EX60

[Blue62]

I’ve just ordered an EX60 10 Ultra, expecting delivery late November, not sure if it will get much traction here but given the significance of this car to Volvo thought it worth posting and happy to share my experience.

My last Volvo was an XC90 bought sometime around 2008/9, I have to say the dealers have come an awfully long way since then, very impressed with the experience overall.

[Mr.Grooler]

I think it looks good in comparison with iX3 or EQC, nice relaxed vibe as per usual Volvo and clean design inside and out. Enjoy.

[Cobnapint]

I think I'll be booking a test drive in one of these. Showrooms in August I hear.
I don't understand the reason for the external vertical door handle. It's surely just presenting more or less the same profile as a normal handle but in a different plane.
And the small steering wheel my be annoying too. And there's no physical key either, but it's coming apparently.

I fancy the P12 with the same range as my iX3 NK.
Quite why they didn't offer the larger battery with the P10 I don't know. Car manufacturers are strange organisations sometimes.

[Blue62]

Cobnapint said:

I think I'll be booking a test drive in one of these. Showrooms in August I hear.
I don't understand the reason for the external vertical door handle. It's surely just presenting more or less the same profile as a normal handle but in a different plane.
And the small steering wheel my be annoying too. And there's no physical key either, but it's coming apparently.

I fancy the P12 with the same range as my iX3 NK.
Quite why they didn't offer the larger battery with the P10 I don't know. Car manufacturers are strange organisations sometimes.

I saw a car in the flesh the other day as they’re taking a couple of pre production cars around the U.K. dealers, the car we saw was the P10 Ultra. Have to say it looks smart and understated, appears to be very well screwed together and the interior materials are very nice. I was surprised at the height of the car, it’s more like a tall estate than an SUV, but loads of interior space and thoughtful design touches.

The steering wheel is small, though I think you’d get used to it and the door handles are no issue for me, I think they look pretty good and might mean no water drips down the doors after a wash! Not sure about your point on the 10 and 12, there are three battery options (6, 10 and 12) why would they offer the same battery in the 10 and 12, that’s the point that defines them?

Overall we are looking forward to taking delivery later this year, the salesman hinted that he thinks lead times will reduce as they’re scaling up production due to unexpected demand, similar to the iX3 I guess. It was interesting to note that two other punters present were looking to swap out of Tesla’s.

[Sheepshanks]

I thought new cars were being "forced" (by NCAP?) to move back to more physical controls - did Volvo miss that memo?

[Cobnapint]

Blue62 said:

I saw a car in the flesh the other day as they re taking a couple of pre production cars around the U.K. dealers, the car we saw was the P10 Ultra. Have to say it looks smart and understated, appears to be very well screwed together and the interior materials are very nice. I was surprised at the height of the car, it s more like a tall estate than an SUV, but loads of interior space and thoughtful design touches.

The steering wheel is small, though I think you d get used to it and the door handles are no issue for me, I think they look pretty good and might mean no water drips down the doors after a wash! Not sure about your point on the 10 and 12, there are three battery options (6, 10 and 12) why would they offer the same battery in the 10 and 12, that s the point that defines them?

Overall we are looking forward to taking delivery later this year, the salesman hinted that he thinks lead times will reduce as they re scaling up production due to unexpected demand, similar to the iX3 I guess. It was interesting to note that two other punters present were looking to swap out of Tesla s.

I don't understand this race to reduce the ride height of SUVs (well I do, it's to max the range out). The whole reason for buying one is to sit higher up and they're designing out the USP.

I see on some of the new iX5 prototype drives they're praising how well BMW have got the driving position lower.
Wtf.

On the P numbers, yes, my bad.

[Cobnapint]

Rang my local dealer today, they expect cars to appear in showrooms late August/early September.

[Blue62]

I was originally told that the first cars would appear early October but it does seem to be moving forward.

[Neil-nvaua]

Interesting, I didn't know these existed.

I'm on my second XC60 and the current one is a 2025 T6 PHEV. I do a lot of miles and I drive a lot of them on electric only (I exhaust the battery daily) so this should be a natural consideration for me as my next car.

It won't be. I've had a look and whilst a very handsome car, Volvo's continued move away from physical buttons to everything being on the tablet touchscreen isn't for me and will influence my next car purchase.

I hope you enjoy it nonetheless

[Blue62]

Neil-nvaua said:

Interesting, I didn't know these existed.

I'm on my second XC60 and the current one is a 2025 T6 PHEV. I do a lot of miles and I drive a lot of them on electric only (I exhaust the battery daily) so this should be a natural consideration for me as my next car.

It won't be. I've had a look and whilst a very handsome car, Volvo's continued move away from physical buttons to everything being on the tablet touchscreen isn't for me and will influence my next car purchase.

I hope you enjoy it nonetheless

I get that, but the voice control is at another level with the EX, as we witnessed when we went to view, it’s extremely responsive and seemingly consistent in operation. We are all different, but I’d suggest you give it the benefit and judge for yourself.

[Neil-nvaua]

Blue62 said:

I get that, but the voice control is at another level with the EX, as we witnessed when we went to view, it s extremely responsive and seemingly consistent in operation. We are all different, but I d suggest you give it the benefit and judge for yourself.

Is it improved over what I'll have in my 2025 XC60? Can it change the direction of the air from blowing on my face to blowing on the screen - the current system can't as there are certain operations that the voice control can't deal with (to my knowledge anyway). When I'm on a motorway and the screen starts misting up I don't want to be stabbing frantically at tiny icons on a touchscreen as I currently have to do.

I was a fan of the voice control until the novelty wore off. When I get into the car I want to be able to turn on seat heaters, heated screen, change the fan speed, temperature and direction of airflow, turn a/c on and play the radio - and on a car with physical controls I can do that in a few seconds by touch, and not have to sit and spend 30-60 seconds giving multiple voice commands.

I feel like voice control is still trying to be as good as physical controls, and for me doesn't offer any benefit over them. Voice control AND physical buttons would offer the best of both worlds, at least for important things like climate control.

And don't get me started on "sorry, I didn't understand you", "sorry, I can't do that right now", "sorry, it looks like you're offline right now". I've lived with voice control over 2 XC60s since 2021, and the more miles I drive the more it frustrates me so in essence creates a stressed driver shouting at his car or taking his eyes off the wheel to stab at tiny icons on a touchscreen.

Maybe it's just me

[Blue62]

Neil-nvaua said:

Is it improved over what I'll have in my 2025 XC60? Can it change the direction of the air from blowing on my face to blowing on the screen - the current system can't as there are certain operations that the voice control can't deal with (to my knowledge anyway). When I'm on a motorway and the screen starts misting up I don't want to be stabbing frantically at tiny icons on a touchscreen as I currently have to do.

I was a fan of the voice control until the novelty wore off. When I get into the car I want to be able to turn on seat heaters, heated screen, change the fan speed, temperature and direction of airflow, turn a/c on and play the radio - and on a car with physical controls I can do that in a few seconds by touch, and not have to sit and spend 30-60 seconds giving multiple voice commands.

I feel like voice control is still trying to be as good as physical controls, and for me doesn't offer any benefit over them. Voice control AND physical buttons would offer the best of both worlds, at least for important things like climate control.

And don't get me started on "sorry, I didn't understand you", "sorry, I can't do that right now", "sorry, it looks like you're offline right now". I've lived with voice control over 2 XC60s since 2021, and the more miles I drive the more it frustrates me so in essence creates a stressed driver shouting at his car or taking his eyes off the wheel to stab at tiny icons on a touchscreen.

Maybe it's just me

It's not just you, I share your frustration, but it is the way of things now and I guess a matter of what matters most. In answer to your points, I think you can control air flow using voice on the EX and O know that the google Gemini technology they have deployed is very clever and very responsive, my short session demonstrated that the car understands first time instruction and reacts immediately. I haven't driven the XC60 so can't give you a reference point, but I can tell you that it is streets ahead of the Porsche and Audi systems that I am using just now. As I suggested, I wouldn't write the EX off yet, go and see for yourself, my view is that it is a great package, not perfect, but meets our needs and the lack of physical controls will no doubt frustrate on occasions but that voice will overcome 99% once we have acclimnatised.

[Neil-nvaua]

Blue62 said:

As I suggested, I wouldn't write the EX off yet, go and see for yourself, my view is that it is a great package, not perfect, but meets our needs and the lack of physical controls will no doubt frustrate on occasions but that voice will overcome 99% once we have acclimnatised.

Ok, sounds like it's either a different or better system - I'll need to investigate. You know what, whilst I said I wouldn't consider it, come the time to change...I possibly will. I probably need to accept that the perfect car isn't out there, and that a good overall package is the best I can hope for.

I mean, when the lease was up on my first XC60 and I was looking to going back to ownership, I considered all of the options and came back to another XC60! I've read some negativity that the EX60 has less ground clearance than the XC60, but being closer to an estate car in that respect is a good thing in my opinion - lower CoG, easier for the dog to get in and out, easier to load a roof box.

Local dealership support on a new car play a big part as well, and my local Volvo dealer whilst not perfect is miles ahead of the local Mercedes, Audi and Land Rover dealers. I also have a couple of well-respected independents locally. These things all make a difference to the overall ownership proposition.