MR_Y
Well-known member
Hi,
So I said goodbye to my 2017 320d a few days ago and I am now a proud owner of a (deep breath) 2016 Volvo V60 Cross Country D4 AWD Inscription, with full Polestar Optimisation.
Why this car?
Given the change in my lifestyle (trail running and long distance family commutes, mainly on mild gravel roads) I was looking for a premium SUV/Crossover to replace my 320d. (Refer my 320d page here: https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=89261) While my SO does have a CX5, it is not AWD and it lacks a bit of punch.
On a side note, I am still looking for a cheap weekend only toy - but, that is another story.
Since I am no longer a fan of debt, I was looking for an SUV that would have minimal pay in over my trade in (my 320d was fully paid up). My budget was pencilled in at R400k (R360k for my 320d + R40k out-of-pocket pay in). At this price point, the usual SUV suspects cropped up - F25 X3 20d, Q5 2.0TDI, Volvo XC60 D4/D5 - all of which were in the 30,000-70,000km mileage bracket, with good spec and of 2015-2016 vintage. I was unwilling to go for cars with higher mileage or older, given that I wanted some maintenance plan security for at least 1-2 years - so that rules out an X3 30d.
Having test driven all of these cars, none really matched the satisfaction I got when hustling my 320d around quiet roads. Granted, no SUV can really match a 50/50 weighted RWD sports sedan, but the issue was that none of these cars even came close to putting a smile on my face. They all felt like really well built appliances - just lacking soul.
Then last week, I was visited an Audi dealership to test a Q5 2.0TDI that was very well specced and had the right price tag. I thought that the better specs may make up for the lack of driving drama, but it did not. Just another well made appliance.
On my way out of the Audi dealership, I saw a black V60 Cross Country (CC) D4. It had the attractive looks (19 inch wheels and classy silver cladding). But, I recalled my previous test drive experience with the XC60 D4 (I also tested an S60 D4 a few years earlier as well) - that engine's performance made me want to sleep. However, I noticed a little blue box next to the D4 badge on the V60 CC's boot - it was a Polestar badge. The Audi salesman noticed me looking at this car and explained to me that this was a recent trade in from a customer who bought a brand new Q5. The salesman said that Volvo had offered them R330k, but he could sell it to me for R335k (5k for their obligatory on the road fees). I told him that I will think about it.
That night, I Googled heavily on this car and noted the following important points:
1. The D4 in the V60 CC AWD is a 5-cylinder 2.4 diesel and not the Drive-E (modern spec) 2.0 4-cylinder motors found in the S60, V40 and all other D4 badged Volvos.
2. This V60 CC AWD D4 is actually a detuned D5 motor (not the latest Drive-E D5, which is an up-tuned 2.0 litre 4-cylinder D4 motor) - that has been tried and tested in many earlier Volvos.
3. Standard power/torque is 140kw/420Nm. Online reviews were mostly tepid regarding this - but most agreed that the in-gear torque is very strong.
4. The Polestar Optimisation bumps this up to 162kw/440Nm (so, basically at D5 5-cylinder levels).
6. The Polestar Optimisation also remaps/tunes the gearbox and throttle, in addition to the engine. It also sends more torque to the rear wheels, for all AWD models from 2016 onwards.
Armed with this info, I decided to test drive the car the next day.
The first thing you notice is the engine sound - it is an offbeat 5-cylinder sound with added gruffness by being a diesel. It burbles and grunts like a uncouth creature, but sounds awesome. Smile on my face - yes!
The standing start acceleration is not that impressive (better than any German 2.0 diesel SUV model, for sure, but not as good as my 320d). However, it picks up speed quickly after the initial lag (the initial lag is a combination of the gearbox being a teeny bit slow and the engine needing time to take its deep breath) and then storms ahead when the revs pics up. I would easily bet that it would knock my 320d in overtaking acceleration.
The car rides on 235/45 R19s, wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion rubber. It handles undulations in the road really well, but sharp jolts do come through (not any worse than an X3 with similar rubber). The car is specced with Dynamic Chassis and AWD is standard. Taking some fast, sweeping bends I was really impressed with the road holding and the overall composure of this, admittedly,heavy car. Not boy racer fun, but more an Audi like sense of security and stability - it does have Haldex after all, like most Audi Quattro models.
Granted, this car is not an SUV, but is rather a sports wagon with extra ride height (Volvo quotes 200mm). So, it may not be fair to compare it to X3, Q5, XC, etc. The thing is that by being a raised wagon it forgoes the extra space of an SUV for more car-like handling, while retaining some gravel road ability. I view it as the best compromise for me.
The car had 26,000km and still has 2 years left on plan (expires Oct 2021). Volvo do offer extensions for a further 2 years. I will consider this if I keep the car, or will just bite the bullet on maintenance (noting that a 5 cylinder AWD car is not the cheapest to maintain out of plan).
Audi paid me R25k on my trade-in (R360k - R335k), which I will be investing in an offshore, tax-free USD index tracker as a way to hedge the depreciation that I will likely face when selling this car in future.
The full spec is as follows:
2016 Volvo V60 Cross Country D4 AWD Inscription
Onyx Black Metallic
Polestar Optimisation
Skytrax Tracker with tracking, assist and alert functions (Volvo have this fitted as standard on all Volvos from 2015)
Inscription Spec (too many features to mention - power seats, full TFT screen, etc.)
Premium Pack (includes active/bending/adaptive xenon lights, Navigation with lifetime free updates, heated front seats, rear camera, PDC, keyless entry, sports steering wheel, Harman Kardon 12 speaker system)
Driver Alert System (lane separture waning, forward collision warning, etc.)
19 Inch wheels
Below are pics that the dealer took.
I will upload better pics when I go on my first road trip.
The number plate has been replaced.
So I said goodbye to my 2017 320d a few days ago and I am now a proud owner of a (deep breath) 2016 Volvo V60 Cross Country D4 AWD Inscription, with full Polestar Optimisation.
Why this car?
Given the change in my lifestyle (trail running and long distance family commutes, mainly on mild gravel roads) I was looking for a premium SUV/Crossover to replace my 320d. (Refer my 320d page here: https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=89261) While my SO does have a CX5, it is not AWD and it lacks a bit of punch.
On a side note, I am still looking for a cheap weekend only toy - but, that is another story.
Since I am no longer a fan of debt, I was looking for an SUV that would have minimal pay in over my trade in (my 320d was fully paid up). My budget was pencilled in at R400k (R360k for my 320d + R40k out-of-pocket pay in). At this price point, the usual SUV suspects cropped up - F25 X3 20d, Q5 2.0TDI, Volvo XC60 D4/D5 - all of which were in the 30,000-70,000km mileage bracket, with good spec and of 2015-2016 vintage. I was unwilling to go for cars with higher mileage or older, given that I wanted some maintenance plan security for at least 1-2 years - so that rules out an X3 30d.
Having test driven all of these cars, none really matched the satisfaction I got when hustling my 320d around quiet roads. Granted, no SUV can really match a 50/50 weighted RWD sports sedan, but the issue was that none of these cars even came close to putting a smile on my face. They all felt like really well built appliances - just lacking soul.
Then last week, I was visited an Audi dealership to test a Q5 2.0TDI that was very well specced and had the right price tag. I thought that the better specs may make up for the lack of driving drama, but it did not. Just another well made appliance.
On my way out of the Audi dealership, I saw a black V60 Cross Country (CC) D4. It had the attractive looks (19 inch wheels and classy silver cladding). But, I recalled my previous test drive experience with the XC60 D4 (I also tested an S60 D4 a few years earlier as well) - that engine's performance made me want to sleep. However, I noticed a little blue box next to the D4 badge on the V60 CC's boot - it was a Polestar badge. The Audi salesman noticed me looking at this car and explained to me that this was a recent trade in from a customer who bought a brand new Q5. The salesman said that Volvo had offered them R330k, but he could sell it to me for R335k (5k for their obligatory on the road fees). I told him that I will think about it.
That night, I Googled heavily on this car and noted the following important points:
1. The D4 in the V60 CC AWD is a 5-cylinder 2.4 diesel and not the Drive-E (modern spec) 2.0 4-cylinder motors found in the S60, V40 and all other D4 badged Volvos.
2. This V60 CC AWD D4 is actually a detuned D5 motor (not the latest Drive-E D5, which is an up-tuned 2.0 litre 4-cylinder D4 motor) - that has been tried and tested in many earlier Volvos.
3. Standard power/torque is 140kw/420Nm. Online reviews were mostly tepid regarding this - but most agreed that the in-gear torque is very strong.
4. The Polestar Optimisation bumps this up to 162kw/440Nm (so, basically at D5 5-cylinder levels).
6. The Polestar Optimisation also remaps/tunes the gearbox and throttle, in addition to the engine. It also sends more torque to the rear wheels, for all AWD models from 2016 onwards.
Armed with this info, I decided to test drive the car the next day.
The first thing you notice is the engine sound - it is an offbeat 5-cylinder sound with added gruffness by being a diesel. It burbles and grunts like a uncouth creature, but sounds awesome. Smile on my face - yes!
The standing start acceleration is not that impressive (better than any German 2.0 diesel SUV model, for sure, but not as good as my 320d). However, it picks up speed quickly after the initial lag (the initial lag is a combination of the gearbox being a teeny bit slow and the engine needing time to take its deep breath) and then storms ahead when the revs pics up. I would easily bet that it would knock my 320d in overtaking acceleration.
The car rides on 235/45 R19s, wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion rubber. It handles undulations in the road really well, but sharp jolts do come through (not any worse than an X3 with similar rubber). The car is specced with Dynamic Chassis and AWD is standard. Taking some fast, sweeping bends I was really impressed with the road holding and the overall composure of this, admittedly,heavy car. Not boy racer fun, but more an Audi like sense of security and stability - it does have Haldex after all, like most Audi Quattro models.
Granted, this car is not an SUV, but is rather a sports wagon with extra ride height (Volvo quotes 200mm). So, it may not be fair to compare it to X3, Q5, XC, etc. The thing is that by being a raised wagon it forgoes the extra space of an SUV for more car-like handling, while retaining some gravel road ability. I view it as the best compromise for me.
The car had 26,000km and still has 2 years left on plan (expires Oct 2021). Volvo do offer extensions for a further 2 years. I will consider this if I keep the car, or will just bite the bullet on maintenance (noting that a 5 cylinder AWD car is not the cheapest to maintain out of plan).
Audi paid me R25k on my trade-in (R360k - R335k), which I will be investing in an offshore, tax-free USD index tracker as a way to hedge the depreciation that I will likely face when selling this car in future.
The full spec is as follows:
2016 Volvo V60 Cross Country D4 AWD Inscription
Onyx Black Metallic
Polestar Optimisation
Skytrax Tracker with tracking, assist and alert functions (Volvo have this fitted as standard on all Volvos from 2015)
Inscription Spec (too many features to mention - power seats, full TFT screen, etc.)
Premium Pack (includes active/bending/adaptive xenon lights, Navigation with lifetime free updates, heated front seats, rear camera, PDC, keyless entry, sports steering wheel, Harman Kardon 12 speaker system)
Driver Alert System (lane separture waning, forward collision warning, etc.)
19 Inch wheels
Below are pics that the dealer took.
I will upload better pics when I go on my first road trip.
The number plate has been replaced.
raise:
