Volvo V60 Polestar, The Review

After one week with the most extreme new Volvo money can buy and a round trip totaling over 2000km's here are my final thoughts on Volvo's V60 Polestar. 

The V60 Polestar, condensed

In a nut shell the Polestar is a a rather handsome Volvo V60 that has been re engineered by Volvo's racing arm Polestar. Although don't think the re engineering is merely some blue paint a Polestar badge and a body kit, no it is a full reworking of Volvo's sensible family wagon. Beneath the new front splitter, rear wing, gorgeous 20inch alloys and sublime alcantara seats lie an engine and chassis quite unlike any other offered in a production Volvo. Power, 258kw and 500Nm of torque comes from an inline 6 cylinder which is turbo charged, naturally, making the V60 capable of reaching 100km/h in 5 seconds. The engine software's been reworked and an aggressive manual shifting sport mode added to the 6 speed auto gearbox too. A Haldex all wheel drive system combined with Ohlins adjustable shock absorbers, 80% stiffer springs, carbon fibre strut brace and a general chassis reworking by Polestar take care of the way the car sticks to the road. All things considered the Polestar's makes a case for itself as a supremely capable and engaging performance car that, by being based on a V60 also happens to be safe, innovative and practical, let me explain.

How does it drive?

To answer this question I really need to split the review into three sections, in the city, on the highway and in the country.

The city

I got a real taste of city driving when I returned the car to Sydney, arriving slap bang on rush hour just as a freak weather event hit the city. In lashing rain and cyclonic wind the V60 coped admirably, the heated seat and steering wheel proving to actually be of use in Australia. The active cruise control with queue assist proved to be of most use though, as the traffic inched its way through increasingly deeper puddles I was able to forget about the pedals, the car accelerating and braking all by itself. The only thing I needed to do was press a button on the steering wheel to reengage the system if the car was stationary for an extended period. I also unintentionally got to test out the cars collision avoidance system, which I've decided is a vital piece of tech for city driving. With a green light ahead and the traffic moving the car ahead unexpectedly braked hard and before I had a chance to react the V60 had read the situation and performed an emergency stop for me. It got my heart going a bit but it definitely saved my bacon. The speed sensitive steering's also worth a mention for city driving, going really light at low speed to make maneuvering easy, helping to disguise the Volvo's considerable bulk. Parking sensors all round and a rear view camera top things off for city driving, they really do make parking easy.

The highway

Depressingly I spent most of my time with the V60 on the highway, living 800km between the garage where I picked up and dropped off the car meant there was no other way to efficiently get home and back. However despite the monotony the Volvo made it bearable, the aforementioned active cruise control proving to be the real savior. Simply set your speed and forget, the system locks onto the car in front matching their speed, if they slow down you do too and when they speed back up so does the V60. You can also determine by way of buttons on the steering wheel what distance to follow the car in front. Of course if you find the car your following isn't going quick enough for your pre selected speed just hit the indicator to overtake and pass when it's safe to do so. The notion of the car driving itself actually proves quite good entertainment for a long drive and definitely takes the stress out of long haul highway work. It's also worth noting at this point how fuel efficient the big turbo inline 6 can be at a cruise, on both my trip home and back the V60 averaged 8.7l/100km, occasionally dipping under 8.5 on long flat sections.

The Northern Rivers back roads

Slip the gearbox into sport though, find a winding valley road and the V60 is transformed into one of the most thrilling wagons money can buy, apart from a reduction in fuel economy there really is nothing to not like about wringing this cars neck. Seriously, get rid of your preconceptions about Volvo's being sensible and ever so slightly dull, the Polestar is an absolute weapon.

With sport mode selected via the stubby gear stick, the beautifully tactile aluminium wheel mounted paddles come into play allowing you the driver to choose when to change gears. Selecting sport also opens up some flaps in that new full flow exhaust, releasing a bark that combined with the whoosh of induction, spooling of the Borg Warner turbo and occasional pop of backfire all helps to turn the V60 into one of the most intoxicating road cars I've ever driven. Plant your right foot in any gear, but particularly 2nd or 3rd and the combination of 275 section rubber and Haldex all wheel drive launch you in whichever direction your pointing the alcantara trimmed wheel, the boost, so unrelenting that its almost impossible to wind the car out to it's 8000rpm redline on the public road without getting into immediate licence losing territory.

The big 371mm disc's with Brembo 6 piston calipers do a great job of slowing the Swede down too, reach a corner and the nose dives in hunting the apex, clinging onto it before launching you down the road to the next corner, it is hugely addictive.  The grip is truly phenomenal, the body roll almost non existent, just point it and go, then go some more. I pushed the Polestar as hard as I dared on dry grippy tarmac and didn't see the traction control light flicker once nor did I encounter any fun sucking under steer. I suspect in the damp it would be a similar story too. The Michelin Pilot sport tyres really do work in harmony with the 80% stiffer springs, trick shock absorbers, carbon fiber strut brace and steering which weights up the harder you push to make the Polestar an absolute tarmac torturer. Grip levels are so good and the seats so supportive in fact that the relatively big V60 feels as though it shrinks around you into a far smaller sports car and did I mention how ballistic it sounds? It really is a staggeringly good car to drive quickly, inspiring confidence that lairy rear wheel drive rivals simply can't. I urge you to test drive one if your in the market for a fast yet practical wagon, the V60 is up there with the Germans as far as I'm concerned.

Whats it like inside?

Soothing and uncluttered is the best way to describe the interior, it is after all Swedish and I wouldn't expect anything less. In truth not much has changed inside over the standard V60, the floating centre console, which is an excellent piece of design by the way, is now clad in carbon fibre and a pair of excellent leather and alcantara sports seats are the only noticeable changes. The seats themselves are electrically adjustable, meaning you can get the perfect driving position and the steering wheel, trimmed with the same material as the seats is a lovely thing to hold. Naturally the V60 is also loaded with many automatic gizmo's, things like rain sensing wipers, dimming rear and side view mirrors, xenon headlights with active high beam, duel zone climate control and safety tech like lane departure warning and collision avoidance which I mentioned earlier. The dash itself is a screen with 3 themes to choose from, elegance, eco and performance, the later being the most notably different, it turns red with a big speed readout appearing in the middle and the rev counter going around it.

Infotainment is taken care of by a second centrally mounted screen, controlled by dials with buttons in the middle located below on the carbon fibre centre console, there is a lot to play with. You can choose from here what safety systems to enable, look at your trip statistics, access the media interface to connect bluetooth, AUX or USB for example and set the sat nav. Speaking of media the Harman and Kardon stereo this car comes standard with is blooming excellent too.

There are some negatives 

Overall spending a week with the V60 Polestar has been amazing, the car has proven itself to be capable in almost all environments. But none more so than on a beautifully empty piece of back road winding off into the distance. Heck it even cost me less to fuel than I was expecting and gained a few admiring glances from people in the know, who lets face it are the best sort of people to impress.  Of course it's not all been sweetness and light, a week with a car does highlight some flaws. The interior for example coming straight from a V60 could be more special and that infotainment system is a bit slow to react and difficult to navigate. I noticed the drivers window wiper is fouled by the bonnet too, meaning you cant lift it of the window for washing, which is a bit annoying. While on the road I felt the ride comfort is a tad compromised by the stiffer springs. I also found that when doing a long journey as I did the exhaust and tyres roar quite a bit, making the Polestar loud when cruising, but these are little niggles and with regards the last one the  just turn up the excellent stereo to cancel any roar out!

In conclusion 

Before the test drive I pondered if the Volvo V60 Polestar would be an understated car, one that could hide its abilities beneath a layer of sensible Swedish veneer. Well after a week of living with it I think Volvo's V60 Polestar is exactly that, understated and it's all the better for it. The Polestar offers buyers Porsche rivaling performance with the practically of a small van, all wrapped up in a very stylish and safe package. If I were an AMG, RS or M boffin I'd be very worried about what Polestar has been able to do with a Volvo wagon, this car is truly impressive and although it ain't no bargain at $103,000 it is priced competitively against the fast wagon competition.

Specs

Price: AU$103,840
Engine: Inline 6 cylinder turbo
Power: 258kw
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 6 speed automatic Haldex 4WD

0-100km/h 5 seconds
Top speed: 250km/h (limited)
Weight: 1834kg
Economy: 10.3l/100km
C02: 247g/km

Volvo V60 Polestar day 7, what have we learned

Well its day 7 and tomorrow I'll be dropping of the lovely V60 back at Volvo, but what have I learned that I hadn't already over the past week? In truth not much as the pretty epic Polestar had already made quite an impression on me since day one, but let me try.

1. On a motorway cruise and provided you don't hit rush hour traffic in a very damp Sydney the economy of the performance geared Polestar is impressive. From Byron to Sydney's outer suburbs the car averaged 8.5l/100km and might just have done it on one tack of fuel if it wasn't for the aforementioned traffic.

2. The Polestars all wheel drive isn't just great for blasting you down a back road, it gives you a real sense of confidence when it's wet too. Today saw what was basically a mini monsoon hit Sydney and the mid north coast but the Volvo with active cruise set and seat heater on made easy work of the wet weather.

3. The last thing I learned today, no thanks to inconsiderate Sydney drivers was that the collision avoidance emergency brake technology works. When someone cut up the car in front and he slammed on the brakes, before I could even react the V60 had braked for me. It gets your heart pumping a bit but it definitely is a vital driver aid in today's increasingly congested cities.

So that's all for my diary entries, its been an awesome week with the Polestar. Please check back soon for the full review and detailed pictures.  

Volvo V60 Polestar day 6, what have we learned

Day 6 and its time to explore just how capable the Polestar is when the road gets twisty. Which thankfully is rather easy to do in this part of the world.

   

Boost

1.Now given that this is just day 6's diary entry I won't go into detail about the facts, figures and numbers this car produces quite yet. All I will say though is you notice this cars rather trick twin scroll turbo charger. With sport mode selected via the stubby gear stick, the beautifully tactile aluminium wheel mounted paddles come into play allowing you the driver to choose when to change gears. Selecting sport also opens up some flaps in that new exhaust, with the whoosh of induction, spooling of the turbo and occasional pop of backfire it all helps to turn the V60 into one of the most intoxicating road cars I've ever driven. Plant your right foot in any gear, but particularly 2nd or 3rd and the combination of 275 section rubber and Haldex all wheel drive launch you in whichever direction your pointing the alcantara trimmed wheel, the boost, so unrelenting that its almost impossible to wind the car out to it's 8000rpm redline on the public road without getting into immediate licence losing territory.

The grip

2. The second, equally addictive aspect of the Polestar is the way it holds on to the road at pace. The grip is phenomenal, the body roll almost non existent, just point it and go, then go some more. I pushed the Polestar as hard as I dared and on dry grippy tarmac I didn't see the traction control light flicker once nor did I encounter any fun sucking under steer. I suspect in the damp it would be a similar story too. The Michelin Pilot sport tyres really do work in harmony with the 80% stiffer springs, carbon fiber strut braces and power steering which weights up the harder you push to make the Polestar an absolute back road weapon. Grip levels are so good and the seats so supportive in fact that the relatively big V60 feels as though it shrinks around you into a far smaller sports car.

After the last couple of days really pushing it I am convinced that buying a V60 Polestar gets you the best of two vastly different worlds; performance to scare a Porsche and practicality to threaten a small van. But as I've stated all week I intend to go into more detail about the Polestar in my final review, so I'll just leave this diary entry by saying that the Polestar has some genuine appeal as a drivers car, BMW's M division have reason to be worried.                

Volvo V60 Polestar day 5, what have we learned

Day 5 and it was time to see how well the cars plethora of gadgetry worked to keep you safe at night on the Northern Rivers notoriously dark and dangerous roads. Here is what I learned.

Lighting

1. The automatic bi-xenon headlights are brilliant, the clarity offered by these units making it seem like all other forms of bulb headlights are just a torch shined through a dirty window. When you switch the car on at night the lights pop on with a almost white clear light before automatically adjusting to the correct level. Then once you get going they swing around slow speed corners in relation to how you turn the wheel. Admittedly this function seems a bit gimmicky on paper but trust me having that beam of light illuminate whats coming up even a few feet ahead is far better than it aimlessly shooting off into a forest directly ahead during a sharp turn. It helped me avoid a few potholes that's for sure, I should also point out the lane departure warning at night is an invaluable feature especially on country roads where the verge isn't always arrow straight.

Clever lights

2. Of course this cars real party trick at night is the active high beam function that you have to activate through the MyCar settings menu. Once activated simply click your high beam on via the indicator stalk and leave it on, the car does the rest of the work for you, sensing an oncoming vehicle and dipping the beams. It really does free up the driver to purely concentrate on the road which at night with rogue marsupials about is an absolute must. Active high beam is not faultless though, the car at times does get spooked by its own light reflecting back it, from a road sign for example and dips the beam for no reason, but on the whole it is an excellent feature.

Even more lights

3. The last thing to note from my night drive is something more aesthetic but equally important when spending $100,000 plus on a car. That thing is the interior lighting, which is superb.White lights in the footwells, door pockets and above you by the rear view bathe the V60's interior with a soft glow. If the seats weren't comfy enough already the lighting just adds an extra layer of soothing ambiance to the inside, it is safe to say it feels very Swedish cocooned in the Volvo at night.          

There you have it, I never knew I could talk so much about lighting in a car, but clearly when your given a pair of headlights as good as these and a beautiful interior to behold them in it becomes clear what an essential safety tool they are.

I'll be back

Come back later today as I report more on this cars main selling point, the way it drives, as despite marveling at its tech I've not forgotten to have a bit of fun with it up in the hills and down in the valleys round these parts.

Volvo V60 Polestar day 4, what have we learned

Another day over and one that saw me do something properly Australian with the Polestar, I took it surfing. So the question is, can you fit a 7 ft surf board in it?

Not everybody's going surfing

1. Well yes you can, just. See my pictures for the proof that with the back seats down a 7 ft board will slide in albeit you'll have to be ok with it resting between the two front seats. Now obviously if you are a better surfer than me then a smaller board won't impede into the front space as much however you will still need to keep those back seats down meaning the family won't be able to come along for the surf unless you fit roof racks.

Understated, just the way it should be

2. The second thing I noticed today and something that I had a sneaking suspicion about is how understated the Polestars is. Sure it got glances down at the beach, mainly due to the bright blue paint and barking exhaust but it ain't no crowd gathering super car. Of course this is probably good news as people who buy a high performance Volvo aren't usually the sort of people who want everyone looking at them.

Tomorrow I'm going to take the Polestar out on a twilight blast to test such things as the active high beams and bending headlights that turn the way the front wheels turn at low speeds.      

Volvo V60 Polestar day 3, what have we learned

Another day with the V60 done and I've got to say for a self confessed VW nut the Volvo is really growing on me. Today saw me tackle something more sedate than a 500+ km drive, a simple trip to the shops, here are my thoughts.

Wagontastic

1. Firstly the Polestar is rather good at just being a Volvo wagon, no real surprise there but its good to know that even with 258kw of oomph the boot will happily take half a dozen shopping bags and a couple bags of compost. I'm not convinced its the biggest boot though, the styling of the car definetly affects its functionality.

First taste of the pace

2. The second thing I learned, is if you want excitement on the drive home from the shops the Polestar delivers. Finding a twisting route back I got my first taste of how well the V60 can hold onto the road when you start to push it, naturally this wasnt great fun for the boot full of shopping, it slid about a fair amount but good golly was it fun for me. I'll go into more detail about how the Polestar drives in my final review but if today was anything to go by the Germans performance arms have reason to be worried.

Useful interior

3. Lastly the interior, it is full of useful cubbyholes for daily use, not the most riveting aspect of a car I'll agree but it is useful to know theres a place to store your phone! Namely the little tray behind the floating centre console, nicely out of your line of sight so you don't get distracted when driving. The deep alcantara trimmed arm rest storage pocket inbetween the seats with USB and AUX sockets is also a useful place to keep valuables out of sight.

Tomorrow I'll be taking the big Swede to the beach, with a real test for its boot on the cards, can it swallow a surf board? Come back tomorrow to find out.

Volvo V60 Polestar day 2, what have we learned

Hello folks, day two is now done and I've made it rather effortlessly home to Byron Bay. Here are the things I noticed on my 500km+ drive.

Impressive economy 

1. For a 6 cylinder turbo with proper performance the cruising economy is rather good, with the cruise control set the car averaged well under 10L\100km.

Active cruise, a must have

2. On the subject of cruise control, the active cruise on the car, which thankfully comes as standard was an absolute must have today and to be honest a must have feature in a country as vast as Australia. Today the car basically drove itself home, the buttons on the steering wheel taking place of the accelerator pedal for setting the average speed and what distance to follow the car in front. If I'm honest I'll have to be careful next time I drive a car without active cruise as I got very used to the car braking for me!

It's a bit loud

3. My last point for today is a niggle, but only a small one. The bassy exhaust I mentioned yesterday, which I still mostly love by the way, does get annoying on a really long journey as does the rumble from the 275 section tyres. I found myself having to turn up the superb Harman and Kardon stereo to drown out both types of roar.

Thats all for today, tomorrow I'll be doing some slightly more normal things with the car, like that most excitng pass time, the weekly shop!

Volvo V60 Polestar day 1, what have we learned

First up I apologise if this post seems a bit rushed, I'm writing it on my phone, oh the wonders of modern technology!

First impressions 

Anyway day one is done and I've driven the car 250km's to Newcastle for an overnight stop. Like everyday with a new car its been a bit of a sensory overload but let me try to break down what I learned once I settled in.

1. This car is quick, blip the throttle and this thing takes off, all I'll say is its good it has adaptive cruise or I may have inadvertently got some police attention.

2. The seats are beautiful, trimmed in alcantara and leather they provide support and comfort on par with the best Mercedes can do. If it wasn't for the trip computer my derriere would have never guessed I was at the wheel for 3 hours.

 3. Its a very clever car, almost too clever for its own good. I'll talk more about the safety systems later in the week but suffice to say there are plenty of things beeping to keep you alert!

4. The gearbox enjoys changing ratios, this becomes a bit irritating. Although you only notice because the very bassy exhaust changes it tone each time a cog is swapped. I guess this is bitter sweet though as the noise this car makes is guttural and absolutely spot on. Yes it might not appeal to everyone but I love a good exhaust note.

OK I think that's all for day one, tomorrow's the long haul to Byron bay so come back to see how it I get on.