What's the difference?
This version of Tesla’s Model Y is the new frontier for enthusiasts. How do you make an electric performance car?
It should be easy, right? Just up the power of the motors - no need to fit a larger, more complex engine, and make sure you’ve got a battery with the appropriate outputs.
There’s far more than meets the eye. The big question is, is it worth the significant additional spend over the base Model Y?
We grabbed one of the earliest examples of the Performance to hit Australian shores to find out.
Have you been tempted to hop into a fully electric SUV? With fuel prices the way they are, it’s understandable. But what if you’re not ready for the jump? What if you want the convenience of combustion with the ability to drive emissions free day-to-day?
A plug-in hybrid might be for you, and Volvo’s freshly updated XC60 offers a lot of appealing features in its electrified form.
It has to be more than just another plug-in hybrid, though, since the luxury mid-size SUV segment is one of the most competitive for this type of technology.
Does the new and improved XC60 Recharge have what it takes? Read on to find out.
One thing is for sure, it’s definitely a performance car, but not as we know it.
This version of the Tesla Model Y is the ultimate tech gadget on four wheels. It’s incredibly fast, has unbelievable, unnerving handling, and importantly what seems to be the best software in the business. Coming in significantly cheaper than its European performance EV rivals, it doesn’t even seem like bad value.
But. Enthusiasts be warned. There is an element of drama missing here, the Model Y is almost too good at attacking the road, there’s no roaring feedback or imperfections for you to correct, and for this reason alone, even if it’s the future, I don’t think it’s going to be for everyone.
The XC60 continues to be a suave European premium SUV, which doesn’t need to try too hard to be sporty or luxurious, because it just is.
The electrified features of this Recharge version fall to the wayside behind the wheel, enhancing the quietness and comfort of the XC60 without making it feel too foreign for first-time electric car adopters, yet beneath the surface there’s still a level of engagement to be had for enthusiasts looking towards a zero-emission future.
While plug-ins will continue to be a hard sell for Australians into at least the near future, this one nails the Volvo brand promise of being an approachable family SUV.