2014 Volvo XC60 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Volvo has been churning out classy cars with topnotch safety records for a long time and knows a good thing when it sees and produces one....

Volvo has been churning out classy cars with topnotch safety records for a long time and knows a good thing when it sees and produces one. The XC60 has consistently been a really good thing and a top seller for Volvo, and that’s not about to change anytime soon, as the Swedish automaker continues to tweak the midsize crossover and ride its considerable popularity.

The 2014 Volvo XC60 borrows some from the Volvo S60 and some from the XC90, and on the exterior its grille gets reworked a bit, with a lower front fascia and no more black trim on the outside.

Its comfortable and spacious interior gets dressed up, too, with a new ceiling headliner and wood inlays and a digital display panel up front that can be customized. Technological upgrades abound throughout the XC60.

The XC60 drives and performs nicely with an effective 6-speed automatic transmission, handling more like a car than some crossovers do, the experts report.

The 2014 Volvo XC60 comes in a wide range of trims, available with front-wheel (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). A 3.2-liter, 6-cylinder engine powers the base XC60 and is good for 240 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, getting 19 mpg city/25 highway. The base XC60 starts at just about $40,000.

The numbers work their way up from there. T6 versions get a turbocharged 3.0-liter, 6- cylinder at 300 hp and 325 lb-ft/torque in standard setup and 325 hp and 354 lb-ft/torque in R-Design versions.

The 2014 Volvo XC60 R-Design boasts numerous other sporty features along with its power bump. It has larger wheels and anti-roll bars, along with stiffer shocks and springs. It has corner traction control that works to alleviate understeer by applying brake pressure to the inner wheels while applying power to the outside wheels when accelerating out of a corner.

The vehicle also has what Volvo calls an Advanced Quick Shift (AQS) transmission system that is designed to improve shift times when using the Sport mode or the XC60’s new paddle shifters.

A Sensus Connected Touch system with a 7-inch display is another technological advancement for the 2014 Volvo XC60. It creates a WiFi network inside the car and makes internet browsing, music streaming and utilizing Google map and search functions possible. The touchscreen works on infrared technology and because of that can be operated with gloved hands.

Upgraded sport seats, a heated steering wheel, a heated windscreen and integrated booster seats are among the options available.

The technological enhancements extend to the 2014 Volvo XC60’s safety aspects, an area where the manufacturer has built a more-than-solid reputation. The vehicle has a new Active High Beam Control system, designed to shield oncoming cars from the glare of high-beams.

Like every Volvo, the XC60 comes packed with airbags and all the basic safety features, and besides the high-beam system, it also goes well beyond the norm with a city pedestrian and object avoidance system, lane departure warning, driver alert control and various other systems.

Looking down the road a piece, word is that Volvo intends to use the XC60 as the base vehicle for a plug-in hybrid. That kind of move may well draw more interested parties to one of Volvo’s standard-bearers.

In the meantime, the 2014 Volvo XC60 will soldier on and continue to hold its own in the marketplace. As one reviewer puts it, likely speaking for others as well: “If you’re looking for an uncommon family hauler with more safety features than a panic room, the Volvo XC60 should be on your list.”