All posts by Macfivenews

Motoring and travel journalist, opinionated gob on a stick
AWD, Electric/hybrid, Volvo

Hybrid a good option despite move to EV

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Volvo XC60

By Bill McCarthy

Volvo has confirmed it will be an electric-only car manufacturer by 2030 and will roll out several additional electric models in the coming years.

The plan seems to be working. Volvo Cars reported sales of 78,970 cars in March, an increase of 25 per cent compared with the same month last year, and an all-time high for global sales during a single month. Volvo Cars’ new fully electric small SUV, the EX30, contributed to the sales growth, as well as a strong sales performance in Europe and the US. 

Still, full EVs are not for everyone and the plug in hybrid (PHEV) remains a stylish and still economical option.

This particular model has a nominal mpg of between 100 and 113mpg, something which is unlikely to be achieved in the real world. But it can run on battery only for around 50 miles. So keep topping up the battery and excellent mpg is achievable  – even for a four wheel drive vehicle.

There  is no mistaking it’s a Volvo – with its smart light clusters to front and rear and a choice of striking alloy wheels. The latest models have a sleeker look and the front lights feature the now familiar ‘Thor’s Hammer’ design. It also features a discrete rear spoiler.

It has a real high-end feel with powered and heated leather style seats, soft touch finish and a minimalist approach to buttons and dials. The seats are firm, but comfortable with good leg and headroom and the cabin benefits from a large glass area.

The interior is real premium quality and dominated by the nine-inch tablet-style touchscreen and a 12-inch TFT driver info display behind the smart multi-function steering wheel.

The central screen controls smartphone connectivity, navigation and 10-speaker sound system and also adds Google Maps, Google Assistant voice control, access to apps via the Google Play Store and four years’ data allowance

The  Volvo Cars app – available for your smartphone, smartwatch or tablet, this enables you to control various car functions remotely.

It is an engaging drive, Even at high speed, engine and road noise is muted, with just a hint of wind noise on the large, folding door mirrors,

Excellent soundproofing means with NVH (noise, harness, vibration) is all but eliminated and the interior cossets occupants, particularly on motorways where the vehicle just whispers along.

It is a rapid motor, the combined 340bhp engine and motor combo powering it to 60mph in just under six seconds.

It clearly is not a sports model, but there is negligible body roll, (the centrally placed battery giving more stability) while the firmish suspension means tight, twisty lanes are comfortably navigated.

The on-demand all-wheel drive is perfect for rougher terrain or inclement weather conditions.  The ride can be a little bumpy around town, especially with the larger wheels. But the premium quality shines through

Despite being an SUV, it feels stable, cornering well and good feedback from the well weighted steering.

Boot space accessed via the powered tailgate is good  with 468 litres, while the 60/40 split folding rear seats open up to 1,395 litres. The boot can also be accessed via a kick action. Stowage is supplemented by various storage bins and cubbyholes.

Safety kit is comprehensive, with City Safety which includes pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, and front collision warning with fully automatic emergency braking, including at junctions.

There is also a host of other technologies, like autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian, animal and cyclist detection and front collision warning are included on this model.

Also standard are a full set of airbags and lane mitigation, which steers you back into the correct lane if drifting.

Factile

Volvo XC60 Recharge Plus, T6 AWD plug-in hybrid

Price: £54,975

Mechanical: Combined 340bhp, via 1969 petrol engine and electric motor driving all wheels via automatic gearbox

Max speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 5.6 seconds

MPG : 100-113 miles

CO2 emissions: 55-64g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

Motoring

New Swift better than ever

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Premium touches for Suzuki’s supermini

When it comes to small cars, Suzuki knows a thing or two. Take the new Swift, revamped for 2024 and redefining what a supermini stands for. The firm also knows its customers and that’s why the model has sold more than nine million since its 2004 introduction.

Suzuki is determined to continue in the supermini market, given that many manufacturers pulling out of the sector. Notably, Ford with the Fiesta and the Japanese firm sees this as an opportunity to hoover up extra sales.

Built on a lightweight platform and retaining previous dimensions, it offers improved performance and economy and lower emissions and in the case of the first couple of hundred yards of driving it, recognising a much more hushed environment.

It is simply a superb value-for-money machine, that at the same time offers high levels of refinement and equipment more usually found with premium motors.

These include reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, a new nine inch screen and a host of safety equipment.

Suzukis generally offer bullet-proof reliability, but the Swift now offers its Service Activated Warranty for free after manufacturer warranty expires at 60,000 and until the car reaches seven years /100,000 miles provided the car is serviced by Suzuki.

Powered by a new 1.2 litre 82PS three cylinder engine with mild hybrid technology, prices start at £18,699 for the manual front wheel drive model. Step up to Ultimate and prices are still below £20k at £19,799.

Both offer automatic transmission as an extra, while the Ultimate has Suzuki’s four-wheel driver ALLGRIP option.

Still recognisable as the Swift, it retains is muscular appearance, but exterior changes include enhanced blacked-out pillars, creating a floating roof look, an eye-catching  piano-black front grille and L-shaped signature lamps.

There are redesigned LED headlamps and both models sit on 16-inch alloys.

To the rear there is an integrated rear hatch spoiler and the lights are also of the same design type as the front.

The changes are greater inside with a higher specification. For a small car, headroom is good and the latest hi-tech screen controls navigation infotainment and smartphone connectivity.

It incorporates the Suzuki Connect app, available on Android and iOS, where users can access connected services, including the ability to monitor and receive notifications about the status of their vehicle in real time, remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, and view information such as driving history and the location of their parked car.

Otherwise the interior is impressive. Hard rather than soft touch plastic finish, but the seats are comfortable with good all-round visibility while boot space is decent for the size of car. Control are robust and logically placed.

It’s a pleasant place to be and on the road, the new power unit is a lively but refined performer. Accelerate hard and you get the distinct throaty roar of a three-pot engine, but otherwise engine noise is barely perceptible. The sprint 0-60 time of 12.5 seconds feels quicker and it is a fun drive.

Claimed economy is just over 60mpg, eight per cent up on the previous model. It’s a figure which we almost reached on our test driver clocking 59.5mpg. We won’t quibble about that.

Excellent performance, but what was impressive the longer drive went on was the noise suppression. Here the firm has made big efforts to reduce NVH  (Noise, vibration, and harshness) with an adhesive applied to the under body to reduce noise and vibration into the cabin, particularly on bumpy roads.

Safety features include six airbags as standard, stability program, driver monitoring system, dual sensor brake support, lane departure warning and weaving alert, rear cross traffic alert, blind sport monitor and traffic sign recognition.

It’s simply packed with kit and technology and still well under £20k, with Suzuki offering interest-free deals for a limited period.