2012 Volvo V60 Reviews

Canny motorists are facing a shopping bonanza as car makers start slashing prices to make way for new models. But it's not only outgoing models going cheap - look out for end-of-year sales as well.Any time a carmaker trumpets a new model, these shoppers are there ready to make a financial killing by buying up the old model. Look for sales at particular times of the year. June is traditionally a strong month for squeezing extra savings out of a dealer though, with a buoyant car market and fierce competition, anytime towards the end of any month can deliver a bonus.End of year sales are popular. Dealers always want to sell but the months of November and December provide a chance to discount cars built in the current year. Fighting this are car buyers who want a car built in the new year to preserve resale value. Here's some deals but be prepared for more as the calendar year draws to a close.HOLDENDeep Purple is no longer a rock band - it's Holden's new colour that is available on a range of cut-price “Z-Series” Commodore sedans, utes and wagons. The new colour is the same as Holden's iconic show car, the Efijy. Different models in the Z-Series line-up get different equipment levels but, as an example, the base Omega automatic is $41,990 but the Z-Series edition costs $39,990.The bonus is that the Z includes a heap of extras within that price, including leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, rear camera and sensors, leather steering wheel and chrome door frames. The SV6 ute adds 19-inch alloys, carpet mats and leather seats for $38,490, down $1000 on the plane-Jane SV6.The discounts on the VE Holden Commodore range precede the launch early next year of the VF Commodore models. Holden is also running out the Barina five-door manual hatch at $16,490, a saving of $500.TOYOTAYou'll have to do some legwork here. The new Corolla is on sale and some dealers still have stocks of the old model. Officially, there's no discount on the outgoing model though some dealers - predominantly NSW and Victoria - have extra stock and have advertised a $18,990 price, $1000 off the list price. Note that the cheapest 2013 Corolla is also $19,990. Toyota WA says customers should discuss pricing direct with their dealer.It's not only the Corolla that may offer savings. The RAV4 gets updated early next year and though there's no official price, dealers will consider offers. On top of that, Toyota has zero per cent finance on Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion until the end of the year.HYUNDAIThere's a lot of previous-model stock available from Hyundai and buyers can make big savings if they're not chasing the latest car. These include old-stock i30 hatchbacks with $2000 off the normal price and previous Santa Fe SUVs for up to $3000 off.But there are also current models. The big one is the $13,990 drive-away price on the i20 three door which saves $2500. A similar discount is on the five-door i20. The i40 wagon is now from $29,990 driveaway, a saving of about $3000, and the sedan model with automatic transmission is also from $29,990, saving about $2500.Hyundai's popular baby SUV, the ix35, is now from $27,990 driveaway for the Active version, a saving of $1120, while other ix35 variants have been reduced by $500.MITSUBISHIThe new Outlander SUV arrives November 18 so Mitsubishi is sweeping out current stock. The "Enhancement Pack" model is an LS version with leather seats, heated front seats and an electric-adjust driver's seat. It has Bluetooth, 18-inch alloys with a full-size alloy spare, six airbags for the front-wheel drive version (up from two) and a cabin styling pack with bright trim to the door handles, console panel and rear door trim.Prices start at $28,990 drive away for the LS front-wheel drive model with five-speed manual transmission. The normal price is $29,340 plus on-road costs so the saving is about $4500. But for buyers who want the new model, register on Mitsubishi's website and there's the chance to win a $1000 Westfield shopping voucher and 15 per cent off accessories for the new Outlander. If that's not tempting, Mitsubishi also has 0.9 per cent finance until the end of this month.SUBARUThe 2012 run out has just started for Subaru which has chopped up to $5000 off three models. It replaces its Liberty and Outback in early 2013 as a mid-life makeover that includes upgrades to trim specifications. There is an all-new Forester also due about February. So the deals are now on the table.The Outback 2.5i manual is usually $37,490 plus on-road costs (say, $5000) but is being rolled out the showroom door for $35,990 including all on-road costs. The same axe has lobbed on the Forester X which is now $32,990 drive-away including leather-faced seats, alloy wheels and fog lights.The normal retail price is $30,990 without the extras and without on-road costs. Subaru is selling the Liberty 2.5i sedan manual for $31,990 drive away with leather seats, electric driver's seat and reverse camera. The car normally sells for $32,990 plus on-road costs.FORDKuga Trend $35,490 drive away (normally $38,990 plus on-road costs) and the upmarket Titanium is now $41,490 drive away, previously $44,990 plus all on the road charges. The Kuga is to be replaced with a new model in early 2013.Focus Ambiente hatch now $19,990 drive away (normally $20,290 plus costs). The Mondeo Zetec hatch is $33,990 with all costs (usually $37,740 plus on-road fees) and Falcon's XR6 Turbo is down from $46,235 plus costs, to $43,490 drive away.KIAThere's a new Sorento SUV so the outgoing model has a $2000 gift voucher attached to its normal retail price.VOLKSWAGENIs running out stocks of the current Golf VI to make way for the Golf VII due early next year. Volkswagen Australia has set the price of the current Golf 77TSI manual at $20,990 including metallic paint and all drive-away costs. This is a saving of about $5000.The Golf Wagon 90TSI with DSG auto, metallic paint and all drive-away costs is now $29,990, saving about $3500. Note that for small-car wagon buyers, Volkswagen has not confirmed a wagon version of the new Golf. If you want this shape, this could be your last chance.VOLVOThe Swede is clearing out its 2012 stock by adding value rather than chopping the price tag. The S60 and V60 entry-level models now come with the upmarket Teknik pack valued at about $4500. But if you specify the Teknik model, Volvo will automatically give you the R-Design pack (valued at $3000) for free.The same deal applies to the XC60 SUV. There's also a deal on S60 or V60 from the dealer's existing stock. Volvo will include free scheduled servicing for three years or 100,000km.

Volvo has unveiled plans to launch a hybrid version of its S60 wagon in Australia. But unlike other hybrids already available here, this one's a little different because it combines a diesel with an electric motor.The result is a car that is capable of achieving the amazingly low fuel consumption figures of 1.9 litres/100km - yet still post a time of 6.2 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash. It's a plug-in hybrid which means you can simply plug it into a wall socket if the battery is running low, an operation that takes as little as 3.5 hours for a full charge depending on the number of amps you feed it.With a small 45 litre tank it can travel more than 1000km on a single tank of fuel. Sounds too good to be true.SWEDENSpeaking in Sweden this week, Volvo Cars Australia boss Matt Braid revealed the company hoped to have the car here and on sale before the end of next year. "It's a demonsration of our technology and what we can offer, but the volumes obviously won't be massive,'' he said."With Polestar at the other end of the market, we'll have both ends covered.'' Polestar is Volvo's high performance brand of which we are sure to be seeing much more in the near future.BACK TO THE HYBRIDThe V60 D6 AWD wagon is equipped with a 158kW 2.4-litre turbo diesel engine that drives the front wheels and a 50kW electric motor that drives the rear wheels, either separately or together - making it rear wheel drive, front wheel drive or all-wheel drive at the push of a button. It is capable of operating in one of the drive modes.In pure electric or `EV' mode it can travel for a distance of up to 50km, depending on how fast you're travelling (the faster you go the quicker it chews through the charge in its lithium-ion batteries). Top speed in EV mode is 120km/h.The wagon can also operate in full hybrid mode (the default mode) during which power is regenerated to recharge the batteries. And, in power mode, the diesel and electric motors team up to drive both sets of wheels, providing up to 208kW of power and 640Nm of torque in total.THE DOWNSIDE?The price, mainly. In Sweden the car retails for 560,000 Krona with the help of a tax break from the Government. In Australian dollars that's about $80,000 (or $12,000 more than the equivalent petrol powered T6 AWD model). But remember, that's with a tax break (the Australian Goverment hasn't been exactly helpful in this department to date).Mr Braid said it is too early to start talking about prices for the car yet, but he hopes to offer it for less than $100,000. That's probably a bit optomistic. We think $75,000 is closer to the mark - anymore than this and buyers are likely to reject the hybrid as an option."We hope to have it by 2013,'' Braid said. "It's now becoming quite a firm option. We showed the concept at the Melbourne motor show last year and the feedback we got was very positive.''TEST DRIVEDuring a flying visit to Sweden this week we had a quick spin in a pre-production version of the hybrid at Volvo's proving ground outside Gothenberg. Performance is strong, particuarly in power mode and the car is nicely balanced.This is despite the extra weight of the electric motor, batteries and other equipment that add more than 300kg to the kerb weight. The batteries by the way are hidden under the luggage compartment floor, requiring the floor to be raised by 60mm. The result is less luggage space - 305 litres compared with 430 in the standard wagon.With no room for a spare because of the batteries a reinflation kit is supplied in the event of a flat tyre. Production of the hybrid wagon is due to start in earnest in November, with an initial run of 1000 cars. By the end of next year, however, the hybrid is expected to account for 10-15 per cent of production.Volvo V60 D6 AWD Diesel HybridPrice:  $75,000 - $100,000 (etimated)Engine: 2.4-litre turbodiesel 5-cylinder; 160kW/440Nm + electric motor 50kW/200NmAcceleration: 0 to 100km/h: 6.2 secondsTransmission: 6-speed automatic: AWDThirst: 1.9 L/100km

I've been driving so many Volvos lately I might start wearing a hat and speaking Swedish with a Chinese accent. Aside from those afflictions it's not been too bad.This "Swedish Valiant" is the V60 D3 wagon, a bull-nosed sharp-looking family hauler that looks nothing like the old Volvo wagons that were around when I was growing up .... I mean, when I was younger.VALUEThe V60 D3 Teknik model is by no means a bargain-basement load-lugger, given that it's priced from $62,490, a $4500 hike above the base D3. The Teknik extras include the satellite navigation system, Active Bending Lights with Headlight wash system, the BLIS blind spot warning system, a power-adjustable passenger seat and an upgrade to the instrumentation to a "watch-dial" - I thought watches were Swiss?The Teknik model has leather trim, power-adjustable front seats, a flat-folding front seat and a rear splitfold seat, filtered dual-zone climate control with rear B-pillar vents, power windows and rear privacy window tint. The V60 gets a cruise control that pops up a digital speed when set, but there's no digital speed readout for normal driving - why?There's also rain-sensing wipers but no dusk-sensing headlights (despite appearing on cheaper, lower-spec Volvos?), rear parking sensors, an electric park brake, an auto-dipping rearview mirror and a trip computer. There's a Bluetooth link for the phone and sound system (which argues with iPhone 4's iPod when USB cable is also in use) and folding external mirrors.TECHNOLOGYThere's no shortage of new technology in this car's arsenal, but most of it is safety-related - but the new D3 does get a two-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel engine that produces 120kW and 400Nm, the latter between 1500 and 2750rpm, to shunt the wagon along at a solid rate.Like it's low-pressure turbo petrol cousins, the engine has something of a hair-trigger accelerator but the mid-range is considerable and solid pace is maintained without massive throttle openings.Teamed with a six-speed automatic, the V60 front-wheel drive claims 6l/100km (rising to 8.3 around town and down to a remarkable 4.7 on the highway) - our time had it sipping at 8l/100km from a 67.5 litre tank, giving it an easy range of well over 800km. The Swedish wagon also has a brake energy regeneration technology and a maintenance-free exhaust particle filter.DESIGNAs is fast becoming the case around the globe, the humble wagon, for all its practicality, needs to look like something else. The V60 takes plenty from swoopier sports coupes in terms of its external lines, while attempting to retain the mundane abilities of shopping, commuting and doing the school run.It largely succeeds, as this is not an unattractive car, but it's also not a pretty machine either.Inside, the Swedish design makes for a functional interior, without the austere flavour that invades some German cockpits. The menu functions are largely straightforward and it has clever touches - the two-stage booster seats for the two outboard children in the back, pushing the kids up to the appropriate height, although a little more lateral support wouldn't go astray.The rear doors and windows can also be locked by the driver with the push of one button - no early exits and no window races. The 692-litre boot is a useful size, with a clever floor for separating and securing loads - there's also underfloor storage, but sadly that has come at the expense of a spare wheel - there's only a mobility kit.SAFETYThe brand is one of the automotive world's safety leaders and the V60 has plenty of gear as a result - there's a five-star NCAP rating to show for that, thanks to a safety-conscious body structure, dual front, front side and full-length curtain airbags, as well as pre-tensioner-equipped seatbelt for all five occupants, while the front two have load-limiters as well.The sub-30km/h accident-avoidance City Safety system is standard fare, with adaptive brake lights, stability and traction control and anti-lock brakes also among its features. Clever little touches include the park brake that won't automatically kick off with a prod of the throttle without the driver's seatbelt being in place.DRIVINGThere's no need for hats in these things - unless it's a baseball cap that may or may not be on backwards. The V60 is quiet from within - although the odd engine note on the outside is certainly a diesel - but getting underway is far from a laborious chore, as once pressure in the turbo has built, the wagon is well underway.It's not going to frighten the big petrol turbos in the Volvo range but it's far from tardy, with solid in-gear progress as well. The automatic is not as slick between ratios as the twin-clutch transmission available elsewhere, but it works well make the most of the torque, just don't bother trying to manual-change - it cruises at 100-110km/h just below 2000rpm and is quiet when doing so.The back-road blast factor is better than you'd think, with plenty of pep on offer for the right foot, good body control and a nose that doesn't feel weighed down by the diesel, just don't ask for too much information through the steering. The seating is comfortable but when pressing ahead it could do with more lateral support, front and rear - the rear occupants have enough headroom but legroom is at a premium, unless the front pews are well forward.Only a few complaints with the V60 - ride is on the firm side and there are no automatic headlights; the Bluetooth audio link kept trying to over-rule the USB cable and the blindspot information system flashed a few times during heavy rain.VERDICTAnyone tired of the choice of German, German or German in the compact prestige wagon market has a worthy contender from the Swedish brand. The V60 D3 gets plenty of points for its useful and frugal drivetrain and for being that little bit different, but doesn't score well given the lack of a spare and having a rear seat that's a little tight for legroom. Parents with young kids will love it but those looking to use the rear seat for adults will want to be below-average height.WE LOVEFrugal and punchy powerplant, clever floor, integrated booster seats, sound system, safety gear, competent handling WE  LOATHE  rear 3/4 vision, rear leg room, no spare tyre, no auto headlights, front wheel drive with all that torque.Volvo V60 D3 TeknikPrice: from $62,490Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kilometreResale: 44% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 6 l/100km, on test 8, tank 67.5 l; 160g/km CO2Equipment: six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability control.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 120kW/400Nm two-litre five-cylinder DOHC 20-valve turbodiesel engineTransmission: six-speed auto, front wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4628mm (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1601kgTyre Size: 235/40 R18Spare: Space saver

We turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars, as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. Ultimately, however, there is only one question that really needs answering  would you buy one?What is it?This is the latest and greatest from Volvo, a compact wagon with cutting-edge safety equipment and enough get up and go to stay with some of the heavy hitters. It sells against a group of European prestige wagons that come nowhere near the T6 in terms of power, torque or performance let alone standard kit.How much?This particular car tops out the V60 range at $72,150 but is super competitive against potential competition especially when you compare apples with apples. The nearest competitor is Audi's A4 Avant 2.0-TFSI quattro at practically the same money.What are the competitors?Coming from all quarters including the Mercedes-Benz C-Class CGi250 Estate, the BMW 323i wagon, the aforementioned Audi and even Alfa's Sportwagon 159.What's under the bonnet?Gets a 3.0-litre, twin turbo, petrol straight six-cylinder with new low friction internals and 224kW/440Nm output - a sweet donk with an excellent note.How does it go?Like a shot putting away a 0-100kmh sprint in a mere 6.2 seconds (not bad for a wagon tipping the scales at roughly 1800kg) and there is never a point when the engine doesn't deliver. Spins willingly to the 7000rpm redline, pulls like a locomotive everywhere. Smooth shifting six-speed auto. Fun to drive.Is it economical?Can be if you switch on the cruise control - down as low as 8.0-litres/100km on a trip. Claimed combined average is 10.3-litres/100km, a figure we wouldn't dispute.Is it `Green?'Engine passes stringent Euro 5 emissions regulations - due here in a few years. Interior is hypoallergenic so bad chemicals are minimised. We'd say it has five star green credentials.Is it safe?Best in the business, a roaring five star car.Is it comfortable?Firm suspension but not too firm, comfy seats, smooth, quite, plenty of luxury kit especially with R-Design spec'. Killer audio, leather upholstery, electric assistance, electric park brake, heated seats.What's it like to drive?Loved it especially on our favourite winding road - quick, confident, stable, precise. Impressive power from raunchy engine but expect to pay at the bowser when you turn up the wick. We engaged Sport mode all the time - because we could.Is it value for money?Against the competition, definitely. Not too much tax to pay - a bit of Luxury Car Tax, GST and Stamp Duty clicks the numbers up pretty quickly but you get a lot of car for the money.Would we buy one?Yes, impressed the heck out of everyone who drove or rode in it and the sexy coupe looks adds to the allure.

Just because I'm thinning of follicles and on the other side of 40, doesn't mean I have to start driving Volvos - but the new V60 is one you actually don't mind driving.Having grown up driving the shovel-nosed Swedish Valiants (bless Dick Johnson and his mid-race Bathurst comments), I'm familiar with the boxy, safety conscious history of the brand.Once it would have been almost obligatory to trade in something that drivers would enjoy steering for the safe, secure Swedish family transport, but this new-generation Volvo wagon bears little resemblance to its forebears, thankfully.VALUEThe V60 model range kicks off in the car on test, the T5, which starts on the yard with a $54,950 pricetag. That gets a two-litre direct-injection turbo four that produces 177kW and 320Nm under the more sculpted snout - more than enough to see off its direct price competitors.Features on offer in the entry-level V60 include a good-quality eight-speaker sound system with wheel-mounted controls and USB/MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth phone link, power-adjustable driver's seat, leather seat trim and gearshifter, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dipping centre rear vision mirror, rear parking sensors, trip computer and cruise control (also with wheel controls).The absence of automatic headlights is odd (given the availability on lesser models) but the headlights have an auto-off function, allowing the lights to be left on - yet another safety tick that harks back to the old-style Volvo running lights.TECHNOLOGYThe heart of the V60 is an all-alloy two-litre 16-variable-valve turbo engine with direct injection - not uncommon now - but the company is claiming a world-first turbocharger housing and manifold made of sheet steel (the material also used for the exhaust manifold) rather than cast iron. The powerplant is teamed with a double-clutch "Powershift" six-speed automatic that slips cleanly between cogs although sometimes it's not as quick as you'd expect from this type of transmission.DESIGNThe new-look Volvos offer a striking exterior for the right reasons - a far cry from the flying bricks of the 1970s and 1980s, with stumpy overhangs, a strong shoulder line and a slightly aggressive road presence. The cabin is functional and flexible, with 430 litres of loadspace (to a maximum of 1241 litres when the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seat is folded flat) and clever features including one-touch child door and window locks and the in-built boosters for the outboard rear seats.SAFETYThe Swedish brand (now Chinese-owned) has become synonymous with safety and it's no different with the V60. The company has put the active safety systems within the central infotainment screen, which makes switching off the stability control a more involved process and as a result you're less likely to do it - score one for safety there.The V60 has City Safety (the low-speed accident avoidance system), as well as anti-lock brakes (with the emergency brake assistance and brakeforce distribution systems), stability control, dual front and front-side airbags, full-length curtain airbags among the safety features. There are also pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners front and rear and the driver is alerted to which seatblets are in use.Optional safety features abound when skimming through the pricelist - adaptive cruise control and a collision warning system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian sensing ability adds $4175. The lane departure alert pushes the pricetag up to $2075 and the blind spot warning system - fitted to the test car - adds a further $1275.DRIVINGThe switch from S60 to V60 was a pleasant change - in many ways the wagon is preferable to the sedan and some of the more expensive V60 variants. The new turbo powerplant is almost spirited - revving freely and showing a willingness to work with the six-speed auto to good effect.Lined up against similarly priced rivals, the fuel use is a little higher but the performance in areas like open-road overtaking is better. Press-ahead driving is not beyond the T5 (the T6 is quicker in a straight-line) and its suprisingly capable of punching out of corners without masses of squirming torque-steer coming through the steering.It's not going to poach people from the T6 R-Design sport wagon but swifter progress is achievable. There is a manual shift option on offer to the driver but given it's able to be over-ridden by the car you're better off in D. Completing general duties, the V60 T5 doesn't lay claim to acres of space but parents and a couple of offpsring are comfortably encased within the Volvo, although the ride is on the firm side and not quite what you'd call supple. It is well-set-up for children in the back seat with built-in boosters and one-touch window and door locks. The climate control system is clever - the test car had the optional "Clean Zone" air quality system that vents the stale cabin air on unlock. The rain-sensing wipers (on this and other Volvos recently driven) were prone to false-wipes of a dry windscreen; something it seems was due to sunlight at odd angles tripping the sensors.VERDICTThe Swedish brand has well and truly put itself back in the hunt for more sales volume in this prestige wagon segment. The V60 T5 wagon has the looks, safety gear and cabin flexibility to give its (predominantly more-expensive German) rivals a hard time, as well as some heartburn in the performance stakes. The staid and stodgy image of its forebears is fading and this newest addition to the Volvo line-up will only accelerate that "hat-wearing Volvo driver" concept's passage into automotive history.VOLVO V60 T5 Price: from $54,950 (as tested $60,295)Warranty: 3 years, unlimited kmResale: 68%Service Interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 8.7l/100km, on test 12.3l/100km, tank 68 l; 205g/km CO2Safety: six airbags, ABS, stability control.Crash rating: 5 star Euro NCAPEngine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre 16-valve DOHC direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4628mm (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1568kgTyre size: 215/50 R17Spare tyre: mobility kit

Station wagons - as Australians term sedans with a bum - are becoming sexy. The Europeans and the Japanese knew this but we weren't listening.We were too wrapped up in the sugar-coated gloss of all things American, a place at the centre of the universe where only Moms piloted family wagons while Pa was seen in something snappier.Well, for those left a bit jaded by SUVs and still want a bit more room for hauling stuff like garage sale bargains, mud-caked mountain bikes or Fido the Fluffy, there's a growing list of sharp-edged station wagons that won't turn you into Mrs Cunningham.The Volvo V60 here is a stunner - both in looks and how it functions. I didn't want to get out of it and neither did the wife nor the kids. How's that - a wagon that doesn't embarrass children.VALUEAs a Euro-built wagon, you can put it against similar haulers such as the Volkswagen Passat ($40,990), a Skoda Superb ($40,990), BMW 3-Series (320i from $59,300) and Audi A4 Avant for $57,900. It's $54,950 price slots right in here and though the Passat and Skoda clearly appears to be the value winner, accept the fact that the Volvo is quicker, has more features and until the new Passat wagon arrives, is prettier.It has more features for your bucks than the BMW and Audi and entices prospective wagon owners to looks to Japan for even better value - but arguably less panache - at Mazda and Subaru. There's also very good value and quality at Skoda, so competition is keener than you may first believe.DESIGNSleek, wedge-nosed and almost seductive with its chamfered tail, it is a car that - like the C30 coupe - is as far away from what a Volvo used to be as possible. The good thing is that it all works. Perhaps the only downside is the invisible grille - a common problem - which may make the $325 front park sensor option a good deal.TECHNOLOGYBig news is the same 2-litre engine that will, later this year, be an option in the Ford Falcon. The four-cylinder, direct-injection turbo-petrol is rated at 177kW/320Nm and claims 8.3 l/100km and 194g/km CO2, though city/suburb/highway on test wouldn't get better than 10 l/100km.It's a great engine mated to one of the industry's best dual-clutch transmissions - one that doesn't hiccup and lag and pause and die when you hit the loud pedal, as some Volkswagen Group models tend to do. These oily bits bolt to a delightful chassis that loves a fast run through winding roads as much as a leisurely cruise down the highway. The mind-numbing crawl down the freeway is helped only by a decent audio system.Things that matter include the two flip-up child booster seats within the rear seat. There's two heights so children have a view out the windows. Safety gear is excellent but there's still no spare wheel as standard. A space-saver tyre is optional and bolts on top of the cargo floor where it eats into available luggage space.SAFETYHard to go past this one. Standard gear includes a full complement of airbags, a five-star crash rating, clever electronic stability control, big four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and City Safety - the radar-sensor system that automatically brakes the car at low speeds to prevent rolling into the back of another car or into your garage door.DRIVINGThe V60 puts the exhilaration of driving ahead of carrying loads of gear. If you want cargo room, buy Volvo's bigger V70. Even driving down the street, feeling the way the transmission's cogs replace each other so quickly, hints at how responsive the wagon is to a driver's demands.It constantly feels like a dog on a leash and that's a big change for a carmaker often accused of being safety-driven masters of lethargy. But it's not only the way the V60 responds. It feels good from the driver's seat. It has a simple, Ikea-like simplicity but you can see it has lots of features. It is quiet and comfortable and feels rock solid - all inspiring confidence which makes it a car to at least consider for the family. As I said, it's a car I always felt safe and comfortable in and never tired of enjoying how it performs.VERDICT One of the better wagons on the market that is a must-see for families as much as for the person who enjoys to drive. The S60 sedan has the same qualities.VOLVO V60 T5Price: $54,950Warranty: 3 years, 100,000km, roadside assistResale: 65%Service Interval: 15,000km or 12 monthsEconomy: 8.7 l/100km; 205g/km CO2Safety: six airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre turbo-petrolTransmission: Six-speed dual-clutch autoBody: 5-door, 5 seatsDimensions: 4628 (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)Weight: 1653kgTyre size: 235/45R17Spare tyre: None