ESTATE MASTERS REALLY DELIVER
THE VOLVO V60 COMBINES SPACE AND STYLE, WRITES EDWARD STEPHENS
WHEN Volvo launched the second generation of its V60 model the company knew it was a car that just had to be right.
For the premium mid size estate is at the very core of the Swedish car maker’s DNA. Think of the generations of estates of this size which have gone before it. But unlike many of its long gone predecessors, which concentrated more on luggage capacity than style, the new generation is low, sleek and sporting. So much so that it’s hard to say which is the best looking car, the new estate or its sibling saloon the S60.
But despite its easy on the eye appearance it’s still a car which stays true to Volvo’s heritage, offering generous luggage and passenger space. After all, for most people an estate is all about space, and the V60 boasts the largest boot of any mid-sized premium estate.
There are 529 litres available with the rear seatbacks up and 1,441 litres with them folded down. And as both the floor and sides are flat it makes loading easy, especially as there’s no loading lip.
Another bonus is that all models – irrespective of spec – now come with a powered tailgate.
The minimalist interior is business-like and functional with a large centre-set, nine-inch iPad-style touchscreen controlling most of the functions and allowing the cabin to be largely free of buttons and switches. Immediately in front of the driver are traditional twin dials (speedometer and rev counter) with the analogue speedometer also having a digital readout at its centre so you can’t mistake your speed. As if that wasn’t enough the model tested here also had a head-up display projecting a third speed reading into the windscreen.
Sporting seats in a mixture of Nappa leather and cloth hold you firmly in place thanks to good side supports and are electrically adjustable. One feature new to me on this Volvo – as part of a £300 convenience pack – was a 230v/150w 3-pin plug socket in the rear of the centre console, allowing you to plug in any of your domestic appliances.
The V60 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four cylinder engine in line with Volvo’s commitment five years ago to restrict engine sizes in all its models.
With 190bhp under the bonnet this powerful diesel makes light work of whisking this large estate up to motorway speed and beyond with little effort.
It was mated to a slick, very smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox and while there’s no Sport mode on the auto box you can change the car’s overall setting from Comfort to Dynamic to sharpen performance.
In the case of the car tested here Dynamic had been replaced by a Polestar Performance setting, a £745 optional extra which gives around 10bhp more than the standard car.
That power is concentrated mid range for safer overtaking and as you release the accelerator the gearbox responds faster for more balanced cornering.
The V60 D4 R-Design Plus offers an excellent ride and sporting handling while at the same time being a very capable and spacious family car. All you could desire of an estate in fact.
Despite its easy on the eye appearance it stays true to Volvo’s heritage, offering generous luggage and passenger space
Garden centres are opening up and have even better plants on offer than usual – and no one is more pleased than Diarmuid
RESPONSIBLE travel has been gaining traction for the past few years, accelerated by climate change campaigners like Greta Thunberg and scenes of horrifying environmental destruction caused by humans.
But now the topic has even greater urgency: there are more of us on the planet and we have a growing lust for travel, so how can we make it work? While the pandemic has wreaked havoc with holiday plans, it’s also provided us with an opportunity to stop and consider how we might explore and appreciate our world in the future, while keeping it pristine for generations to come.
Experts suggest there will be a shift to travel in a more sustainable way, reducing carbon footprints, protecting the environment and ensuring host communities are rewarded economically.
According to tourism charity The Travel Foundation: “The aim of sustainable tourism is to increase the benefits and to reduce the negative impacts caused by tourism for destinations.”
But what does that really mean? Here are five ways to put the thinking into practice.
SELECT A DESTINATION CAREFULLY
SOME countries thrive on tourism to boost their economies. Without visitors, many businesses face collapse, and travel bans as a result of coronavirus have already resulted in a loss of jobs worldwide.
Safari holidays are a fine example of travel as a positive force, where employment of local people in camps and related activities provides an incentive to protect both the environment and wildlife.
Other destinations, however, have suffered from overtourism in the past.
Fragile locations like the Galapagos and Antarctica can only handle a limited number of visitors, making small ship cruises a good option, while once-crowded cities are welcoming the temporary breathing space provided by Covid-19.
STAY IN LOCALLY-OWNED ACCOMMODATION
ONE way to ensure communities benefit from tourism is to stay in independent eco lodges and family-run B&Bs. Avoid internationally-owned hotel chains and resorts, unless they operate ‘giving back’ programmes, channelling funds into a destination. The TUI Care Foundation does excellent work in Cape Verde, for example, while the Sandals
Foundation works alongside communities in the Caribbean.
Many group tour companies, such as Explore, Exodus and Intrepid, employ guides from the places they visit. G Adventures goes one step further with its Planeterra Foundation, by supporting local entrepreneurs to set up businesses, which in turn benefit from tourism footfall generated by their tours. Spending money by visiting restaurants and cafes also helps boost a country’s economy, so steer clear of all-inclusive resorts if you can. Or make a compromise: some properties, such as Ikos Oceania in Greece, have an agreement with local restaurants, offering meals at no extra cost as part of a Dine Out plan included in their stay.
DON’T VISIT EXPLOITATIVE ATTRACTIONS
TRAVEL provides an opportunity to witness new wonders and meet extraordinary people, but sometimes it’s hard to strike a balance between authenticity and exploitation.
Tribal tourism is a case in point: photographs of Ethiopia’s exotic Omo Valley people were so intoxicating, they generated an industry of paying for pictures, diverting indigenous people from their typical way of life.
Wildlife attractions should also be considered with caution. Fortunately,
Don’t accept the exploitation of indigenous peoples big companies such as Virgin Holidays have banned dolphin swims and activities involving creatures kept cruelly in captivity. Any attraction involving animal petting is also a no-go – watch Tiger King on Netflix and you’ll know why.
LIMIT YOUR FLIGHTS
WE all know air travel has a detrimental impact on the environment; up until last year, aviation accounted for two per cent of global CO emissions, according to a paper published by the Nature Journal.
But sometimes, planes are the only means available to reach a destination.
A hiatus in flight schedules due to coronavirus will likely end an era of binge-flying – one positive to emerge from the crisis – but we still have the power to make greater changes through choice.
Set a personal limit for the number of flights you plan to take in a year and choose direct routes where possible (most fuel is burned in take off and landing).
Swoop Adventures is one of several operators who will offset the emissions of all travel booked by their customers. Alternatively, choose a project certified by Gold Standard (goldstandard.org).
IF YOU CAN, GO BY TRAIN
PUBLIC transport might be a source of Covid-related concern in the short term, but longer, comfortable, train journeys could shape a future of slow and meaningful travel.
Raileurope.co.uk is an efficient and simple train booking tool for planning journeys across the continent. If you want to go further afield, the seat61.com blog has
It’s time for tourists to make a choice – a green and
happy planet or a wasteland
The journey itself can be the holiday excellent, up-to-date advice on different routes.
And sometimes the journey is the destination, with epic rail routes accounting for standalone holidays. The Venice Simplon-OrientExpress from London to Italy’s famous floating city is a classic, and you only need to factor in an airfare one-way.