At the Geneva Motor show, Volvo took the wraps off their third soft-roader, after the XC90 and the XC70, the XC60. Since it's a Volvo, it must be sensible, right?
Very much, since Volvo believes, like everyone else, that most owners of off-roaders never have their tyres distorted by anything more than a speed-breaker.
And there was space for a smaller crossover as proven by the success of the Honda CR-V and the BMW X3, so it does feature as a good proposition for a soccer mom and her kids who don't want to be seen in boring estates.
Like the CR-V and the X3, the XC60 is cleverly designed to appear small on the outside and comfortable on the inside. It's actually 20 cm shorter than the XC70, the V70 estate based crossover.
Designed under the tutelage of Steve Mattin, the design director at Volvo Car Corp, it's a younger and fresher design, made to appeal to a large population under 35 who wouldn't mind having a practical Volvo that also looks the part. It's evident in the approach to the grille with a bolder logo, something the Swedish company has refrained from all these years.
Powering the crossover is a host of engines, including twin power ratings for diesel and turbocharged petrol engines. The diesel is the same D5 engine as on the S80 and XC90 sold in India, with the option of either 163 bhp or 185 bhp.
The petrols are even more powerful with the turbocharged 3000cc engine producing 210 bhp and 285 bhp respectively. Both engines are mated to Volvo's Geartronic six-speed automatic with an optional sport mode for quicker shifts.
On the inside, the XC60 continues with the traditional theme, such as borrowing the same controls from other Volvos, the floating centre console, et al. The rear seats have a 40:20:40 split and are placed higher than the seats in front. There's also the optional panoramic roof, making for excellent viewing of shooting stars on a bright night.
Once behind the wheel, the Volvo drives and feels like any other car, except that it now features another safety innovation, the City Safety System that automatically applies brakes on the car in case there is a lapse in concentration on the driver's part.
This is particularly true in city traffic conditions where low speed mishaps are common. Volvo claims it helps lower the possibility of injuries to the occupants of the XC60 and chances of whiplash to those in the car in front. It will be standard fitment on XC60s, but given Indian road conditions, might possibly be deleted from the features list.
And the reason why we spoke India was because it will be here in 2009. We expect a price tag in the region of Rs 27 to 32 lakh (Rs 2.7-3.2 million) for the vehicle, placing it just above the Nissan X-Trail, but below the Mitsubishi Montero.
For sure, the XC60 will be a welcome addition to our roads - considering it's already being voted as the best-looking Volvo around.
Photograph: Jeff Haynes/AFP/Getty Images
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