Volvo XC60 (2008 - 2017) 2.0 D3 (163bhp) DRIVe SE Lux Premium 5d (2010/10) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
-
Summary
What does this car say about you?
Family man.
What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?
They like it (but they never have to drive it). Wife likes it as it feels safe on the motorway and she is less discriminating when it comes to driving quality.
Would you buy this car again and why?
Never. The value for money is so bad they should shave £6000 off this car's list price and then it would make sense. I'm Belgian, and this car is made in Ghent. Figured I'd support the local economy. Turns out to be a bad car choice consideration.
What are you likely to buy next?
BMW 520d estate. New model wasn't available yet when I got the Volvo.
-
Buying experience
Type of dealer you bought from?
Franchised
Did you buy this car new?
Yes
What price did you pay?
£36,800
When did you buy the car?
August 2010
Did you get a good deal and why?
Yes. The company I work for buys a lot of Volvo's hence has good negotiation power.
Is there any special reason why you bought this car?
Only SUV in company car policy that had sufficient luggage space and fit into new CO2 emissions policy.
What was the dealer like?
Keen to close the sale. Fairly helpful.
-
Driving it
What's it like to drive?
Horrible in every single circumstance except for long, straight motorway stretches. No traction whatsoever on a damp road in 1st, 2nd or even 3rd gear. Makes you look like a hooligan every time. Steering & cornering very unbalanced. Winter tyres don't help traction any bit. Previous Touaregs provided much better cornering & confidence. 18 inch wheels don't add to the ride quality.
What's it like to park?
Pretty good. Fits in tight spaces despite being a fairly roomy car. Parking sensors come at a cost but are very useful. Turning circle reminiscent of a bus though. Don't even dream of turning around in a street without at least 3 manoeuvers. Highly annoying around town.
-
Living with it
Have you had any problems with the car?
Catalytic converter failed after less than a year. Left me limping home on a Sunday with no one to reach at dealer's or at lease company. Lots of small niggles. Electronic handbrake is located in an awkward spot. Had multiple occasions where I pushed the button, got out, only to find the car rolling away. Automatic tailgate the worst option, extremely slow, and makes tailgate open insufficiently high. One day car simply refused to start claiming water level too low without any early warning. Imagine getting this while on holiday at a place where you can't easily get clean water from the tap. Squeaks and rattles from driver door panel, driver's seat, clutch pedal, passenger seatbelt after only a year. Dealer fixed them, they came back after a few months. Unacceptable for a £36K car .
What's most practical about your car?
Large boot. That's it, pretty much.
Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
Heated seats.
