Katrine Anker-Nilssen falls in love with Swedish luxury at its best.
A car is just a car, right? It needs to take you from A to B. At least that’s what I’ve always thought… until I got my hands on the magnificent Volvo XC40 – which is when my whole perspective on “just a car” changed. I don’t quite know how I am going to survive without this beauty in my life, it has certainly made a bold impression on me.
For starters, it’s just so luxurious. It’s incredibly comfortable and basically almost drives itself – which is perfect for a mom on the go, who’s constantly multitasking and making the most of every minute in every hour of every day. Secondly, the XC40’s safety features are right up there among the very best – Volvo has been a world-leader in safety technology for almost 100 years. Lastly, it’s just sooo smooth. It tackles any road with upmost professionalism, competence and expertise. I was especially impressed by the lane keeping aid – it gently steered me back when I was about to cross a lane marking. The blind spot information system with cross traffic alert is also hugely helpful – alerting me to drivers in my blind spot, as well as any vehicles approaching from the side.
My 10-year-old daughter and I set off for a South Coast adventure on a Friday morning, and we had to drop off our dogs, a large greyhound and a small sausage, with family on the way down. Plenty of space for all of us in this nippy car – a bonus for busy families who want to take everything but the kitchen sink for a weekend away. And the large boot can be accessed by a hands-free power-operated tailgate, what a pleasure!
What’s a road trip without snacks, supplies and great tunes? The premium, rich sound by the Harman/Kardon system tackled a preteen’s screeching pop tunes and the driver’s thundering rock tunes equally well.
We stayed at Honeywood Lodge in Port Shepstone on Friday night, and I noticed other guests eying out the bursting blue metallic beauty parked next to them. It’s not only a smooth ride, but boasts good looks too.
Large alloy wheels and a wide body give the XC40 a strong presence on the road; this is truly an SUV ready for anything. Speaking of, the winding road from Port Shepstone into Oribi Gorge can be challenging for most, but not for the XC40. A whole lot of potholes also got in the way – but the few that I failed to miss, I didn’t even feel.
After enjoying the gorge we headed further down the coast, and left the N2 to enjoy a slow drive on the old main road – moseying through Shelley Beach, Margate and Ramsgate before ending up in Southbroom at the delightful Barefoot B&B. Driving out to dinner on Saturday night we got horribly lost because my temperamental map app confused two roads with the same name. Thank goodness for the XC40’s auto light feature; the headlights switch automatically from daytime running lights to low beams in weak daylight or dark conditions. One less thing to worry about when driving at night!
Sunday morning met us with drizzle, so we didn’t get to make the most of beach time and famous Blue Flag beaches. But we made up for it by indulging at the Waffle House and visiting Butterfly Valley, before heading back to Hillcrest. By then it was raining cats and dogs, so I also got to test the car in these challenging conditions – and not surprisingly, it proved to be perfectly stable on wet roads.
All in all, the Volvo XC40 simply just makes life easier. And that’s something we can all appreciate in today’s otherwise complicated, albeit delightful, life.
FOR MORE INFO:
- 39 Old Main Road, Saint Helier
- 031 716 5000
- www.volvocarshillcrest.co.za