XC60's styling was described by Volvo as possessing the “sporty charisma of a coupe.” Well, that is not entirely true, but XC60 comes remarkably close. Conventional SUVs often appear boxy and bulky. But the sleek, classy XC60 comes along and changes all that. Sporting the new Volvo grille, sculpted bumpers, muscular character lines and LED rear lights, XC60 is as handsome as SUVs come. Like most modern SUVs, XC60 is more at home on tarmac than on muddy tracks, with the well-weighted steering, nicely controlled body movements and strong grip levels translating into excellent on-road manners. Although XC60 may not be the most fun SUV to dart around, it feels surefooted and competent around corners—impressive considering the size and weight of the car. The elevated ground clearance and permanent four-wheel drive allow XC60 to go mild off-roading, too, though we would not recommend that. Smooth riding and quiet cruising, XC60 is among the most refined SUV in the market. The ride feels composed over all surfaces and handles lumpy road surfaces with ease, while wind and road noise are impressively kept out even at high speeds. The inviting cabin boasts extremely supportive, electrically adjustable front seats, two-way adjustable steering column, a simple dash and great all-round visibility. The only blemish? The small, fussy control buttons situated on the “floating” centre console are hard to navigate while on the move. The cabin has style and quality in equal parts. The fit-and-finish are excellent, as is the range of quality materials. A choice of brushed aluminium trim, classic wood trim or nordic light oak trim is available to complement the leather upholstery. The plastics used are dense and soft to the touch. Given Volvo's reputation for reliability and the fact that many underlying mechanicals are shared with the rest of the Volvo range, XC60 should withstand the test of time just fine. XC60 has a chassis setup suited for life on the highways, and the smooth, strong turbocharged six-cylinder 3.0-litre petrol engine allows for that effortlessly. Mated to a six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission, the T6 engine produces 282 bhp at 5600 rpm and 400 Nm from 1500–4800 rpm; the massive torque available from such low rpm ensuring overtaking is no more than a piece of cake. From standstill, 100 km/h can be reached in 7.5 seconds, with a maximum speed of 210 km/h. The cabin is roomy for four, and takes five without problems. Head- and leg-room are both more than adequate, whether for the front or rear. The well-shaped boot provides 495 litres of luggage space, which can be further extended to 1455 litres by folding flat the rear row of seats. Versatility is high on the list, too, thanks to the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats. XC60 will be expensive to run, and one of the main culprit is of course the fuel economy. Or more specifically the lack of economy—the 8.4 km/litre figure will worsen if your right foot is too heavy. Like for other luxury brands, servicing and repairs are costly. Volvo models normally tend to depreciate more than comparable models from leading luxury brands, but as XC60 is arguably the most desirable Volvo to-date, it should have little problems maintaining fair to good resale values. XC60 caters to people seeking an SUV sized between large SUVs such as XC90 and BMW X5 and mid-size SUVs such as Land Rover Freelander and Honda CRV. Following on the heeds of the highly successful XC90 means expectations are high, but XC60 meets everyone of them. Stylish, good to drive, comfortable, well-built and well-equipped, XC60 ticks all the boxes and, for the first time, makes owning a Volvo almost cool. Standard equipments include 18” alloy wheels, roof rails, leather upholstery, Bluetooth system, USB/iPod audio system with AUX input, 6 CD in-dash changer, steering wheel cruise control/audio switches, electrically adjustable front seats and climate control. Safety equipments are especially comprehensive, including front and side airbags, curtain airbags, Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), Roll Stability Control (RSC), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and the highly innovative City Safety technology, which at low speeds warns if you are too close to the car in front and automatically brakes in the absence of driver inputs. 284 grams/km of carbon dioxide emissions and 8.4 km/litre of fuel consumption mean XC60 is not quite the ideal car for those with an environmental conscience. XC60 pollutes more and consumes more petrol than smaller-size SUVs such as Honda CR-V or Nissan X-Trail, though that is only expected considering the amount of mass being hauled and the power on tap.