Video by Leah Carroll. Words by Donal Byrne.
New Volvo cars don't come along that often and they usually have an audience eager to hear and see what the Swedish manufacturer - even if it is now Chinese-owned - has come up with. That’s in part due to the loyalty the brand commands and its innovative engineering and safety advances.
With the new EX 60, those expecting something new and elegantly designed won’t be disappointed. It’s the first fully electric car to be built in Sweden and it’s aimed at the premium mid-sized SUV market and at competitors such as the Tesla Model Y, the Mercedes GLC and Audi’s Q6 E-Tron.
First impressions of the car suggest Volvo has managed to create a design that isn’t just practical and efficiently streamlined, but is also very elegant in a way some of its competitors can’t quite equal. In fact, Volvo has already upped its production schedule to meet the demand for the car, such has been the initial response to it to its sloping roofline and soft lines.
It will arrive in Ireland in July at an entry-level price of €66,695, which is a competitive figure for what you get in terms of size, space and comfort. It’s 4.8 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and 1.6 metres tall, and that height is accentuated by that sloping roof, which does not, unusually, impinge on rear headroom to the extent that one might expect.
Its dimensions do not, however, conceal great weight, and the car is lighter, stronger and more aerodynamically efficient than what has gone before.
There will be three versions eventually. The initial P6 rear wheel drive base version has an 83 kWh battery that Volvo claims will deliver 611 kilometres of range; the later P10 all-wheel-drive has a 95 kWH battery (claimed range of 660 kilometres), and the P12 all-wheel-drive version has a 117 kWh battery, which has a significant claimed range of 810 kilometres. That comes later also. Prices for the latter two models will be €69,995 and €76,595, respectively.
In the meantime, claimed ranges should be treated with caution, as even Volvo admits the figures come from tests carried out by itself in accordance with WLTP guidelines.
The cabin is very well finished, and the use of recycled materials is extensive. It is very comfortable and inviting, and the seats are strong and supportive. The centre piece is a 15" screen that controls pretty much all functions. In fact, the only buttons are for volume control and station or track hopping.
It’s a Google-powered unit, and the addition of Google Gemini AI features makes it rather awesome. Give it voice instructions asking for a suggestion for a birthday party for a child with an interest in soccer and space exploration, and you’ll be amazed at what it will come back with - maybe even a little unnerved.
The expected safety innovation comes in the form of the front seat belts - not surprising since Volvo invented the original three-point safety belt in 1959. The new belts on the EX 60 benefit from crash speed and direction analysis to determine how much force to apply in the event of a collision, while taking into account body shapes.
For example, the data will determine the appropriate degree of restraint required for a pregnant woman, as opposed to a very tall man.
The steering wheel - now more rectangular than circular - is quite a big change because it is also a good deal smaller than anything you might be familiar with, except for drivers of some Peugeot and Lexus models.
Other elegant design touches are the Matrix LED headlights shaped like the hammer of Thor, the Norse God of various things, including strength and protection, the rear lights and frameless doors. The door handles, incidentally, are shaped like small winglets above, just below the glass area and will get around the new Chinese ban on recessed door handles.
We’ll have more driving impressions of the new EX 60 in the next two weeks.
