Next-Gen Volvo XC60 Review

The official unveiling of the next-generation Volvo XC60 took place at the Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March, and by the looks of things – it’s poised to be the best version of the luxury crossover SUV to date. If you are playing around with the idea of taking out a Volvo lease on the current XC60 model, we urge you to reconsider. While the 2016 XC60 has plenty to offer buyers in this premium automotive segment, the newest version of the luxury crossover packs even more of what drivers crave.

Volvo first introduced its compact crossover SUV back in 2007 as a concept car, and it wasn’t until the 2008 model year that the XC60 made its way onto showroom floors, and into drivers’ hearts. The XC60 has done very well for itself and for the Scandinavian automaker, holding strong as Volvo’s top selling model since 2009. Fast forward to 2017, nine years after Volvo unveiled the XC60 concept at the Geneva Motor Show, and the brand is pulling the sheet off of its newest version of the crossover on the same exact stage. Perfectly appropriate, we couldn’t have planned its release better ourselves. Now that we have our first real glimpse of the 2018 Volvo XC60, it’s hard not to want more. Alas, just as everyone else in the world will have to wait, we will also practice patience until the newest XC60 graces us here at Smythe Volvo.

The New Volvo – What We Now Know

Now that Volvo has officially unveiled the 2018 XC60, we have some real information and numbers to report on all that it will offer. Check out the key areas of importance below, and discover why the next-gen XC60 is definitely worth waiting for.

 
• Performance and Power – Let’s start with what is arguably the most important part of any luxury crossover – power. Okay, maybe not the most important to every driver, but certainly a category that makes the list. The newest XC60 gets the same power specs as the larger XC90 and includes a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder base engine, a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter T6 engine, and a plug-in-hybrid T8 option for drivers who are so inclined. With a horsepower rating of up to 400, and the ability to jog from zero to 62 miles per hour in just 5.3 seconds, the next-gen XC60 is the most powerful version of the crossover to date.

 
• Safety – When arguing about what ranks as most important in the eyes of Volvo buyers, safety certainly has more of a leg to stand on. Volvo is a brand that is synonymous with in-vehicle safety, and has worked hard to build a reputation that reflects their passion. Volvo has integrated its newest City Safety System into the next-gen XC60, which includes a brand new Steer Assist function, and Oncoming Lane Mitigation system. Pilot Assist is also available, which is Volvo’s semi-autonomous driving system – capable of taking over the crossover’s steering, braking, and acceleration. The system is obviously advanced, and works on roads that are “well-marked” and at speeds up to 87 miles per hour. The XC60’s blind spot monitoring system has also been revamped and updated to reflect the latest version of the safety technology. The Volvo Safety Center senior director Malin Ekholm reports that in Volvo’s home country of Sweden, there has been a decline in rear-end and frontal crashes to the tune of 45% thanks to this advanced collision warning and auto braking system.

 
• Design – The intuitive and sleek new design of the latest XC60 crossover is stunning – and Volvo knows it. Rather than introduce the luxury crossover at the Geneva Motor Show by a team of safety techs per usual, the brand instead allowed the XC60’s lead designer the privilege. The brand has intentionally moved all of its new generation nameplates into a design language reflective of “Scandinavian aesthetics” and we can’t help but admire just how incredible that new design language is. The new XC60 is described in a way that Volvos of years past could have never captured. Cool, hip, stylish, sleek – this XC60 is unlike any that came before it. On the inside, the crossover is as luxurious as it is refined. With open pore wood trim and accents, sleek shapes, inviting seats adorned in Nappa leather, this XC60 feels more like a Bentley than it does a relatively affordable luxury crossover.

 
• On-Board Amenities – Volvo has done just as much to ensure that tech-savvy drivers are happy, as they did to ensure safety-minded buyers would be pleased. The XC60 features an instrument panel that is sleekly sculpted and trimmed with silver-gray wood veneer trim. A vertical center screen boldly displays Volvo’s latest Sensus infotainment system as well as the crossover’s intuitive climate control functions. Cabin control knobs and the XC60’s shift knob are both exquisitely designed, while the Bowers and Wilkins sound system comes through satin aluminum speaker grilles. Volvo is known for exuding luxury and not playing it safe when it comes to minute attention to detail, and the 2018 XC60 is no exception.

Keep Up with the New XC60 with Smythe Volvo

It’s obvious that the next generation of the XC60 is the best iteration of Volvo’s best-selling car ever produced, so now comes the difficult task of waiting. It’s hard to see and hear about such an incredible new model from our favorite automotive brand and not be able to slink behind the wheel for a test drive. We understand the frustration, and we are here to help you cope until the 2018 XC60 is finally released for purchase.

Volvo is expected to begin production on the 2018 XC60 by mid-April, which means we should expect the luxury crossover on our showroom floor by the end of the year. Fingers crossed it will be sooner than later, but in the meantime we invite you to come down to Smythe Volvo and explore the rest of the brand’s capable lineup. There are so many amazing models to choose from, you might find it harder to wait for the new XC60 than you initially realized. Be sure to stop by and discover the top-rated award winning Volvo dealership in the country, right here in Summit, New Jersey. We can’t wait to show you around and introduce you to the award-winning Volvo lineup.