2010 Volvo XC60

Premium crossover features collision avoidance technology

By Nina Russin

The Volvo XC60 that goes on sale this March may be the Swedish automaker’s most significant vehicle launch to date. The five-passenger crossover vehicle is the first production car to feature city safety, a low-speed collision avoidance system, as standard equipment.

There is one available drivetrain: a six-cylinder, 281-horsepower turbocharged engine, and six speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity is 3300 pounds: just shy of our ALV minimum standards. Antilock brakes, trailer stability assist, dynamic stability and roll control are standard equipment.

Volvo XC 60

Base price is $37,200, not including an $825 destination fee. The terra bronze pearl paint on our test car is one of several optional paint upgrades ($525). Optional wood inlays on the interior add $295.

All cars come with complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first three years or 36,000 miles.

The first car that can stop itself

Statistics from Volvo’s accident research team indicate that seventy-five percent of all collisions occur at low speeds, caused by distracted drivers.

City safety uses a laser sensor at the base of the windshield to monitor the distance between the driver and the car in front. If the sensor determines that a collision is likely, actuators precharge the car’s disc brakes so the driver can stop faster.

Should the driver fail to respond, city safety automatically applies the brakes. It can prevent collisions at speeds under nine miles-per-hour, and severely reduce their impact up to nineteen miles-per-hour.

Loves to play hard and get dirty

With design roots at Volvo’s concept center in Camarillo, California, the XC60 appeals to drivers who like to venture off the beaten path and take their toys with them.

All-wheel drive is standard, giving the XC60 better wet weather, snow and off-road performance. Nine inches of ground clearance is plenty to clear obstacles on unimproved roads. Standard hill descent control maintains a preset speed on steep grades to help the driver maintain directional control.

Front and rear skid plates protect chassis components under the car on uneven trails. Optional headlamp washers ensure that the path in front stays lit, even if the car is traveling in snow or deep mud.

A new panoramic moonroof, available as a no-cost option, opens up the top of the car above both rows of passengers. The front glass panel opens up to let fresh air in as well.

The rear seats fold flat without removing the seat cushions or headrests, making it easy to slip a couple of bikes in back. A standard first aid kit comes in handy for people who love the trails and have a few war wounds to prove it.

Cruising up the California coast

I had a chance to get behind the wheel of the new Volvo at a media event in Marin country this month. Since the North American rollout is two months away, we drove European spec cars which had different side mirrors, tires and speedometers than the American production cars will.

Before heading north on route 1, we had a chance to test city safety on a mock up scenario near the hotel. The Volvo engineers set up a series of car-shaped balloons at a remote parking lot. We were instructed to approach the barriers at nine miles-per-hour and keep our feet off the brakes.

Just short of the barriers, the brakes kicked in and stopped the car. The brakes apply at fifty percent of full power: not enough to throw passengers out of their seats, but not a pleasant experience either.

There’s no warning before the system kicks in: research showed that driver alerts were more confusing than helpful: the driver isn’t able to react fast enough to stop the car.

The hard braking is also intentional: Volvo doesn’t want to encourage drivers to let the car do its own braking, except in an emergency.

Blue sea, blue skies, and Barak on the radio

After the safety demonstration, we headed out of Marin county towards wine country, so we could experience the XC60’s turbocharged six-cylinder engine on some winding canyon roads.

The drive happened to take place on the day of the presidential inauguration. Not wanting to miss history in the making, we tuned in to the local news station.

The morning’s events in Washington made for a poignant backdrop to some of the most beautiful scenery this country has to offer. The lush vineyards gave new meaning to Aretha Franklin’s rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

The section of route 1 between San Francisco and Bodega Bay is a narrow two-lane road, loaded with blind corners and sharp turns. It can be misery in a big lunky vehicle. Conversely, the right car can make the drive more fun than any amusement park ride.

Despite its ample passenger and cargo capabilities, the XC60 is small and nimble enough to give the driver good control on challenging roads. The inline-six engine is a variation of the block Volvo uses in its S80 luxury sedan. Displacement is slightly smaller, but the standard turbocharger makes up what the modified block lacks in cubic inches.

Zero-to-sixty acceleration is just over seven seconds: plenty to get the driver away from the toll booth ahead of traffic. The six-speed automatic transmission is manually shiftable, allowing the driver to push the performance envelope. Sixth gear is a large overdrive gear to enhance fuel economy: eighteen miles per-gallon for city and highway driving.

The fully independent suspension has front and rear stabilizer bars to keep the XC60 flat in the corners. Engineers focused on torsional rigidity throughout the unibody structure, to give the car good steering response. As a result, the XC60 doesn’t suffer from excessive body roll and poor on-center feel that can come with a high center of gravity.

The European spec cars come with Pirelli PZero tires, versus all-season tires on the American cars. The Pirelli tires are harder: designed for more aggressive driving. Braking is firm and linear without being grabby.

The passenger cabin is quiet enough for first and second rows to converse comfortably. There’s a conspicuous absence of road and wind noise, even at highway speeds.

Available integrated booster seats

Parents with young children will appreciate available integrated booster seats: an option in the two outboard rear seats. The stand-alone option costs $495.

The power liftgate on our test car is part of a convenience package ($1000) that also adds audible front and rear park assist warnings, a grocery bag holder, and a twelve-volt power point in the cargo area.

Safety-conscious buyers will want to consider the collision avoidance package. It includes adaptive cruise control that maintains a preset following distance in traffic, drowsy driver alert, and the lane departure warning system ($1695). Volvo’s blind spot information system is a stand-alone option ($695).

Volvo’s personal car communicator senses heartbeats inside the car: it can determine if a would-be attacker is within the vehicle. The personal car communicator and keyless start cost $550. Bi-xenon headlamps produce a brighter, longer beam than halogen lamps: the stand-alone option costs $800.

Volvo builds the XC60 at its Ghent, Belgium assembly plant.

2010 Volvo XC60

Likes: Volvo’s newest crossover vehicle may be the safest car on the market, with standard city safety that can prevent low-speed collisions. The standard six-cylinder turbocharged engine yields sporty performance and good fuel economy. Active types will appreciate the versatile cargo area and standard roof rails.

Dislikes: The XC60 comes with an undersized spare to save weight and space. Buyers who plan to venture off-road should plan on buying a full-sized spare, and finding a place to mount it.

Quick facts:

Make: Volvo
Model: XC60
Year: 2010
Base price: $37,200
Horsepower: 281 Hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 295 lbs.-ft. @ 1500 rpm
0-60mph: 7.1 seconds
Antilock brakes: Standard
Side curtain airbags: Standard
First aid kit: Standard
Bicycle friendly: Yes
Off-road: Yes
Towing: No
Fuel economy: 16/22 mpg city/highway
Comments: Base price does not include a $825 destination charge.

2009 Toyota Matrix XRS

By Nina Russin

As gas prices soar, car buyers look for fuel-efficient alternatives to sport-utility vehicles. Leaving hybrids out of the picture, compact hatchbacks are an excellent solution to the dilemma. They have large, versatile cargo areas, yet their fuel economy rivals passenger cars.

The Toyota Matrix is a hatchback based on the Corolla platform. The compact Matrix averages twenty-four miles-per gallon for city and highway driving. Second-row seats fold flat to lengthen the cargo floor, which features an easy-to-clean vinyl surface and easy-to-use cargo tie-down system.

The floor is long enough to hold a mountain bike with the front wheel in place. On a recent trip to Sedona, my husband and I packed in a weekend’s worth of luggage, my mountain bike, and several grocery bags full of munchies.

Sporty XRS

The test car is the XRS: the sportiest of three available grades. It features a slightly larger engine than the standard and grades, with a five-speed automatic transmission.

While the Matrix S is available with all-wheel drive, the XRS comes exclusively as a front-wheel drive car. Front and rear underbody spoilers limit the car’s ground clearance to 5.3 inches, making it impractical for off-road driving.

Though fuel economy for the Matrix XRS isn’t as good as for the base model, the extra power makes a big difference on the highway. Driving north on the 17 freeway between Phoenix and Sedona, it was easy to pass slower traffic on the uphill grades. The automatic transmission downshifts hard, but accelerating hard on the hills had little impact on overall fuel economy.

The XRS comes with eighteen-inch wheels as opposed to sixteen-inch rims on the base model, a strut tower brace for enhanced torsional rigidity, and standard vehicle stability control.

A standard independent wishbone suspension is compliant, yet responsive. An electric steering pump provides variable assist, depending on the car’s speed. I had no problems making the occasional U-turn on Sedona’s two-lane roads.

Four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel ABS are standard. Braking is firm and linear.

Visibility is good all the way around the car, though a thick rear pillar makes it harder to see oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking spot. All grades come with a standard rear wiper, to keep the back glass clean in rain and snow.

Towing capacity is 1500 pounds: well below our ALV minimum standards.

Versatile interior

The Matrix interior is remarkably spacious for a compact car. The test car has standard cloth upholstery. Both the driver and front passenger seat have plenty of lower back support.

I was surprised by the amount of legroom in the second row. Since there is no tunnel through the floor, it’s possible for three small adults to be comfortable in back.

A gate shifter on the center stack clears up floor space for extra cupholders, and a two-piece bin that stores small electronic items on top, and compact discs beneath. The five-speed automatic transmission includes a manual shift option.

Standard comfort and convenience features include air conditioning, power moonroof, halogen headlamps and front fog lamps, intermittent wipers, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and keyless entry. The Matrix doesn’t come with a roof rack, but the XRS grade includes fixed anchor mounts.

A 12-volt power point and 115-volt inverter at the base of the center stack allow passengers to charge and use electronic devices on the go. The optional navigation system includes a MP3 compatible audio upgrade, with pre-wiring for satellite radio. The $1300 option is most beneficial for buyers who want the enhanced audio capabilities, since aftermarket GPS systems do a adequate job for a fraction of the price.

Redundant volume controls on the steering wheel help the driver to stay focused on the road.  The tilt and telescoping steering wheel enables smaller drivers to maintain a safe distance from the front airbag.

A large glovebox includes a storage shelf for the owner’s manual: it’s roomy enough to stash a purse or small pack at the trailhead. All four doors have map pockets with molded bottle holders.

Versatile cargo area

The second-row seats fold flat by releasing knobs on the outboard sides of the seatbacks. The cargo floor has a vinyl surface, which makes it easier to slide big cargo inside: it’s also easy to clean. Cargo tracks contain tie-down loops to secure larger items.

A hidden cubby to the left of the liftgate can hold a purse, small pack or first aid kit. The spare and jack are in a compartment under the cargo floor, where they are easy to reach.

Standard safety

The 2009 model has yet to undergo federal crash tests, but it comes well equipped with active and passive safety features: front, side and side curtain airbags, four-channel antilock brakes, vehicle stability control with traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Base price on the Matrix XRS is $21,850, not including a $660 delivery fee. The new Matrix is available for test drives at Toyota dealerships nationwide.

Likes: A fuel-efficient compact car with a versatile interior, including a large, easy-to-clean cargo floor. The larger engine on the XRS grade adds a welcome power boost, especially when driving in mountainous areas.

Dislikes: Underbody spoilers reduce ground clearance, making it hard to drive the car off-road.

Quick facts:

Make: Toyota
Model: Corolla Matrix XRS
Year: 2009
Base price: $ 21,850
As tested: $23,810
Horsepower: 158 Hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 162 lbs.-ft. @ 4000 rpm
Zero-to-sixty: N/A
Antilock brakes: Standard
Side curtain airbags: Standard
First aid kit: N/A
Bicycle friendly: Yes
Towing: No
Off-road: No
Fuel economy: 21/29 mpg, city/highway

2009 Kia Borrego EX 4X4

By Nina Russin

When Kia introduced out the new Borrego last July, industry insiders worried that the automaker was swimming in shark-infested waters. Although product planners can’t  anticipate ebbs and flows in commodities, the roll-out coincided with a record demand for crude oil. For the first time in history, Americans confronted four dollar-per-gallon gasoline, and the market for large trucks went through the floor.

What Kia did anticipate was some tough competition from automakers it was relatively unfamiliar with. Lexus, Acura, Volvo, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all have bread-and-butter products in the mid-sized SUV segment. Although Kia expected some Borrego customers to come out of smaller models in its own lineup, it would have to conquest from other brands as well.

But the Korean manufacturer had faith in its tried-and-true strategy of combining value with a high level of content. Its ten-year warranty, about twice the industry average, didn’t hurt either.

Pricing for the two-wheel drive Borrego starts at about $27,000: a significantly lower price point than competitors such as the Lexus R330 and BMW X5. A buyer can upgrade to four-wheel drive, add a comfort and convenience package, and still come out under $30,000 for the six-cylinder model. A comfortably-equipped Borrego LX is an ALV best value.

Upscale off-road machine

The test car is the upscale EX four-wheel drive grade: pricing starts at $32,995 not including a $750 delivery charge. Except for its optional running boards, the test car has a tough exterior, with all of the features necessary for off-road driving.

The full-time four-wheel drive system has a low gear range for navigating uneven terrain. Downhill brake control and hill start assist, both features that help the driver maintain direction control on steep grades, are standard equipment.

Ground clearance of 8.5 inches is ample for clearing obstacles on the trail. Standard underbody cladding protects chassis parts from rock damage.

The Borrego’s wheelbase is 114 inches, making it longer than the Chevy Trailblazer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Though the extra length translates to more room for third row passengers, it also makes the Borrego less maneuverable through narrow turns.

Although both V-6 and V-8 models exceed our minimum ALV towing standards, I’d recommend the eight cylinder engine for anyone who plans to haul trailers with regularity. A standard integrated tow hitch saves buyers the expense of hardware normally limited to option packages.

The Borrego is an extremely heavy truck: over 4,600 pounds for the four-wheel drive EX. Even without a trailer, the V-6 can hesitate on a steep grade.

The eight cylinder engine is a modified version of the block used in the Hyundai Genesis. Buyers who opt for the bigger engine will lose about a mile-per-gallon of fuel economy, compared to the V6. A six-speed automatic transmission on the test car stretches the gas mileage to about twenty mpg on the highway.

Although it adds weight, the full-sized spare tire is a necessity for anyone who planning to drive the Borrego off-road. Optional eighteen-inch rims and performance tires on the test car dress up the exterior. Buyers who plan to drive off-road should stick to the standard rims, and might want to add trail-rated tires.

Easy to drive in traffic

Despite its robust dimensions, the Borrego is a very easy car to get around town in. Power rack-and-pinion steering gives the seven-passenger sport-utility vehicle a thirty-six foot turning radius. Engineers opted for an independent front and multi-link rear suspension to enhance towing stability. Drivers should find the ride to have enough compliance for day-to-day commuting as well.

Visibility around the car is better than average, thanks to a narrow rear pillar that minimizes blind spots. A standard backup warning system on all grades sounds an audible alarm when the truck’s rear bumper comes too close to an obstacle.

An eight-way adjustable driver’s seat and four-way passenger seat are quite comfortable on long drives. A luxury package on the test car ($1500) adds leather trim, front seat heaters, and two position memory, so multiple drivers can share the car.

Considering its weight, engineers were smart to put large disc brakes on all four wheels with standard four-channel antilock braking. Despite its weight, the truck stops in a firm, linear fashion.

Standard traction control limits wheel-spin on slick surfaces, while vehicle stability control prevents excessive yaw from causing the driver to lose directional control.

Seating for seven

Buyers who plan to carry passengers in back should opt for the premium package that adds rear air conditioning controls. Sixteen vents throughout the interior do a good job of circulating air on a hot day, to keep third-row occupants comfortable.

The same option package upgrades the standard audio controls to a MP3 compatible Infinity system, and a sunroof that brings ambient light into the back of the car.

All passengers should find plenty of small storage areas and cupholders in their vicinity. Front-row passengers have access to a two-piece center console storage bin.

Three overhead reading lamps come in handy at night. The Borrego has multiple power points, including a twelve-volt outlet in the cargo area.

A lever on the second row seat tilts it up and slides it forward to improve third-row access. The third row has enough head and legroom for the average adult to feel comfortable.

Both second and third row seatbacks fold flat to create a large cargo floor that easily meets our bicycle-friendly standards. An under-floor storage area is handy for stashing smaller items.

Standard safety

All models come with front, side, and side curtain airbags. Models equipped with the eight-cylinder engine also have a driver’s knee airbag. Other standard safety features include electronic stability and traction control, antilock brakes and active front head restraints.

Kia’s standard ten year powertrain warranty includes five years of twenty-four hour roadside assistance.

The new Borrego is on display at Kia dealerships nationwide.

Likes: The mid-sized Borrego is a well-rounded offering, with similar content to other luxury sport-utility vehicles with a much lower starting price. A low gear range is ideal for drivers who want to venture off-road. The V-8 model’s 7500-pound towing capacity is double our ALV standards.

Dislikes: Poor fuel economy

Quick facts:

Make: Kia
Model: Borrego EX 4X4
Year: 2009
Base price: $32,995
As tested: $39,295
Horsepower: 337 Hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 323 lbs.-ft. @ 3500 rpm
Zero-to-sixty: N/A
Antilock brakes: Standard
Side curtain airbags: Standard
First aid kit: N/A
Bicycle friendly: Yes
Off-road: Yes
Towing: Yes
Fuel economy: 15/20 mpg city/highway
Comments: Base sticker price does not include a $750 delivery charge.