Is it time to get a new car for the new decade that’s just begun? If you’ve had the same car for the last ten years (or even twenty years), then it’s high time that you upgraded – hang onto your beloved old set of wheels as a potential classic if you like. Your needs have probably changed. Technology has certainly changed. Now, the focus is more on efficiency, economy and safety rather than how fast and powerful a machine is. And I’d like to suggest the new Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 as a potential new model for your new car for the next decade.

If your situation has changed so that you now have a family, you need a large, safe car (and even if you have little kids now, they will soon grow up into big kids who will knee you in the kidneys when they’re in the back seat). The Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 ticks the boxes here. If the kids have grown up and left home, maybe it’s time to look at a go-anywhere vehicle you can have some off-road adventure and fun. Again, the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 fits the bill. Or maybe you’ve embarked on a new career that requires a smart-looking and reliable vehicle that maintains your corporate image. Yet again, the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 makes a worthy choice.

So how does the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 tick the boxes? What’s it got on offer?

Let’s start with the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5’s engine – because that’s what cars are all about, when you really come down to it. Safety and comfort, after all, aren’t just for cars. Here, we’re looking at a five-cylinder twin-turbo 2.4 litre diesel that gives you the twist at the low level where you need it for towing, hillwork, off-roading or acceleration: a whopping 420 Nm of torque all the way through the 1500 to 3250 rpm range. Power-wise, this unit delivers 151 kW of punch at 4000 rpm. Harness this up to the AWD drivetrain via the six-speed Geartronic automatic suspension and the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 rockets from zero to the ton (i.e. 0–100 kmh) in 8.9 seconds and has a top speed of 205 kmh. And – in keeping with the demands of the new decade – the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 has a mixed/average fuel consumption figure of 7.6 litres per 100 km (or, broken down10.2 l/100km for city driving and 6.2 l/100 km on the open road). The Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 does OK in the CO2 emissions department, too, putting out only 201 g/km.

Comfortwise, the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 has a range of treats in store for the lucky driver. The seats inside the Volvo XC-60 2.4 D5 are trimmed in leather, either basic black or beige, or a two-tone combination (black and lemon green, or beige and expresso brown). And the colour and trim isn’t all with the seats: they have been designed with ergonomics in mind, complete with stepless lumbar support for the driver, and side support and padding for everybody. And the list of comfort and convenience features inside the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 keeps going with Home Safe lighting, electronically controlled air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking assist, multifunctional door mirrors that double as extra indicators as well as being easily adjustable from inside (and have a number of potential extras, such as the Blind Spot Information System), audio controls mounted in the leather-trimmed steering-wheel, and a leather-trimmed Geartronic gearknob.

Convenient little touches are sprinkled throughout the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5, inside and out. Little things like the standard roof rails; soft load cover; the power outlet in the luggage compartment; the cupholders in the rear centre armrest; the centre console that folds open to provide a table for the rear seat, an auxiliary input jack for the audio system, two cupholders (with the cover closed) and a handily segmented storage compartment. The audio system in the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 that the auxiliary input jack feeds into features 6 loudspeakers, a 4 x 20 W amplifier, a single CD player and (of course) a radio.

You would expect the safety inside the Volvo XC 60 2.4 D5 to be nothing less than superb, and superb it is. Ten years ago, people were just starting to talk about the importance of pyrotechnic pretensioning inside vehicles, so you can bet your bottom dollar that the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 has them – and it does. And, unlike other SUVs that only have them in the front, the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 has them for all five seats. Other passive safety features inside the Volvo X-C60 2.4 D5 include the Roll-Over Protection System, the impact-absorbing crumple zones, the side impact beams, a full complement of airbags, and head restraints for everybody as well. And, it should be added, the soft load cover should also count as a safety feature of the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5, as stray items flying forward from the luggage compartment in a sudden stop can be lethal. Active safety features in the Volvo XC-60 2.4 D5 include ABS brakes with Brake Assist, Ready Alert Brakes, Fading Brake Support and EBD; the distraction-reducing IDIS; and the DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) anti-skid system.

And what does the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 look like? Gone are most of the chunky shapes seen on SUVs ten years ago and in their place are smooth, sleek lines. Apart from the higher ground clearance, the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5 resembles an up-to-date station wagon rather than a military wannabee. The SUV’s lines are smooth and flowing, and the halogen headlights have a bit of personality. The standard roof rails already mentioned flow with the lines of the vehicle, allowing for greater fuel economy as well as harmonizing with the styling.

The current model series includes the:

• Volvo XC60 2.4 D5

For any more information on the Volvo XC60 2.4 D5, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Volvo dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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