RE: Volvo V60 Polestar: Review

[peter450]

Is this just an estate or do they do a saloon as well ?

[M7NDP]

Thanks for the explanation on the Haldex 5 - as I said, I didn't understand how it functioned.

Do you not agree that the dual clutch box would make for a better experience than a conventional auto and that the road tax band could also swing the decision for potential buyers?

[RenesisEvo]

peter450 said:

Is this just an estate or do they do a saloon as well ?

AFAIK there is a saloon but it won't be available for the UK.

[MuSplit]

M7NDP said:

Thanks for the explanation on the Haldex 5 - as I said, I didn't understand how it functioned.

Do you not agree that the dual clutch box would make for a better experience than a conventional auto and that the road tax band could also swing the decision for potential buyers?

I'd think that especially after the huge mess with previous VW DSGs that many people will actually prefer conventional autos. LOTS of people have been stung by repair waits, costs, and terrible trade-in values (ironically the VW-Group dealerships they bought them from are saying that their car is worth less with that gearbox they sold with praise earlier!). They are, conversely to VW-group dual clutch boxes, more likely to be completely dependable instead of potentially having huge reliability issues down the line. I know the wet clutch boxes haven't been having at least as much issues, but still you have to remember that customers would rather have a pretty much absolutely sure thing rather than even the smallest question mark...

'Most people' didn't care at all when automatics were absolutely horrible. Now you're saying that with modern autos that are fast and responsive that they'll choose a car based on its shift time difference to a DSG?? Not really a major difference out of all the things you can pick!! Put 90% of them in both cars with a blindfold and they can't tell you what kind of a gearbox each has, and probably most won't even pay any attention to the gearbox! I don't think they'll care much about the poorer low-speed manoeuvrability that DSGs have either.

VW-Group DSGs tend to have very soft shifts anyway (except maybe on some exotics), definitely not the ultimate gearbox at all. And that childish and annoying fake 'parp' on each shift.

Road tax might swing buyers of even 300+hp and 50k€+ cars for some strange reason. Just like huge amounts buy very expensive diesel cars. People are weird. Not something I really think about: I prefer to think about what is more fun and interesting instead of what sheep buy. Actually if it is something the masses don't tend to buy just because of billions spent on marketing for decades then it's better in my book.

Edited by MuSplit on Wednesday 29th October 23:12

[chungasarnies]

I adore it. Agree with the earlier sentiment about ride quality on basic V60s - absolutely abhorrent. About as settled as a little tykes car.

No doubt fitting Ohlins has solved that.

[vsonix]

MrKipling43 said:

redwedge said:

I'm sure it's a great car, but fifty grands worth of great?

Funnily enough, last weekend I was at my parents sorting through some old stuff before they move house, amongst which was a 1995 BTCC Silverstone programme which included an advert for the original T5: £28,995, or fifty grand in today's money.

Still bloody expensive though!

I'm not in a position to be spending 50k on a car any time soon, but I don't get why people blench at a car like this costing 50k from new. For one thing, Swedish cars have never been cheap. Saab and Volvo were always priced at the upper end of the market - they might not have been perceived as ostentatious like their German rivals, but one knew one was getting quality engineering and market-leading safety for ones' money. They weren't high-volume cars along the lines of GM or most Japanese offerings, which also commanded a premium. Furthermore, Sweden is a country that pays its workers high wages, so the cost of production is never going to be all that cheap to begin with. Plus, as Mr Kipling mentions, a pound isn't worth as much as it used to be back in the mid-90s! And, as mentioned in the article, Polestar have added premium aftermarket bits - would it be possible to buy a standard V60 and all the various uprated parts and modify it yourself to the same standard for less money? Doubtful.
Sure, you can get a fully-loaded Ford or Vauxhall for 30-40% less initial outlay, but hasn't it always been thus?

For what it's worth, I'd pick this over an Audi any day of the week - and maybe over an X-drive BMW as well (and as many on here know, I'm a die-hard BMW fanboy), although since AWD BMWs aren't really much of a 'thing' in this country, I've no experience with them.

[AER]

I'll bet it drinks like a fish in the real world! That alone will make it a depreciation nightmare!

[CedricN]

chungasarnies said:

I adore it. Agree with the earlier sentiment about ride quality on basic V60s - absolutely abhorrent. About as settled as a little tykes car.

No doubt fitting Ohlins has solved that.

I rented a V60 a couple of weeks ago, rental spec with 16" wheels. It was really comfy, much more settled than my E90 318d (also on 16"), and the seats were lightyears better. I quite liked it, who knew you needed a heated steering wheel . Rspec with 18" or similar would probably be a different story...

[Axionknight]

CedricN said:

I rented a V60 a couple of weeks ago, rental spec with 16" wheels. It was really comfy, much more settled than my E90 318d (also on 16"), and the seats were lightyears better. I quite liked it, who knew you needed a heated steering wheel . Rspec with 18" or similar would probably be a different story...

Yeah the bigger wheels you get with the R Design spec can ruin the ride a bit, along with the larger optional ones.

As an aside I have a 13 plate V40 R Design on the standard 17's and the ride is good, but not brilliant - certainly no worse than any modern Audi or BMW I've been in.

[sisley]

RenesisEvo said:

peter450 said:

Is this just an estate or do they do a saloon as well ?

AFAIK there is a saloon but it won't be available for the UK.

Saloon was at Goodwood FOS last year

[MuSplit]

Just listen to it!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF-aDarvqaw

VERY Aston Martin V12 -like sound!

How the hell did this happen: I'd really consider buying that thing and might actually be wishing I'd need a car like that now just to have a reason... Never in a million years would I have thought I'd lust for a Volvo!

Edited by MuSplit on Thursday 30th October 13:11

[anonymous-user]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKLbUdJocw

More here. I like the look of the interior and it sounds pretty sweet. Better start saving

[tinnes]

I was intrigued, went to local volvo dealer. salesman new very little about the car, wasn't aware there was a demonstrator on the forecourt, and said he would call me re a test drive. by the time he came back to me i had bought a BMW 335 DIESEL X DRIVE TOURING, cheaper, faster, more economical. although i could have been sold on the polestar, there was so much about it i liked.

[jdleeso]

Even more odd ball to consider, I have a D6 V60. Combination of a diesel-electric with close to 300 BHP and 470Lb ft torque (it does have some surge). I avg. 70 mpg during motorway commutes and then have a fairly rapid estate when I find some empty space.

Its an interesting combination between performance, eco, on-going costs, initial outlay etc.

The factors that are appealing for me, having a great entertainment system, nice driving position, vibration free (in electric mode), can be AWD, quick when needed and as pointed out by a few a sense of a quality product. It will not appeal to all and I'm amazed how much its appeals to me v's my usual V8 machines. In fact I'm replacing a V50 D5 Polestar, Subaru Forester, Honda Insight and Maserati 3200 with one car and it just about covers all the basis.

Yes I could have just purchased a T5 or D5 but I was drawn to the interesting combination. Down side is you need to be fluid when pressing on and corning as there's some weight to the batteries and the boot space is shallow (still good for bikes though).

[norchi]

Fartgalen said:

Excellent, surely the reason many of us bought into Volvo ownership these past 20 years or more?

Don.

[norchi]

Axionknight said:

Considering the cars the V60 is being offered up against in this topic I think its detractors are missing something - unlike said rivals no one has ever looked at the V60 and thought there must be a tosser driving it......

That is worth a couple of grand on its own IMO.

Could not surely be better put?

Don.

[athol]

OlberJ said:

I preferred it in lhd spec to add to the randomness but looking forward to a week with this next month.

After a recent shot in the v40 t5, this thing was just un comparable. Feels like 2 different manufacturers efforts at a similar car.

Really? Have you got one for TT? Pop by my house, I absolutely love this and if I wasn't in mid-lease on my v40, I would seriously consider one.

All the ride talk is nonsense, as some have said, try an M-sport or S-line then see what you think. Just because a couple of journos have claimed they ride hard doesn't mean they know it all.

[RenesisEvo]

jdleeso said:

Even more odd ball to consider, I have a D6 V60.

Thanks for the info but it's practically the same price as the Polestar, will be a tough choice - well, one will do 70mpg, the other clearly won't.

I'd love to see a Polestar AWD V40. Pretty please...

[DKL]

It looks superb and thankfully there are one or two good looking 4wd quick estates appearing rather than just big 4x4s.
Only problem I can see is that for the money you could have this
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

at the very least its another 100bhp and this is pistonheads...

I hope it depreciates like the proverbial so I can have a 2yr old one at about 20k.

[Axionknight]

RenesisEvo said:

Thanks for the info but it's practically the same price as the Polestar, will be a tough choice - well, one will do 70mpg, the other clearly won't.

I'd love to see a Polestar AWD V40. Pretty please...

A Poletar V40 has been mentioned I believe, but I'm not sure on the mechanicals. Here is a link, but there are so many ifs, buts and maybes it doesn't really tell you anything:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volvo/87766/volvo-v40...