Volvo XC 60 Review

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by irishcarfan

As I'm impartial, I just thought I'd stick up for volvorocks - who seems to be getting a hard time because... he expressed his opinion. I like the XC60 section as it is usually kept uptodate and is pretty positive, but I'm sure if some of you guys read back through this thread, you'll see that you're taking it a bit too personally. Telling the guy that he is wrong and to go and post on another forum isn't too good...

I actually thought it was quite a helpful post - and I wish more people would give such detailed impressions of their cars whether good or bad.

I appreciate your post and understanding Irishcarfan. Thank you

Yes the intention was to obtain views on the car and to see if I was operating anything incorrectly or peeps had a solution or differing views!

Regards

[crossedover]

Well VR I'm sorry you are disappointed with your car, I have to say I'm very pleased with mine. I won't comment in detail on your post but have the following points:-

- I'm surprised at your comments re ride - I find it a very well judged compromise between comfort and handling. What model do you have, mine is an SE Lux Premium, maybe softer than the R-design. It's certainly less wallowy than my wife's CR-V. That said my previous car was a BMW M-Sport spec so pretty firm!

- Again I'm surprised at comments re Premium sound - I find it excellent and more than loud enough - and trust me I'm no quiet classics lover! I do find it makes the doors rattle though, and will bring that up at the QA inspection.

- I find the performance very good given the size of the car, and indeed in sports mode pretty decent. Just done a full-to-the-brim trip to south of France and it shrugged off the load admirably.

- MPG is fine given size and power of car. 36.5 mpg on France trip. Official figures are misleading but that's the fault of the tests not the car IMO.

- Sensus is buggy and I've hit your issue WRT track display getting confused. I'm hoping the software update I should get soon will resolve some issues.

- As regards value, my wife has a top-spec CR-V which cost IIRC 26k, I paid 34k for the XC60 including geartronic and sunroof. There is no doubt the XC60 feels a league ahead in terms of perceived quality and well worth the extra. And the CR-V is a bloody decent car.

All the best and I hope your car grows on you

[darbs]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Hi Darbs

I appreciate your comments.Thank you.

I am always happy and willing to agree to disagree on a topic and as you quite rightly say everyone is different and thus has differeing views on a subject.

Some peeps think a model of car is slow and uncomfy - others think otherwise.Thats great.Thats what makes a forum and adds variety to life in general I believe.

I appreciate and enjoy reading different viewpoints and contributing.

However I am unable to agree to disagree when one makes clearly assumed insulting statements or sarcastic person centred remarks as I feel it is unacceptable , whether intended or not.

All gripes listed with the car are 1st= by the way....lol.

I am not actually unhappy with the car , just considered it would be great to obtain each and everyones thoughts and feelings in their own way regarding the car instead of remarks about me..!!!!!

Comments welcome

Regards

i'm sorry you've felt insulted by other comments on this thread. having seen just about every post from everyone in this thread over the past 6 months, i can assure you no harm was intended by anyone.

that said, i think you'd get a similar reaction to a long list of negatives, if not worse, from other car forums. rightly or wrongly, people can be very passionate about their motors. i know i am about my xc60. i love it.

[darbs]

Originally Posted by Matteus XC60

Just having some fun really Darb old chap, but you are the voice of reason (you should be on some sort of world peace forum mate) so I shall desist my mischief

i know you are mate, and i know you don't mean to insult anyone. you beemer driving t*sser!

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by crossedover

Well VR I'm sorry you are disappointed with your car, I have to say I'm very pleased with mine. I won't comment in detail on your post but have the following points:-

- I'm surprised at your comments re ride - I find it a very well judged compromise between comfort and handling. What model do you have, mine is an SE Lux Premium, maybe softer than the R-design. It's certainly less wallowy than my wife's CR-V. That said my previous car was a BMW M-Sport spec so pretty firm!

- Again I'm surprised at comments re Premium sound - I find it excellent and more than loud enough - and trust me I'm no quiet classics lover! I do find it makes the doors rattle though, and will bring that up at the QA inspection.

- I find the performance very good given the size of the car, and indeed in sports mode pretty decent. Just done a full-to-the-brim trip to south of France and it shrugged off the load admirably.

- MPG is fine given size and power of car. 36.5 mpg on France trip. Official figures are misleading but that's the fault of the tests not the car IMO.

- Sensus is buggy and I've hit your issue WRT track display getting confused. I'm hoping the software update I should get soon will resolve some issues.

- As regards value, my wife has a top-spec CR-V which cost IIRC 26k, I paid 34k for the XC60 including geartronic and sunroof. There is no doubt the XC60 feels a league ahead in terms of perceived quality and well worth the extra. And the CR-V is a bloody decent car.

All the best and I hope your car grows on you

Hi Crossedover

Yes Im sure the car will grow on me -although not too much as its big enough already!

Yes the model is the same as yours and I do recall from the test drive that the suspension seemed softer.Maybe this was due to more mileage on the demo , I dont know ,although was a tad disappointed upon first drive in comparison.This then led me to make a comparison between Picasso (yes reknowned for soft ride) and Peugeot ( again a softer ride).Setting those vehicles aside as they may be an unfair comparison it was still felt that the ride on XC could be more compliant without sacrificing handling.

Yes XC looks and feels a premium car , although believe that whilst I am not a great fan of BMW or Merc, Volvo struggles in the perceived premium image.

Whilst the stereo does indeed sound ok - I just felt that it did not justify its premium option price especially when compared to even a standard stereo in a mid range saloon - which may not actually sound as good , but is indeed not a premium cost option!! I suppose if you have come from a 2 speaker Fiat stereo to the Volvo Premium Audio then yes its great - but I still feel older Dynaudio was better in volume and clarity than current "Premium Sound"
Same goes for a lot of options that Volvo offer at extra £££ - they seem to be jumping on the BMW Merc bandwagon method of selling!

The MPG , whilst one may not achieve official figures , and that the topic has been discussed elsewhere , its still a bit shocking for it to be soooooooo wide of the mark.In an alternate post it was asked if the way people had run in their cars from new had had any effect on reduced or improved fuel consumption - although most peeps simply listed the MPG as oppose to technique!

The peformance is good although feels lesser now - probably due to becoming accustomed. Perhaps I expect a car should gradually get faster ie reducing a second or so off in gear increments the more i get used to it...lol ..lol..!!- although was suprised , that whilst the Volvo didnt as such struggle with a full load , it was noticable!

Mmmm South of France......that sounds very nice indeed..will also have to plan something like that!

Many thanks

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by darbs

i'm sorry you've felt insulted by other comments on this thread. having seen just about every post from everyone in this thread over the past 6 months, i can assure you no harm was intended by anyone.

that said, i think you'd get a similar reaction to a long list of negatives, if not worse, from other car forums. rightly or wrongly, people can be very passionate about their motors. i know i am about my xc60. i love it.

Hi Darbs

Thank you for your post.

Yes I do agree with what you say and yes , people can be passionate (perhaps borderline defensive) about their cars , although did feel Matteus XC60 went rather too far with the personal comments , which were more annoying than anything and not what one expects in a friendly conservative Volvo forum.

Its just that my method of thinking, is that if I owned a vehicle about which I was passionate and someone else came along and listed what seems a large array of flaws or negatives about the same model , I would simply proffer my opinion about the vehicle for discussion and perhaps defend the vehicle, not possibly directly annoy insult offend or sarcastically verbally attack the person that wrote it..!!!

I know everyone is different and that should be applauded and welcomed, although verbal assaults unintentional or not should be avoided at all cost...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards

[crossedover]

Hi VR,

I won't continue the debate too much, as I think we're starting to get into one man's meat is another man's poison territory.

However, WRT MPG, I can pretty much reproduce the official figures closely if I drive carefully and stick to the terms of the test. Who does that though? It was the same with my BMW - claimed combined 50mpg, reality 42-44.

The thing with cars like the XC60, i.e. heavy and not all that aerodynamic, big acceleration or high speed cruising costs dearer than similar excursions in cars such as a '90s Fiesta

All the best

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Pros
Global closing of windows and sunroof needs keyfob to operate which defeats the object of it being keyless - (windows cannot be closed using the button on the door - but hey you can on a Citroen!!)

Comments as always very welcome peeps.

Regards

VR.
I am at a loss with a lot of your "gripes" whilst accepting that some have a degree of validility.
As with any new car owner in today's technology driven age that we live in. a lot (not all) of potential issues actually go away when the car's manual is read - and then read again - which is when I found a solution to your above "gripe".
Like you I have a keyless system which I just love being able to keep in my pocket - but how to close all the windows when the kids have left them open without having to reach into my pocket to get them out. Easy - press for a few seconds the central lock button on the door console & they all auto close. Not as easy as say pressing the external door button for a few seconds as some cars allow you, but hey - it's better than using your key fob.

You have certainly livened up a few forum members who as "darbs" wrote do not mean any malice - but your initial posting was bound to bring out some contrasting & divergent views to yours.....................!!!
In business as a Director my belief is to always "tackle the problem not the person" BUT when people have spent over £40k on a car that is then attacked it's does seem to change peoples attitudes!!

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by simonjedrake

VR.
I am at a loss with a lot of your "gripes" whilst accepting that some have a degree of validility.
As with any new car owner in today's technology driven age that we live in. a lot (not all) of potential issues actually go away when the car's manual is read - and then read again - which is when I found a solution to your above "gripe".
Like you I have a keyless system which I just love being able to keep in my pocket - but how to close all the windows when the kids have left them open without having to reach into my pocket to get them out. Easy - press for a few seconds the central lock button on the door console & they all auto close. Not as easy as say pressing the external door button for a few seconds as some cars allow you, but hey - it's better than using your key fob.

You have certainly livened up a few forum members who as "darbs" wrote do not mean any malice - but your initial posting was bound to bring out some contrasting & divergent views to yours.....................!!!
In business as a Director my belief is to always "tackle the problem not the person" BUT when people have spent over £40k on a car that is then attacked it's does seem to change peoples attitudes!!

Hi Simonjedrake

Thanks for your post.

Initially the manual was not read , then it was , then the post!
The manual is not too great!!

Yes thanks I have read the manual and noticed that the windows will globally close with the central locking inside the car or likewise globally open.Perhaps as others state it will have to be a matter of getting used to doing things a little different when locking the car - although do still remain a tad disappointed that global closing cannot be done via a door button like a lot of cars!

I appreciate your views and the information

Whilst I agree the original post may bring out contrasting views to my own (the welcomed intention) and that MatteusXC60 may not have meant any malice as you suggest ,there is a fundamental difference between publishing contrasting or disagreeing views about say a vehicle , which are acceptable, as oppose to direct insulting offending sarcastic degrading remarks and assumptions about a person, which are not acceptable and a therefore a risky thing to do!!

Regards

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Hi Simonjedrake

I appreciate your views and the information

Do you never sleep - it's midnight & you are still tapping away on that keyboard..............
Time for me to get some kip - I have a long run tomorrow upto Snowdon with the aim of putting a few more "running in" miles on the new motor.