The Volvo XC60 is not just luxurious, but intelligent and packed with industry-leading safety features, writes Bronwyn Fynn.
To say that the Volvo XC range is merely luxurious is an understatement. The equivalent would be to say that the Mona Lisa is merely a beautiful painting. It is not. And like the Mona Lisa, the creation of the Volvo XC range is richly layered, simple yet complex, elegant yet practical, and an object of both desire and beauty.
I recently had the pleasure of driving the Volvo XC60 from Volvo Cars Hillcrest, which to the uninitiated to Swedish Luxury is an experience to behold and a seismic shift in one’s comprehension of what driving should feel like.
From the moment you lay your eyes on the XC60 you are captivated. Its large front grill makes a statement that this is an SUV that will not be bullied on the road, while its sharp creases and curves, combined with Full-LED headlights with distinctive T-shaped daytime running lights, is unmistakably Volvo. It is beautifully designed and bound to turn heads and make an impression wherever it goes.
It’s in inside the car, however, that Volvo’s world-leading safety features and driving technology comes to life and takes your breath away. For family person who values passenger safety above speed, the Volvo XC60 is the obvious choice.
The car comes standard with Volvo’s industry-changing three-point safety belt and side-impact airbags. In addition to this, the four cameras positioned around the car gives the driver a bird’s-eye view of their setting – which ensures that whether you are driving into a parking space or reversing out of one, you can do so with absolute confidence that you are not going to hit anyone or anything.
But that is not all. The XC60 comes with Volvo’s IntelliSafe technology that actively scans the area around you, looking out for the unexpected.
Volvo pioneered City Safety, a collision avoidance technology that helps prevent collisions even up to highway speeds, and is the world’s first car manufacturer to include this feature as standard equipment in all new models.
A really cool feature that came into full effect during a drive on the N3 to the KZN Midlands is BLIS™ blind spot information with Steer Assist – which supports you when you have to change lanes in busy traffic.
When a vehicle enters your blind spot or approaches fast from behind, BLIS™ can alert you via a light in the left or right door mirror, and if you nonetheless drift into the path of another vehicle, BLIS™ can gently help steer you back into your lane.
If you are not used to technology that helps you drive better, this a feature that can be disconcerting at first. But once you get used to it, it is so valuable you will wonder what life was like before it.
It is not just the driver-assist functions that make Volvo cars smart. A feature known as Volvo On Call turns your car from being just your mode of transport into your personal assistant. It can tell you where to grab a cup of coffee or find that perfect last-minute gift, and send the destination to your car’s navigation system. It knows when you have got appointments, where they are and how to get there. You can use it to make your car ready for the drive to the office or the drive home, by remotely cooling or heating the cabin.
It helps keep you safe, automatically contacting the emergency services if you are involved in an accident and telling them where you are.
And in our ever-connected world where we are more likely to be asked for the wi-fi password than anything else, the built-in Volvo On Call modem – which needs an additional SIM-card – turns your car into a wi-fi hot spot which not only allows you and your family to connect your devices when you get into the car but also allows you to connect your Volvo to the internet and access in-car apps that include Google and Spotify.
The Volvo XC range is not just about luxury. It has been crafted with you in mind. Every aspect to ensure that your life is better while in the cabin of a Volvo has been thought of and then elegantly put together. People are at the heart of everything that Volvo does, and no truer is this statement than driving the XC60.
FOR MORE INFO:
- 39 Old Main Road, Saint Helier, Hillcrest
- Open 7.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays
- To book a test drive contact the Volvo Hillcrest team on 031 716 5000, info@fmgh.co.za, www.volvocarshillcrest.co.za; Facebook @VolvoCarsHillcrest; Instagram @volvo_cars_hillcrest