The XC60 has double wishbone suspension with a stabiliser bar, air suspension and an active damper setup at the front. The rear setup comprises integral axle with stabiliser bar with air suspension and active shock-absorbers. Braking is taken care of by 320-mm ventilated discs at the front and 302-mm solid ones at the rear.
To keep the cost down, all new Volvos are powered by 1,969-cc petrol and diesel engines. These four-valve petrol and diesel engines have the same bore and stroke, all-aluminium construction, and they weigh the same. The only difference between the petrol and diesel engines is the compression ratio: the diesel runs a much higher compression ratio of 15.8:1 compared to the petrol’s 10.3:1.
The India-bound XC60 will be equipped with the D5 twin-turbo diesel engine with PowerPulse. The D5 engine produces 235 PS at 4,000 rpm and 480 Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,250 rpm. The D5 motor is mated to an eight-speed auto box and the power is put down on the road via an all-wheel-drive system. PowerPulse is a smart way of reducing turbo-lag. There is an electric compressor that fills up a tank with compressed fresh air that is used to spool up the turbocharger at low rpm effectively reducing turbo-lag.
Our drive started from the Barcelona airport and there were a couple of loops that took us into the countryside. As I said earlier, the moment you step into this SUV there is a feeling of luxury right from the feel of the leather-wrapped steering wheel to the comfortable seats. Once I adjusted the driving position and twisted the start-stop knob, the 2.0-litre engine came to life with a little clatter that could be heard when the door was open; once you close the door, however, the engine noise disappears. The cabin insulation of the XC60 is superb.
On the road the car is easy to drive as its steering is light; as a matter of fact, the XC60 is an easy car to drive because it does everything with ease — whether it is overtaking other cars or going round a corner. There is hardly any turbo-lag thanks to the power pulse. This is not a sporty SUV because there is a little body-roll, but it is not bothersome. This is an easy and comfortable SUV to drive and you are always in control.
