Volvo XC60

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Volvo’s slogan “Parenting Made Easy” is a big call. So naturally, I was intrigued at how the Volvo XC60 would make parenting easier and if it could.

The XC60 is a 5 door, 5 seater SUV ideal for families. It is intuitive and has a number of inbuilt technological improvements that are both user-friendly and helpful in everyday living.

The inbuilt booster seats, reverse camera and keyless entry are standout features I have appreciated throughout the review. Keep reading to see this mum’s review of the Volvo XC60 and what features make it a suitable Family Car.

Driving

The Volvo is very smooth and responsive to drive. The car has a powerful engine that easily responds to acceleration requests and it has a fantastically tight turning circle. There is so much technology behind and within the car, yet Volvo has been able to keep the user interface simple and uncomplicated. The car and all of its features are very user-friendly either through their ergonomic design, simplicity in activating (e.g. cruise control) or the ability to easily change user preferences through the settings on the LCD display.

Inside the car, there is a medium-sized LCD display and the dashboard and speedometer are simple and easy to read and can be customised to suit your visual preference. The car follows the European layout design which I find appealing.

The Volvo XC60 offers ‘city stop’ the ability of the car to sense cyclists and pedestrians around and prepares your breaks for a sudden stop. While you never wish to use this feature, as a parent it is a handy safety feature that is ideal with children around especially if you are often going to childcare centres or schools where the roads can be crazy.

Parent-Friendly Features

The inbuilt booster seats have to be the biggest winner for me. Legally complying with Australian standards these booster seats mean that I do not have to have 3 car seats within my car. I only need the one for my toddler and my other children (as they are older than 4 years) can use the inbuilt boosters. The level of the booster seat can be adjusted to over 2 levels to best suit the height of your child. They are quick and easy to adjust making it simple to change the layout of the car should you have more adults or other children joining you on your journey. The inbuilt boosters offer your child the protection they need while your children love the freedom of the raised seat and the sense that they no longer need a ‘baby seat’. The inbuilt booster seats are fantastic for parents as they are a lot easier to clean than booster seats.

The children were super impressed with the inbuilt booster seats and have shown them off proudly to all of their friends.

This feature gets my tick of approval at making parenting look easy!

Child Anchor Points

The Volvo XC60 offers 3 anchor points; 1 behind each back seat as well as 2 Isofix child anchor point. The Isofix child anchor points are anchor points that are independent of the vehicle seatbelt. Used widely throughout Europe, Volvo includes them within their Australian models.

An ideal feature with this care is that due to the inbuilt booster the car is more likely to accommodate 3 children as you can change the car seating to your requirements. We have 1 baby car seat and 2 inbuilt boosters set up at the moment but you could change this to 1 inbuilt booster and 2 baby car seats.

Keyless Entry

Another ideal feature for mums is the keyless entry. As long as the car keys are within a close distance to the car (e.g. on you/in your bag) there is a button on each door that can be pressed to unlock the car. I have found this immensely helpful as I carry my sleeping child or when laden with groceries in each hand and a toddler on my hip. Not needing to put your child down to search for keys is very helpful.

The car offers Keyless driving as well which is protected from children as you have to place your foot on the brake when pushing the ignition button to start the car.

Rear Parking Camera

I put this into Parent-Friendly features as I think this is a great feature for parents when children are around. All too often we hear about accidents with children in driveways and this feature will reduce those. I loved this feature when trying to park, as you can see where you are going; there are indication lines around to show the angle you are moving at, where your wheels are going, and sensors which beep when you get too close to something. You also have the ability to change the view to see how close you are to a line on the ground.

Boot

The Volvo XC60 offers a mum friendly boot. With the push of a button on the remote, the boot will open ready to accept my bags. With another push of a button on the tailgate, it will close. The Tailgate can also be adjusted to open to a specific height which is great for families that park on hills or for the vertically challenged. The boot is spacious and will easily accommodate day to day family requirements.

We have found the auto-opening of the boot useful. While I am getting my toddler out of his car seat, I press the button to open the boot and my other children can then grab their bags. The button on the tailgate to lower the boot into place has also been appreciated. This may seem trivial, however, it is handy. Weighed down with groceries I do not have the ability to grab and lower the tailgate by myself, however extending a finger and pressing a button is possible, saving a further trip out to the car.

Volvo has long been known for its safety and I am happy to admit that the Volvo XC60 has changed my impression of the Volvo cars for families. I now see Volvo as a car manufacturer offering intuitive sense, surplus features and safety technology complemented with stylish features and everyday luxury.

Further Features of the Volvo XC60

0-100km/h 7.2secs
Top Speed 210km/h
Fuel Consumption 7.0L/100km (combined)
CO2 Emissions 164g/km
Fuel Tank 70 Litres
Bluetooth® (Inc. Audio Streaming)
Sensus Navigation System with Voice Control
USB, AUX and iPod Connectivity
Adaptive LED Headlamps
Dual Aircon
Memory Seating
Child Seat Kick Guard
Rear-View Mirror with Compass
Keyless Entry and Drive
Power Child Locks
Front Parking Sensors (optional)
Seat Heaters (optional)

Further Safety Features:

City Safety; Anti-lock Brake System (ABS); Trailer Stability Assist (TSA); Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD); Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Emergency Brake Lights with Hazard Light Activation; Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC); Roll Stability Control (RSC); Driver and Front Passenger Dual-Stage Airbags Front; Two Full-Length Inflatable Curtain Airbags; Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) Including SIPS Airbags in Front Seats; Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS); Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS); Three-Point Seatbelts, Head Restraints, Anti-Submarining, Seatbelt Tensioners and Reminders on All Seats; Two-Stage Dual Integrated Booster Cushions in Rear Outer Seats; Rear Parking Camera; Rear Parking Sensors