Volvo S60R

PrinzII said:
...

- Service: I have heard about service from Volvo dealers being decent (Still awaiting feedback regarding Laurel and Volvo of Oak Park). The service woes that many of my counterparts experienced with Nissan dealerships were non-existent at the ones I dealt with.




Can only speak specifically to the service at my Volvo dealership. I have had the same service writer for 9 years (this month). I've never met my service team, but I've yet to have a problem with any service they have performed, except for the bill :rolleyes:



Back when we purchased our 850 GLT, I considered the Nissan Maxima SE and Toyota Avalon. The salesman was very helpful in getting each car to his lot for a side-by-side comparison. The build quality was heavily weighted to Volvo. The Nissan was quicker, but handling wasn't noticeably better than the Volvo.



As for durability/longevity I don't think you will go wrong either way. I've had the Volvo for 9 years/150K miles. Likewise, I owned (until last Summer) a '78 Datsun 620 pickup with 100K miles.
 
PrinzII said:
When I went to the dealer to drive it, they didn't have one but I got a chance to check out the XC 90 V8. :D



And?



Don't hold back on us.
hahano.gif
 
Pros:

  • Strong Acceleration
  • Smooth Ride
  • Interior Comfort
  • Safety Features
  • Interior Styling and Ergonomics





Cons:

  • Love it or hate it exterior styling
  • Some controls require study in advanced heiroglyphics or PHD in engineering to understand
  • Gas Mileage (Comes with the territory)
  • Price





I went to test drive a S60 R and wound up driving a XC90 V8. Am I disappointed? Not in the least! I have driven the X5 4.4i Sport before and made my mental comparisons.



The first thing I notice is that the cabin of the XC90 is not as "cozy" as the X5. I am a person who's 6'3.5" and 300+. In the X5, I was comfortable. In the XC90, I was MORE comfortable with more headroom. The legroom on this truck seriously impressed me.



While some people may quibble about the seats, I found them to be comfortable and quite supportive. I also might add they have the best bun warmers in the business. The X5's seats are not in the same league. These seats literally cradle you and form themselves to fit you.



However, I was truly impressed with the V8. The exhaust note is equal to a Mustang GT and that had me salivating like Pavlov's dogs. The acceleration is brisk and has a decent amount of off the line grunt. In the middle of the powerband, she picks up nicely. The X5, on the other hand, can scoot off the line VERY quickly but seems to peter out at the higher end of the power band.



The steering does not feel isolated or disconnected like in many SUVs. I had pretty decent road feel and excellent tracking. The X5 4.4i I drove was a Sport version and its steering was extremely precise. However, the XC came in a very close second.



In short, I was pleasantly surprised and may consider one when I am in the market for a SUV.
 
Back
Top