Long-Termers

LONG-TERMERS VOLVO V60

The early electrical gremlins with our long-term Volvo V60 have disappeared and now James Baggott is enjoying one of the best estate cars around.

Ioften get asked which car I’d shell out my own money on, and while the model often varies, the manufacturer rarely does – it’s Volvo that does it for me.

Over the past few years, I’ve been very lucky to run several Volvo long-termers and this very latest V60 is arguably one of the best.

But then I’ve probably written that about the V90 diesel, and the V90 hybrid I had before that. In fact, you probably won’t have to delve too far into my past reports to realise I have something of a penchant for the Swedish brand.

Why? Well, it’s all about the quality. A number of manufacturers claim their cars offer a premium experience, but when you scratch beneath the surface you find that they don’t always live up to expectations.

In the Volvo, you don’t get that. This is the D4 Diesel model and with 190bhp it’s remarkably quick. The automatic gearbox is swift to swap cogs and never am I left wondering at what time of the day the car will decide to select a gear.

It’s inside where the quality really shines. The interior is beautifully crafted and now several months into my tenure and passing 6,000 miles, it is still as good as the day it arrived. The seats are superbly comfortable and I love the single iPad-style infotainment system. OK, sometimes it’s a little bit laggy when it comes to choosing certain things on the screen, but overall it’s simple to use and brilliant to interact with.

Since my last report, the gripes I originally experienced with the blind spot warning light randomly illuminating have disappeared completely. You may remember it went back to Volvo for some software tinkering and that obviously did the job.

Following that episode I’ve used the Volvo to head to the Alps for a ski holiday with my daughter. This, of course, was when the weather was colder and before we had to worry about things such as Covid-19.

The 1,500 miles were covered in luxury, and with winter tyres on it scampered up and down the snowy inclines I threw at it in the resort. What’s more, with the huge top box in place and despite my daughter’s attempts to fill the car with a metric ton of cuddly toys, there was surprisingly still room for sensible things like clothes and food.

We travelled over there thanks to Brittany Ferries and it was handy to be able to turn the alarm off so easily. Again, it’s all easy to find on that infotainment system.

Looks-wise, I’m pretty biased, but I think the Inscription Plus pack, brown paintwork and tan interior is a wonderful combination. It certainly gets a lot of looks when I am out and about and is far better than I could have ever imagined when I ordered it.

Problems? Well, there are few to report now the early electrical gremlins have disappeared. That’s testament to the quality and all-round goodness of the V60. If I were pressed for a moan, I’d say it can feel a little cramped in the front compared with the V90, but then what do you expect? It’s smaller. Yes, the price might look a little eye-watering, but I can honestly say I think it’s worth it. For a quality, practical and enjoyable-to-drive estate you can’t go far wrong with a V60… especially in brown.

THE KNOWLEDGE Volvo V60

Price (as tested): Engine: Power: Torque: 0-60mph: Max speed: Emissions: MPG (combined): Mileage:

£50,295 D4 Diesel 190bhp 400Nm 7.6 seconds 137mph 117g/km CO2 64 6,324

This month’s highlight: The admiring looks while out and about – the V60’s appearance is far better than I imagined it could be.

OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING

SsangYong Korando

Mileage: 2,285 The practicality levels of the Korando were seriously put to the test.

Audi A1

Mileage: 846 The Audi A1 is finally able to stretch its legs again after being parked up during lockdown. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

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