Midsize crossovers need to live up to their status as all-purpose vehicles. From its iconic trapezoidal grille to its raked greenhouse and muscular flanks, the new 2012 Volvo XC60 is a standout on the road. Whether it’s simple things like the daily commute and runs to the home improvement store or tough family hauls like interstate travel in the worst weather Mother Nature can throw at you, the new 2012 XC60 gets the job done – with utility, refinement, performance and safety second to none. This year, the XC60 offers new trim levels, redesigned option packages and a power boost on the road-pummeling R-Design model.
Volvo sells the XC60 in three versions: The well-equipped 3.2 (MSRP $32,900), the sporty T6 AWD and the high-performance T6 R-Design.
Driving the front wheels on the 3.2 (all-wheel drive is optional) is an inline-six-cylinder engine displacing 3.2 liters and making 240 hp. The T6 AWD boasts a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder good for 300 hp and 325 lb/ft of torque while the T6 R-Design quickens the pulse with 325 hp and 354 lb/ft of torque from a revised version of the 3.0-liter turbocharged six, an increase of 25 hp and 29 lb/ft from last year that makes this the most powerful production Volvo ever.
Both turbocharged models get All-Wheel Drive with Instant Traction, and regardless of model, power channels to the drive wheels through a six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission. Fuel economy is impressive throughout the range; the XC90 3.2 with front-wheel drive returns an EPA-estimated 25 highway mpg.
Exceptional safety is nothing new for Volvo, the company that shaped, tested and implemented most of the technology that saves lives on the road every day. A four-wheel antilock disc brake system with Hydraulic Brake Assist and Ready Alert Brakes are standard, and Volvo broadens the safety spectrum on the XC60 with such advanced systems as Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, Roll Stability Control, Whiplash Protection Seating and world-first “City Safety,” which can sense a pending collision at speeds up to 19 mph and apply the brakes to prevent it or reduce its severity.
The available Technology Pack deepens your sense of security at speed, offering a host of safety technology that includes Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake, Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist, which uses radar and a digital camera to maintain a set distance between you and the vehicle ahead at any speed including in stop-and-go traffic. The Blind Spot Information System comes as a separate option.
The XC60 is also a showcase of sumptuous luxury and in-demand infotainment technology. Standard items include an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with three-position memory and lumbar support, eight-way power and adjustable lumbar for the passenger’s seat, HD Radio™, SIRIUS Satellite Radio with complimentary six-month subscription, Bluetooth® with Streaming Audio and power-adjustable heated exterior rearview mirrors with memory function. When the time comes to transform the XC60 from opulent transport to chore wagon, drop the 40/20/40-split/folding rear seat to create over 67 cubic feet of cargo space.
This year’s XC60 gathers a wide variety of optional equipment into convenient trim levels. Available exclusively on the XC60 3.2, the Premier trim level features such highlights as an Aluminum Décor Steering Wheel, leather seating surfaces, a power passenger’s seat and a Laminated Panoramic Glass Roof with Power Sunshade.
Depending on which XC60 model you choose, the Premier Plus level gathers the features from the Premier level and adds amenities such as front-and-rear Park Assist, a Power Operated Tailgate with Programmable Memory Setting, Keyless Drive with Personal Car Communicator and Electric Folding Rear Headrests.
Stepping up to the Platinum trim gets you all the features in Premium Plus, along with desirables that include a Rear Park Assist Camera, a 650-watt Volvo Premium Sound System with Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, 12 speakers and a seven-inch color monitor and a navigation system with Voice Recognition, Real-Time Traffic and Map Care.
The Powerful XC60 R-Design boasts its own collection of exclusive appearance-and-performance enhancements including a sports steering wheel and gear-lever knob both clad in leather, watch-dial blue-faced instruments, Dual Xenon Headlights, 20-inch “Cratus” alloy wheels and an advanced Sport Chassis with stronger suspension damping.
To explore all the new details on the 2012 Volvo XC60, be sure to contact us to schedule a test drive.
