SUVs and Crossovers, we love them. The commanding driving position, the extra space, and the adventurous nature appeal to us, a nation of generally outdoorsy enthusiasts. Serious full-blown SUVs aside, generally, the market is dominated by Crossovers, which as the name suggests, manage to blend the familiar nature of a hatchback with the convenience of those aforementioned attributes; driving position and space.
In most cases though, few offer more packing space than the hatchbacks they aim to one-up, and as for driving experience, well, with their raised centre of gravity and all-road ambitions, this is generally a somewhat sloppy affair.
There is a category of car, though, that manages to tick all the right boxes in terms of space, and driving position and that car is the humble station wagon. Agreed, station wagons don’t have the commanding driving position afforded by SUVs, but I’d argue that what you sacrifice in road-to-bum ratio, you make up for everywhere else. Acres of packing space for the entire family, and a driving experience akin to a sedan. Win, win.
Enter the new Volvo V60, which by all measurable attributes, could just be the perfect car. For starters, it’s absolutely stunning, and if anyone thought that Chinese automotive giant, Geely’s ownership of the Sweedish brand, would somehow ruin Gothenburg’s design aesthetic… Wrong (!), if anything, Volvo’s are simply becoming more beautiful one new car reveal at a time. XC90, XC60, XC40; all, simply stunning designs, and the new V60 continues this glorious trend.
With Volvo doubling down on electrification – all of their new cars will feature electrical assistance in some way or another – the new V60 will be offered with two plug-in hybrid powertrain options: the new 250kW T6 Twin Engine, and the 290kW T8 Twin Engine, both all-wheel drive and both petrol plug-in hybrids. Of course, ‘regular’ petrol T5 and T6 engines will be offered, as well as D3 and D4 diesel options.
As is customary with Volvo, expect a plethora of safety systems, derived from the XC90/V90 and XC60, to be offered as standard, such as City Safety with Autobrake technology, with many optional extras likely running into the many hundreds of thousands. No one can argue with Volvo when say their cars are some of the safest on the roads, same goes for the new V60 wagon. Inside, expect luxury and simplistic ergonomics as well as premium levels of tech we’ve come to expect from the slick Swedes.
Says Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars, “The family estate driver is an important customer for our business and has been for generations. The new V60 honours that tradition, but also takes it much further.”
Will South Africa families finally see the light or has our obsession with SUVs and Crossovers taken us too far down the road away from station wagon ownership? Let us know what you think.
