Volvo’s serious approach towards the Indian market has now begun to be apparent. The Swedish company is moving out of the box, literally, and coming in full force to take on the competition without fear. The long Volvo drought with no new launches seems to be over. The brand is all set to pounce on the potential market with offerings that could do wonders, if it is able to convince the customer about the pedigree of its product..
The Volvo XC60 marks the company’s first offering, from its quiver of arrows. The XC60 was first seen on the international scene back in mid-2008 and some two-and-a-half years later, it has reached the Indian shores. At first sight, one quickly perceives that the styling of this SUV is unlike a typical Volvo.
The XC60 is one of the first cars that actually drifts away from Volvo’s dull and boxy design. It has been replaced by a softly curving roof-line that is ably aided by an aggressive front-end and a tailgate that create an air of modern-day styling. The vertical daytime running lights placed between the headlamps and the grille are similar to what we saw on the latest S60 last month. In fact, the S60 has borrowed these from the XC60 itself. From the side profile, the pulled back headlamps, low and aggressive front end, windows that taper towards the rear and the sharp-edged tail-lamps conform to new-age design theory.
Inside the cabin, there is the feel of a neatly organised instrumentation console, properly laid out air-conditioning controls in the same array of buttons that houses the music system as well as the toggle buttons for safety features such as active parking assists, lane change warning and hill descent control etc. The seats are extremely comfortable and adequately supportive with innumerable adjustments to choose from. There are fine details in the cabin such as leather inserts on the inside of the doors, classic wood finish around the dashboard and matte finish aluminum bits that lend a feel-good factor once inside the car. The panoramic sunroof adds the final touch of flamboyance to the XC60.
