Volvo V60 D2 Business Edition

Volvo was ahead of the game when it came to naming estate cars. Cleverly and fashionably, the Swedes steered clear of conventional titles, choosing instead to use the letter V (...for Versatile) before the relevant number

View gallery

Volvo V60 D2 Business Edition

View gallery

Volvo was ahead of the game when it came to naming estate cars.

Cleverly and fashionably, the Swedes steered clear of conventional titles, choosing instead to use the letter V (...for Versatile) before the relevant number.

Meanwhile Audi opted for Avant, BMW picked Touring and Vauxhall went for the Sports Tourer.

At the end of the day, they are all estate cars with opening tailgates and a tad more space than saloons or hatches.

Carrying capacity isn’t really the chief motivation behind the sleek looking Volvo V60, although it will absorb an acceptable 430 litres of cargo with rear seats in place and 1,241 litres when they are folded.

Where the diesel-powered V60 D2 in Business form really scores is on economy without sacrifice to performance. And the oil-burner engine is a lesson in refinement and smoothness to most other makers of four cylinder diesels.

With a CO2 emissions level of 108g/km it can squeeze a genuine 55mpg out of a gallon in real-life driving – the official average figure is 68.9mpg.

The pared-down Business model is priced at a highly competitive £22,195 and even with a few extras such as rain sensors (£155) and metallic paint (£625) it represents a lot of car for the cash.

There’s room for five onboard and the front seats in ‘off-black’ textile are some of the most comfortable and supportive I have encountered in a sub-£30,000 car.

While the V60 doesn’t aim to be hugely sporty, its general level of competence, forgiving ride and secure front-drive handling make it an easy car for swallowing up the miles.

This quality is further helped by the overall lack of mechanical noise and one of the best manual gearboxes I have encountered in a Volvo. The six-speeder is slick and light with sensibly spaced ratios that suit relaxed cruising yet are well-matched to the substantial torque for fast, safe overtaking.

Further credit goes to the, 113bhp, 1,596cc engine for its tractability. It happily pulls strongly from 30mph in fifth. Performance of 0 to 60 in 10.7 seconds and a max of 118mph doesn’t sound much to shout about these days, but because the engine sounds so unruffled and sweet you tend to cover distances that bit faster and effortlessly. I would have preferred a bit more feel from the steering, though, which tends to insulate the driver rather than inform.

The fuel tank holds a generous 14.8 gallons which means that the effective range between visits to the pump can be more than 700 miles – great for Continental touring.

The dash and facia design has a touch of style to it with clear, uncluttered dials and switchgear. I’m less convinced by the ‘floating’ central panel, behind which you can store odds and ends – or in my case probably mislay them for months.

The latest V60 is a likeable and impressively economical holdall that delivers more substantially more driving satisfaction than might be expected.

FAST FACTS

Volvo V60 D2 Business Edition

Price: £22,195

Mechanical: 113bhp, 1,596cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 118mph

0-62mph: 10.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 68.9

Insurance group: 19

CO2 emissions: 108g/km

BiK rating: 16%

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles