Volvo XC60 2012Change

Volvo owner since 2005. XC60 is an excellent and comfortable car like ride. Great safety features, truly relied on it since I have young children.

Prior to purchasing the XC60 I had looked at the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLK. I eliminated the Q5 without a test drive owing to the layout of the cargo area. The Mercedes was rather cramped, but the BMW was a strong second to the Volvo. The BMW's handling was a bit crisper than the Volvo's but the styling lacks character. Also, the BMW's repair costs [including those run flat tires] are astronomical after the warantee period.

I have never regretted purchasing the Volvo. It had been completely trouble free, has performed well, is roomy, and has been extremely comfortable both in town, on the way to the cottage, and on road trips. The one drawback in our cold climate is the lack of a heated steering wheel which I heard is going to be offered in the 2014 models. I have seen comments about fuel consumption and agree that consumption is higher than a sedan and certain competitors. However, it does use regular fuel. When I compared the fuel cost to the BMW X3 [my #2 choice], the cost of fuel was similar to the BMW. Overall, I would recommend the XC60 to anyone who is looking at this type of vehicle.

Good - Sharp looking, good handling, very quick, great sound system, very good AWD system, heated seats front and rear - great idea, very quiet, love the safety systems-BLISS, Back up camera, City Safety, Cruise, Lane detection.
Not so good - fuel consumption is not even close to ratings (75%) -and we don't drive hard, NAV system is a joke- my $199 Garmin is superior, Bluetooth is finicky, sunroof when open is very loud at all speeds.
For the money, (60K+) the not so good things should be better thought out. They need to address the first 3 (- not so good issues) and I could live with the last one.

superior performance and a comfortable grip firm to be an excellent vehicle the best car at this price..