Over the last few weeks I have been lucky enough to drive the Volvo XC60. Challenging my driving habits and making me realise what is important to me in a family car.
Safety
Volvo’s standard fit safety features make their cars stand out from the crowd. Driving along whether alone or as a family I felt confident that should an accident occur we would be as safe as we possibly could be.
Big Boot
I have only ever driven MPV’s so I am used to having a big boot, I rely on having a big boot, I need a big boot. Inside the XC60’s boot there is a handy lift-up flap that will remain vertical until you close it. This has an elasticated strap that helps to hold your shopping bags in place so that your beans stay in your bag and not rolling around your boot.
Whilst using this feature I stumbled upon another function for it… to hold my pushchair in place. Keeping it away from whatever else I may have in the boot. Thus making the boot nice and organised whilst still allowing easy use of the space.
Parking Sensors
Now these are not for me, I like to think that I’m quite good at parking, it’s Mr Boo that could do with a little extra help. With a high tailgate the parking sensors do come in very handing when reversing as you are unable to see any lowdown obstacles.
Sat Nav
Usually when we go somewhere as a family Mr Boo will drive. Due to this I don’t really pay attention to how we got to our destination, in my view we just magically appeared. The built in Sat Nav not only gives you options of the fastest or shortest route but also the ability to divert due to roadworks or accident.
The ability to see both a close up of an upcoming junction and a larger view made nagivating so much easier, especially when you have several junctions close together.
Colour
Ice white cars are just not suitable for my family. Roo and Tigger seem to attract dirt wherever they go and the same seems to be with me and cars. I am someone who either waits for it to rain in the hope that my car will clean itself or takes it for a trip to the car wash once a year as a special treat. I think I am better off sticking to dark colours which don’t show the dirt as much.
Boo Roo and Tigger Too’s thoughts…
We are going to miss this car, the comfortable seats (did I mention that the front seats are heated? bliss), sense of space, technology and safety features.
The comments we received whilst driving this car were mostly positive. I did have one lady who ased me how on earth I drive that beast but I took it as a compliment. The Volvo commands its road space, it has presence on the road that makes other road users take a second glance. Mr Boo’s area manager was very impressed with the car and whilst she usually drives a little sporty number after seeing the XC60 in the flesh she is now reconsidering her mode of transport.
No car is perfect, the downside of the XC60 for me in the inability of fitting three seats in the rear seat. Whilst Roo and Tigger were comfortable in their car seats and loved the drop down middle console to hold their drinks etc, when doing the school run with a third child they were a little squeezed in the middle seat. Looking at the seat there does appear to be enough space as there was a good few cm’s of seat between the car seats and the edge of the seat. If Volvo had a slight re-jiggle of the seat belts I think that you could fit a third car seat in the back.
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