus with six airbags, adaptive emergency brake lights, whiplash protection seats, electronic stability control and traction control, and anti-skid brakes.Not only does the rear end have a unique look, but it is also provides good rear vision, while forward and side vision is similarly very good.DRIVINGI tried as hard as possible to reach the claimed economy figures of 3.8L/100km and failed, but only just.  I slipped it into neutral down hills, avoided hard braking and acceleration, changed up early as directed by the arrow on the LCD screen in front of the driver, turned off the airconditioning and kept the windows up.With just me in the car and in a mix of highway and city driving, the best I could do was 4.1L/100km.  When I gave up and drove the car as normal, it climbed to 4.9L/1200km, which is still quite respectable.But economy is no good if the car drives like a wet dish rag. Fortunately it doesn't.  The engine has good grunt for daily driving shores and highway overtaking.It pulls well from under 2000 revs, but runs out of breath quickly, requiring good use of the gearbox.  The clutch is light and the transmission is smooth and reliable for quick gear changes and throttling the most out of the engine when needed.It handles nimbly around the city, isn't thrown by choppy surfaces on B roads and is stable and very quiet on the highway.  Cabin comfort and room is good despite being a small two-door coupe.It is relatively easy to get in and out of the back with a wide opening door and front seats that quickly slide all the way forward. Even adults will feel comfortable in the two rear seats.While there isn't much space in the cargo area with two rear passengers on board, the rear seats fold flat and provide quite a large and usable cargo area for a small car.There are also plenty of handy cubby holes and storage areas around the cabin.VERDICTEconomic and environmentally conscious motoring doesn't have to be boring, ugly, cheap, nasty or unsafe.  This Volvo proves it.Volvo C30 DRIVePrice: $36,150Engine: Diesel, 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged, dohc; with stop-startPower: 80kW @ 4000rpm.Torque: 250Nm @ 1750rpm.Transmission: Five-speed manual; front-wheel-drive.Fuel consumption: 3.8 litres/100km.CO2 emissions: 99g/km.Dimensions: 4266mm long, 1782mm wide.

The traditional prestige players are priced beyond the means of most of us -- but the qualitative difference separating the business class and the topline versions of the rest has diminished to the point of non-existence. All right, you'll look better in the car park comparison stakes if you drive the exxier choices listed here, but you're by no means always driving the better car.WAGONSOne's a classy Volkswagen Group sport wagon with a direct injection turbo petrol engine with the option of a cutting-edge transmission. And so's the Audi.The Czech-made Skoda is essentially a bigger in the body, more discreet, better riding and cheaper VW Golf GTI, the car that more than any other blurs the distinction between the prestige pack and the rest.The handling-enhancing electronic diff of the new GTI is on its way to the RS, so while the twin clutch DSG adds $2300, the generous standard kit (including tasty 18s) and skinny options list means there's not a lot more to spend. Rare is the Audi of which that can be said.The output of the front-wheel-drive Avant's turbo four is similar (132kW/320Nm plays Skoda's 147kW/280Nm), limited for its continuously variable transmission. Quattro and the full-fat engine sets you back another $13,000 -- and the premium is already just a bit silly.SEDANSOne's a perfectly balanced, rear-wheel-drive, inline petrol six with great steering and a six-speed ZF automatic. And so's the BMW.All right, we're comparing a big tarted-up Aussie taxi with a thoroughbred mid-size Bavarian sport sedan here, but what of it? Priced $33K south, this Falcon is probably the best-value car in the country on a metal for money basis and that price difference buys a lot of basic unleaded petrol for that 4.0-litre atmo six with its whacking 195kW/391Nm. If there's a quickish car that rides as well as the Falcon, it's known not unto us.As to the Bimmer, well, you'd go there if you could, even if the peerless handling comes at the price of run-flat tyres and an options list to make your eyes bleed.DIESELSOne's a European-built front-wheel-drive with a sophisticated turbodiesel engine and bank-vault build quality. And so's the Volvo. Now the first prestige Euro to be owned by a Chinese company, Volvo did rather well out of its association with Ford (certainly better than Saab did out of GM). But the years of proximity invite comparison.Long the choice of UK sales reps and families, the Mondeo's marriage of the diesel with an auto and capable dynamics give it a comfortable niche position at this level of the market. The Titanium edition gives the long Ford the trim and kit to compare with the premium brigade.Despite its more potent five-cylinder engine and Swedish aura of invulnerability, we just can't see the extra spend in the stolid Volvo.SUVSOne's the best-driving compact SUV and... uh, that's the BMW, actually. We've often said that if BMW made front-wheel-drive family cars they'd handle like Mazdas, so the two brands' respective four-wheel-drives should logically be even closer.Not quite, but not to the extent that the X3 is nigh-on $20K better. The X3's only real advantage in Australia's restricted conditions is its standard six-speed auto. Stop us if you're tired of hearing this, Mazda doesn't yet have a slusher for its diesel.While the Mazda's engine is slightly bigger and more potent than the BMW diesel, it has to haul a nearly two-tonne kerb weight. The X3 is 250kg lighter but, within, it's also the most dated Bimmer.How much is that badge worth, again?

Doing 100km of general running about for less than five bucks in fuel makes motoring pretty affordable. As manufacturers bring out more models with increasingly-amazing frugality, motorists are laughing all the way from the pumps. A generation ago, the 30 miles per gallon mark (9.4 litres/100km in metric speak) was a

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The revolution at Volvo has stepped up a gear with the arrival of its new S60.

Unless your name is Rip Van Winkle (those under 30 go and look it up), you can't help but notice something grand has happen in Volvo land. The boys and girls in the styling department have discarded their cardigans, or whatever the Swedish equivalent is, and rediscovered the world of style.So boring and boxy Volvos are out and sexy curves are in. Cabins have become fashionably cool while safe but pedestrian performance has been replaced with cars that are safer and impress. Evolution? No this is more revolution. Which brings me neatly around to Volvo's C30 T5 R-Design. Yes, it's a mouthful but all those badges do actually mean something.The front-wheel drive C30 is Volvo's smallest car sold here; the T5 means it has a turbo five-cylinder engine neatly tucked away under its snout and R-Design is Volvo-speak meaning the car comes dressed in a sportier, stylish set of the clothes than normal. And just to clear up another point, while Volvo is Swedish, this one comes from Belgium.Pricing and options The T5 R-Design costs almost 10 grand over the price of a normal C30 but Volvo is out to prove a point with this model - that it can match it in motoring's fashion stakes. The basic car costs $42,450 (plus on-road costs) but the T5 R-Design adds the design styling package ($3700), stylish 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels ($1600), Volvo's excellent blind spot detection system BLIS ($1275), Dynaudio premium sound system ($975), a hard load cover ($375) and a whopping $1550 for metallic white paint. That brings the grand total to $51,925 plus registration, stamp duty and insurance.Now … in the new car game, there are a couple of price point psychological barriers: dealers find it easier to sell a car for $19,990 than $20,500. The second barrier is the $50,000 mark so this latest Volvo steps over the line - and by some distance. Despite that, there's still some value for money here. The now ageing C30 has a couple of minor flaws, but overall it comes well packaged and impresses.Pros and cons The flaws: it's only a three-door and the front doors are heavy; the boot and rear leg room in this four seater are less than generous and the five-cylinder motor is not that frugal, returning an average 11.6l/100km for a mix of city and rural running.That however is an improvement on the last C30 I drove a couple of years ago which returned 11.9l/100km. The virtues outweigh the niggles: this car has quality written all over it. It feels solid, is tight and has a level of craftsmanship which is class leading.Styling I love the rear retro styling (based on the P1800 coupe driven by Roger Moore in The Saint), with its huge glass tailgate. The C30 has one of most logical dashboard designs in the business and offers perky performance and well balanced manners on the road.SafetyThe money buys you a comprehensive safety package including the BLIS which warns (by shining an orange light near the side mirors) if there is another car in your blind spot, leather seats, park distance control, central locking and air conditioning.Equipment You can also tick the boxes for life's little luxuries like door mirrors that neatly fold flat when you park, fog lamps, headlamps that come on at night when you remotely unlock the doors (great for finding the car in a dark carpark) and washers for the headlamps. The R-design adds 17-inch alloys, mild body kit and so-called sports upholstery.Drivetrain and performance The five-cylinder produces 169kW, produces plenty of pull from its 320Nm of torque and is well matched to the excellent six-speed manual box. Zero to 100km/h takes a claimed 6.7 seconds. We didn't get a chance to test that, but the C30 is quick but doesn't feel like a firecracker.Volvo C30 T5 R-Design Price: $51,925 plus on-road costsEngine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turboPower: 169kW at 5000rpmTorque: 320Nm at 1500-5000rpmTransmission: six-speed manualEconomy: 8.7L/10KM (claimed); 11.6l/100km tested; CO2 224g/km