2010 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD

Mike Monticello, in his review of the 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD, assessed that this baby is big on safety, style and power. When I read Mike's review on this particular vehicle, the thing that caught my eye was the author's description that "Volvo's turbocharged, all-wheel-drive XC60 — which will compete in the small utility segment when it goes on sale in the U.S. next March — will be the first vehicle in the world to come standard with a low-speed accident-avoidance system, making it "the safest car Volvo has ever produced." Not surprising, really, considering how Volvo has always been anal about safety.

Also, the vehicle actually uses an infrared laser sensor located near the top of the windshield to detect a vehicle within 13 feet of the XC60's front bumper that is either stationary or moving in the same direction. In his well-written review, Mark notes that if the "system feels the XC60 is about to strike that vehicle, and the driver has not reacted, it will automatically apply the brakes, bringing the car to a stop if possible." Amazing, ain't it?

Aside from incredible safety features, Volvo has also designed the new XC60 T6 as a fun ride for its owners and passengers. The XC60 T6 AWD comes with the same transversely-mounted 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 as found in T6 versions of the S80 and XC70. That means 281
bhp and best-in-class torque of 295 lb.-ft., the latter from 1500 -4800 rpm. This super-smooth engine is mated to a 6-speed Geartronic automatic transmission, the power put to the road by Haldex's fourth generation all-wheel drive with Instant Traction.

If you are interested in reading Mike's full review, you can click here . In a gist, Mike tells us what's hot and what's not in this new vehicle from Volvo:

What's Hot:City
- Safety system
- Powerful turbocharged inline-6
- Fancy styling, inside and out

What's Not:
- Poor fuel mileage: 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway
- Most active safety systems are optional, not standard
- Won't be cheap