Pros:  Good looks, huge moon roof.

Cons: Steering, only adequate engine performance, steering wheel navigation controls, “American” car attributes.

The all-new Volvo XC60 debuts this year as a 2010 model. Another in the crossover category, the vehicle’s (fairly) small size, which limits cargo and passenger space, makes us think it should have been a station wagon.

The Volvo looks good. The characteristic Volvo “shoulder” starts at the nose and sweeps back to the rear where large, swoopy looking LED taillights cascade downward from the roof and dramatically flare into a wider assembly.

A moderate-ized cargo area enlarges thanks to folding rear seats but the area is small compared to large SUVs.

The XC60 uses push button starting, but, unlike other vehicles with s similar feature, you have to insert the key, (actually a rectangular fob) into the dash.

The inline 6 engine runs very smoothly, but feels fairly gutless at low rpm despite the engine’s nearly 300 horsepower output. Trying to push around more than two tons of vehicle will do that. Not until the tachometer sweep past 4,000 rpm does the vehicle accelerate with some gusto. But gusto shouldn’t be confused with hard charging. The XC60’s manner of gathering speed is only adequate at best.

More disappointing is the steering. It’s slow, with nearly three-and-a-quarter turns lock-to-lock. This makes for imprecision on the highway and a lack of linear response in turns, meaning corrections must be made to the steering angle as you go through a steady state turn. There is also a slight amount of play in the steering with the vehicle pointed straight ahead.

The steering discourages really tossing the Volvo around. It feels like it would  hold the road reasonably well, thanks in part to its all-wheel-drive. But steering accuracy is an important part of handling, and, with a driver so busy trying to overcome the deficiencies, you’re not tempted to push this thing too hard. The AWD also helps the vehicle feel fairly secure in wet weather.

A giant moon roof and fabric sun shade are nice touches that aid comfort.

The navigation system operates via remote control or with buttons on the back of the steering wheel. It takes some adjustment to use the steering wheel controls and is best done while stopped for safety’s sake, but also to keep the wheel in a position that allows you to easily access the buttons.

Volvos have a well-deserved reputation as being safe vehicles of high quality. If you were going to crash in something, a Volvo or a Mercedes are the best places to be. In this, the XC60 falls into line.  But, we’d rather avoid the crash than attempt to survive it, and, springing from this desire, we must mention that the Volvo driving experience sometimes fall short of the panache of some other European models. The S80 and R performance models are first-rate driver’s machines. But many Volvos, the XC60 included, feels distinctly American; only adequate engines, flimsy feeling chassis, numb steering, not-too-great handling and poor sound insulation. Volvo really needs to concentrate more on improving road dynamics. A couple of the XC60’s competitors leave it in the dust in this regard and some changes would make the new Volvo a really nice machine.

EPA mileage city 16, highway 23
Fuel tank capacity 18.5 gallons
Engine 3.0 liter inline 6 cylinder
Horsepower 281 @ 5,600 rpm
Acceleration, 0-60 mph 7.3 seconds
Braking 60-0 mph 119 feet
Curb weight 4,130