Calm during the storm

The first Volvo XC60 arrived in India in 2010 and that was when Volvo became a more popular name on the lips of potential premium car-buyers. Until that moment, it was a name synonymous with luxury buses rather than super-safe cars. Seemingly undue wrongs were righted with the arrival of the new XC90 and the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). The Thor's Hammer LED lights, smooth lines, generous proportions, and an interior like no other were enough for it to become a bestseller.

Start knob, leather-bound key, and crafted drive-mode selector on the centre stack

The signature LED headlamps, the simple yet bold lines, and the sharp tail-lamp clusters look modern and extremely contemporary. This is a fine replacement for the car that first showed the world that automobiles could indeed stop themselves, guided merely by a radar and a camera. A lot more engineering and electronics have gone into the 60 since. Everything is new: from the platform and the seats, to the engine and the huge centre touch-display.

Striking 19-inch alloy wheels and high-profile rubber look good and work well. Pics/Saurabh Botre

Inherently, it does look akin to the XC90. They share the SPA platform as well as the engine, transmission, bits of the interior, and more. What it means is fantastic, compact looks - even for a large, wide, 4.7-metre-long car that's simply big overall. It means more safety, more space, optimised boot volume, and a long list of cutting-edge standard equipment. The big difference is in the track widths. While the new XC60 is wider front and rear, the significant difference is that its predecessor ran a wider front track, whereas the new XC60 runs a wider rear track. The wheelbase, too, is longer by 91 mm. Black diamond-cut 19-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 rubber are standard.

Fine blend of wood, metal and leather add to the calm in the well-lit and airy cabin

Swedish luxury abounds in the XC60's cabin - it's a fantastic place to be, one that oozes an aura of classic calm with a bit of excitement. Its state-of-the-art layout and element management make it necessary to stop and appreciate the attention to detail that has gone in. The bare Driftwood trim on the dash, the doors, and the sliding storage cover, as well as the aluminium trim accents accentuating areas of the cabin look at home with their contrast yet complete the flow in harmony.

Perforated leather adorns the seats. They are also heated and ventilated and offer a massage function. The 12.3-inch touch display with its tile selection makes the interface more phone-like and easy to use. The premium sound system from Bowers & Wilkins with 15 speakers is also standard, as is its ability to replicate the Gothenburg concert hall. Then there's plethora of new safety equipment that, on earlier models, needed to be deactivated for reasons related to radio frequency bands.

The XC60 packs everything from the global market - pilot assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot information, cross- and oncoming-traffic alerts, road sign information, lane-keeping aid, collision mitigation, run-off-road protection, and park assist pilot, among others - making it the most cutting-edge offering in its class, with more advanced and capable active and passive safety features than its competition; in a similar vein as its impressive predecessor did back in 2009.

The safety kit isn't the only highlight; the new XC60 is more powerful. Making it go is a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine making 235 PS and 480 Nm. Power is handled by an eight-speed automatic that sends it to all four wheels, with the focus on the front. All the power is funnelled to the front axle, with the rear getting up to 50 per cent of the drive when needed.

Refinement is also up a few notches and the new XC60 offers a pleasantly cushy ride. The standard air suspension and active chassis allow for dynamic ride quality improvements and adjustments on the go. In Eco and Comfort modes, the XC60 makes it evident that the target was a softer ride and it impresses with its comfort. The sound deadening has been vastly improved upon. At speed, it's more whoosh and less whirr. In Dynamic mode, the dampers work hard, stiffening up for better handling dynamics, yet the ride remains soft, with the car slinking down to a lower ride height for reduced drag. There's also an Off Road mode. Find the rough stuff, and it raises the XC60 up to 223 mm. The smart four-wheel driveline distributes the torque effortlessly no matter the surface or conditions. With the plethora of driver aids, there is absolutely no feeling of a loss of control.

On the open highway with lane markings is where it truly shines, though. The scenario of five occupants with a loaded boot hitting the road for a trip away from the ordinary takes shape very well. The adaptive cruise control, aided by the radar sensor, camera and laser setup under the IntelliSafe umbrella, makes cruising a breeze. Set the speed and the XC60 follows the road, keeping to its lane, following a vehicle ahead or maintaining a set speed, accelerating, braking and steering by itself, leaving you pretty much at leisure to chat with others in the car or even relax a bit. The heads-up display shows current speed and prioritises navigation notifications; for instance, any turns coming up.

The XC60 behaves very well at speed. Its claimed top is 210 km/h, so a 120-km/h cruise speed is nothing more than a relaxing jaunt for the twin-turbo motor. The added sound deadening also reduces outside noise, including unruly traffic and any tyre noise, making it rather deceptive on the move. Should you need to shed speed, the brakes are rather large and are very progressive in delivering their stopping power. All in all, the new XC60 is a commendable evolution, built on a revolutionary new platform that promises more and delivers on all counts. It's smooth, refined, comfortable and, by a huge margin, safe. With all it offers, it helps maintain the calm no matter what's on the outside and that, in essence, is its greatest virtue.

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