Up to the task
Crossover marries Volvo safety with sleek exterior and latest technology
The 2013 Volvo XC60 crossover is designed around the active, urban professional lifestyle of many Austinites. Whether you’re toting the kids around town, hitting the hike-and-bike trail with your dog or bike, or taking business partners to lunch, the XC60 is ready for action.
The flowing lines of the exterior create the sporty charisma of a coupe, which is combined with high ground clearance, large wheels and the latest safety features. Give it a whirl at Roger Beasley Volvo (volvoaustin. com) at 6375 E. U.S. 290 or Volvo of Georgetown (volvogeorgetown.com) at 7501 S. Interstate 35, exit 257.
Here are the highlights:
Interior features
The Volvo XC60 features refined infotainment on a 5or 7-inch color screen in the upper part of the center stack. The screen is positioned high up to make it easy for the driver to keep his or hers eyes on the road.
All the functions can be con- trolled via buttons built into the steering wheel or via buttons just below the screen.
The Bluetooth connection allows hands-free phone conversations as well as music streaming from a Bluetoothenabled portable music player.
A free app linked to Volvo On Call makes sure that the driver can stay in touch with the parked car via an iPhone or Android smartphone.
The load area has a lockable floor covering two storage areas, one for personal items and another for soiled or wet items. The cargo cover extends over the entire load area.
Have your hands full of grocery bags? The optional power tailgate can be opened automatically via the remote control.
The three-split (40/20/40) rear seat and backrest offer two separate seats with an armrest in the middle, or three seats with safety belts for each occupant.
A fun, comfortable ride
Volvo XC60 is fun to drive yet comfortable to ride in, both on city tarmac and along country lanes. It’s built to handle all conditions.
The body has extra torsional rigidity, and the sporty chassis setup means the car is precisely controlled and minimizes roll tendencies even in demanding driving situations.
The optional All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction is designed to guarantee the best possible road grip. It features a new, six-piston radial pump, direct-driven by a powerful electric motor. The reduced weight contributes to improved fuel economy.
Volvo’s Dynamic Stability and Traction Control system continuously registers the car’s roll rate, making it possible to detect slowly building skids at an early stage. Generally, the system helps stabilize the car in evasive maneuvers, particularly when the car is exposed to high lateral forces.
Hill Descent Control automatically controls the car’s speed when driving down steep slopes.
Trailer Stability Assist is intended for stabilizing the car and trailer. The system
detects if the trailer starts “snaking,” a phenomenon that may occur at certain speeds depending on the mass of the trailer and the way it is loaded. If Trailer Stability Assist senses snaking tendencies, it brakes the car’s individual wheels to counteract the oscillation.
Safety and support
The advanced front structure consists of deformation zones of different grades of steel, each one with a certain role in a collision. The structure is designed to help provide increased protection in a frontal collision.
Side structures of different grades of steel and a number of tubes and members are all designed to “move” the body to the side, helping to reduce the risk of passenger compartment intrusion. Volvo’s Side Impact Protection System helps absorb incoming collision forces in order to maintain adequate safety space for the passengers.
The booster cushion, which is integrated in the rear seat, can be set at two heights, allowing children of different sizes to sit sufficiently high to see out through the windows yet at the same time get the most effective protection possible. The XC60 can be equipped with integrated child booster cushions in both outer rear seats.
Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake can detect pedestrians who walk into the road in front of the car, warn the driver — and automatically apply full braking power if the driver does not respond in time.
Collision Warning with full auto brake initially warns the driver and pre-charges the brakes. The brakes are automatically activated if the driver doesn’t act when a rear-end collision with a moving or stationary vehicle is imminent.
With City Safety, the car automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stops — or if he or she is driving too fast toward a stationary object.
Optional safety features include Road Sign Information, Active High Beam, Tunnel Detection, Driver Alert Control, Blind Spot Information System, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Roll Stability Control and Roll-Over Protection System.