Raise your hands if you consider time on the road to be “me” time. If we’re birds of a feather, then you know that long drives or bumper-to-bumper traffic can’t dampen our mood, because we simply enjoy our time in the driver’s seat. What if we were to tell you that there’s a car out there so thoughtfully designed to give you a thoroughly enjoyable time on the road that you would find yourself looking forward to your next jaunt? For us, the Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid did exactly that.
With a volley of electric vehicles becoming available for Malaysians, it’s only fair that you put on your discerning hat. First off, with the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid, you can anticipate that ultra-smooth ride that many have come to know of the Swedish maker. It goes zero to 100km/h in under five seconds, with 462 horsepower purring in the palm of your hand. Near or far, the car can get you there with ease and time to spare. If you’ve got a tight schedule and a long list of daily tasks to complete, your time on the road would be the least of your worries. We took the XC60 for an eastern excursion, and between chauffeuring GRAZIA Malaysia team members from different corners of Klang Valley and the schlepp to our resort destination, we were able to arrive safely and maximise our relaxation time.
On the topic of safety, there are a myriad of features to help you avoid various unthinkables. Urban roads and highways both pose different sets of challenges that the XC60 is more than capable of managing. Equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the system offers a combination of safety nets and came in handy on multiple occasions for us. Got a tight corner to cross? The Cross-Traffic Alert will kick in as soon as it detects oncoming traffic. Need a boost of confidence getting in and out of the parking lot? The Surround View Camera and Blind Spot Information System can give you just that.
I don’t personally travel east much, so the Run-Off Road Mitigation and Lane-Keeping Aid acted as safeguards when driving on unfamiliar roads. Knowing that this safety technology is available in the vehicle, it promises a safe drive even on paths that I know like the back of my hand. Those, as well as the Collision Avoidance feature, kept me at ease throughout the drive. And you know what they say: a confident driver is a safe driver.
The star of the show is, of course, the Google Services infotainment integration. Equipped with offerings from Google Play, you can practically tailor the car to your liking. Obviously, we immediately went to add Spotify to the app list. What’s a road trip without immaculate tunes, anyway? On top of that, there’s also Google Assistant and Google Maps. The best part of these features? The head-up display feeds you turn-by-turn information from Google Maps, so you won’t even have to sneak a glance off of the road. You also won’t have to take your hands off the steering wheel to change the cabin temperature or switch from one song to another, because those are just one “Hey, Google” away.
Those aside, the car was a delight to simply be in. The interior is roomy enough to allow everybody their personal space. The load compartment space can comfortably fit the luggage of four chronic overpackers. The panoramic roof was left open for most of the way to set the carefree mood. Even as we were zooming through, the music was crystal clear thanks to the Bowers & Wilkins hi-fi audio system. Even till the end of the drive, the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid hit the mark on convenience. With everyone’s hands full with baggage and snacks, a simple sweep of the foot under the rear bumper was all it took to shut the boot.
There’s so much more that made the car such a dream to drive. But ultimately, it stood out for all the safety features and convenient integrations that made the entire road trip experience totally seamless.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA Malaysia December 2024/January 2025 issue.
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