- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0T, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
224kW, 440Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 10.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Volvo V60 T6 R-Design Review
VOLVO V60 T6 REVIEW
Vehicle Style: Prestige Wagon
Price: $72,150
Fuel Economy (claimed): 10.3 l/100km
Fuel Economy (tested): 11.8 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Volvo has added heat to the V60 wagon by pairing the gutsy 3.0 litre turbo-six from the T6 with its sports R-Design visual package.
The result is a wagon with robust straight-line performance and a suspension designed to make the most of the stable all-wheel-drive chassis.
INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5
- Quality: Inside, the attention to detail is immediately obvious. There is a consistent feel and weighting to all controls, premium soft-touch surfaces, tight panel gaps and a robust feel to the interior fittings. We couldn’t fault the V60’s build quality.
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Comfort: Although the seats initially feel firmly padded they provide good long-range comfort. The front seats benefit from added bolstering and appealing ‘grippy’ trim.
Rear seat passengers however can feel a little cut off from the world thanks to the rising window line.
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Equipment: The T6 R-Design comes standard with a sports body-kit, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and cloth-trimmed sports seats.
Other standard items include dual-zone climate control, ‘Active Bending’ lights, power seats and front and rear park-sensors.
- Storage: With a 40:20:40 folding rear seat and flat folding front passenger seat, the V60 offers a range of options to extend the 692-litre cargo bay. There’s also a sizeable glovebox, deep console, lidded centre storage and deep door-pockets.
ON THE ROAD | RATING: 4/5
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Driveability: Thanks to a willing turbo straight-six engine and smooth six-speed auto the T6 is a potent drive.
With 224kW and 440NM available under the toe, a smooth and linear power delivery and with plenty in reserve for any situation, the V60 T6 Wagon is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
It is in fact a deceptively swift point-to-point tourer.
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Refinement: With minimal engine, wind and road noise creeping into the cabin, the V60 is a refined drive and relaxed at the wheel on a long distance highway hop.
The mechanical package behaves exactly how a family car should – until the taps are opened and then the sports car beneath reveals itself.
- Suspension: The stiffened suspension of the R-Design is firm, but not bone-jarring and exhibits excellent control on winding tarmac.
- Braking: With big four-wheel discs all round, braking performance is strong. The brakes are a little abrupt in their initial application however.
SAFETY
- ANCAP rating: Not yet tested
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Safety features: The V60 comes with six airbags, anti-whiplash front seats, ABS, EBD, brake assist, traction control and stability control. Volvo’s low-speed crash avoidance system City Safety is also standard.
Optional blind-spot monitoring, radar cruise-control, pedestrian detection and lane departure warning are also available.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
- Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kilometres
- Service costs: Service intervals are set for every 15,000km/12 months. Service costs are not provided by Volvo Australia. Before purchase, check with your Volvo dealer.
HOW IT COMPARES | VALUE FOR MONEY RATING: 5/5
- BMW 335i M Sport Touring ($115,300) – Turbo-charged 3.0 litre straight six and engine outputs almost line-ball with the T6. Handling is superior, but the price tag is a long way from where the Volvo sits. (see 3 Series reviews)
- Alfa Romeo 159 Ti Sportswagon ($82,990) – With a similar sporting focus and equally competent AWD chassis, the 159 wagon can hold its own in style and dynamics, despite having been around for almost six years.
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HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer (auto) ($70,600) – The only competitor here that undercuts the V60, and does so with a thumping V8 and plenty more space.
Confrontational looks and a lack of interior refinement count against it, but the value proposition is strong. (see HSV reviews)
Note: all prices are Manufacturer’s List Price and do not include dealer delivery or on-road costs.
TMR VERDICT | OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5
The V60 T6 R-Design wagon manages to simultaneously handle family duties while also satisfying the keen driver.
Offering six-cylinder turbo AWD performance at a reasonable price, it is strong value compared to its Euro competition.
We give the V60 T6 R-Design wagon a big nod of approval; it is a convincing challenger from the resurgent Volvo. Put it on your list if you’re looking for an appealing sharp-handling mid-size premium wagon.