The Volvo XC60 accounts for nearly one third of the company’s worldwide sales, making it one of the most crucial models in the automaker’s lineup. It is likewise among the oldest models Volvo offers, that makes the launching of the revamped 2018 Volvo XC60 that a lot more essential.
Based on the same scalable vehicle architecture that forms the basis for the bigger 7-passenger XC90, the new 5-passenger XC60 SUV will be provided in T5, T6, and T8 Twin Engine model series, and in Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription trim. Production of the new XC60 starts in April 2017 in Sweden; the SUV is expected to arrive in the United States by the end of this year.
Longer, lower, and larger than the model it changes, the 2018 XC60 is bigger than prior to however weighs about the same as the old model thanks to higher use of lightweight materials.
Volvo calls the brand-new XC60 “athletic … subtle and ageless,” apt descriptors for exactly what is a handsome vehicle. Styling cues are plainly taken from the bigger 90-series models, from the Thor’s hammer headlights to the big, thin-spoke aluminum wheels readily available for the Inscription trim level.
Select the XC60 R-Design for a sportier appearance with particular style information, body-color trim, and special oversized wheels that make the SUV appear to have adopted the proportions of a Hot Wheels car.
As is true of the outside, the XC60’s interior appear like a downsized version of exactly what you would find within the XC90. Volvo characterizes the XC60’s cabin as “magnificently selected and calm,” a “masterful composition” of design, materials, and technology.
Geared up with seating for 5 people, 4 residents are more likely to be comfortable due to the XC60’s narrower width compared with the XC90.
The 2018 XC60 will be provided in three powertrain alternatives including a 2.0-liter turbo-four in the T5, a 2.0-liter super- and turbocharged I-4 in the T6, and a 400-hp plug-in hybrid that pairs the T6’s engine to an electrical motor. Expect the base 2.0-liter turbo-four to be rated around 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, with the extremely- and turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 monitoring in at 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. An eight-speed automatic transmission needs to be the only transmission offered across the entire lineup. Volvo also says that the lighter and smaller XC60 plug-in hybrid need to be able to travel more miles in EV mode compared with the much heavier XC90.
Rates details will be revealed closer to the market launch. Competitors consist of the typical suspects in the small luxury SUV sector such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. There’s also the Jaguar F-Pace plus its brand-new corporate cousin: Land Rover’s sexy Range Rover Velar.
Copyright © 2017 by New Autocar Review.