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Volvo XC60: Test drive review
Date: 28 May 2014 | Author:
Volvo's D4 engine - the first of a new family that will revolutionise the firm's offering - is appearing across the brand's range of larger cars, all offering class-leading emissions despite the 181hp performance figure from the 2.0-litre diesel unit.
The eventual plan is for Volvo to replace its entire engine offering with one petrol and one diesel base over a range of power outputs during the next couple of years, with the petrol ranging from 140-300hp and the diesel from 120-230hp.
For the XC60 small off-roader, the D4 version delivers CO2 of 117g/km. By comparison, admittedly four-wheel drive alternatives with the similar power from BMW and Audi, in the form of the X3 and Q5, offer 149g/km and 154g/km respectively, although there is a two-wheel drive 143hp X3 that's still 18g/km higher than the Volvo.
The huge emissions advantage means a mammoth saving on driver's BIK, with the XC60 coming in £780 per year cheaper than a BMW X3 xDrive 20d M-sport and £960 per year below the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI 177 S-line, both of which start out with a slightly cheaper P11D than this D4 XC60 in SE Lux Nav trim that, admittedly, as the name suggests, includes navigation as standard.
Company NI payments come in with a slightly higher annual savings than the driver can expect, while there's also a hefty difference in annual VED bills. But overall, the Volvo's residual value - that looks good in isolation at 37.2% - loses out to the excellent German rivals that both come in with an RV of over 45% after three years and 60,000 miles.
To drive, the engine is subtly impressive. It doesn't feel outrageously fast, but will certainly be all that's required for this sort of application, and refinement and power delivery impress.
All-in-all, the emissions for the XC60 D4 take it straight to the top of the class by some distance, but
RVs bring the premium German brands well and truly back into play.
| Volvo XC60 D4 Lux Nav | |
| Model price range | £30,735-£43,550 |
| Residual value | 37.2% |
| Depreciation | £21,965 |
| Fuel | £5950 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £3113 |
| Vehicle Excise Duty | £60 |
| National Insurance | £2798 |
| Cost per mile | 71.3p |
| Fuel consumption | 62.8mpg |
| CO2 (tax) | 117g/km (18%) |
| BIK 20/40% per month | £105/£210 |
| Service interval | 18,000mls |
| Insurance (1-50) | group 29 |
| Warranty | 3yrs/60,000mls |
| Boot space (min/max) | 495/1455 litres |
| Engine size/power | 1969cc/181hp |
| Top speed/0-60mph | 130mph/8.5secs |
VerdictIncredibly impressive efficiency makes Volvo the one to beat |
8/10 |
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