Recall Alert: 2010 Volvo XC60

Volvo has issued a recall for 8,438 Volvo XC60 vehicles from the 2010 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall is due to a glitch in the driver’s seat side cover panel (also called the seat control panel).

In the event of an impact with the driver’s side, the collision could release the attachment of the seatbelt to the seat frame. If the seatbelt fails to properly restrain the occupant, he or she could suffer serious injury in an accident.

The glitch was enough to get the 2010 XC60 an asterisk when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued its Top Safety Picks for 2010. IIHSs award only went to the XC60s manufactured after November when the fix went into effect.

For those 8,438 vehicles that need the fix, Volvo dealers will modify the inside of the driver’s seat side cover panel for free. Owners may contact Volvo at 800-458-1552 or NHTSA’s hotline at 888-327-4236.

2010|Volvo|XC60

Luxury Car Sales Rebound in September

Do you ever watch the business news and wonder who’s making money in the stock market when most people you know are cutting back? Inexplicably, luxury automakers saw sales bounce back in September.

While sales of Toyota were down 19% in September, Lexus saw sales go up 7%; that’s mostly because of the new RX crossover, which had an uptick of 70%.

Ford sales were down 6%, but sales at its Swedish Volvo brand were up 16%, thanks largely to the new XC60 crossover.

With relatively no new models in its lineup, BMW sales were up 3%.

Even at GM where sales were down 45%, Cadillac sales were down just 8% because of swift sales of the redesigned SRX crossover.

Recall Alert: 11,993 Volvo Vehicles

Volvo has issued a recall for 11,993 vehicles due to a problem with the software of the electrical system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall includes the 2008-2010 S80, 2009-2010 XC70 and the new 2010 XC60.

In these models the software in the central electronic module may not send signals to the fuel pump electronic module under certain conditions. This missing signal can interfere with the start of the fuel pump. The driver might be able to start the vehicle or even drive a short distance, but then the engine may stall, which could lead to an accident.

Dealers will fix the problem by downloading new software to the vehicles’ central electronic module for free. Owners may contact Volvo at 800-458-1552 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236.

Cars.com Compares Small Luxury Crossovers

Maybe you’ve decided you want to buy a luxury car but don’t quite want to spend the money for a hulking beast of an SUV. That’s why the compact luxury crossover segment was invented. In this case, Cars.com compares two of the segment’s staples and one newcomer, as the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Volvo XC60 are stacked side by side in multiple categories. Find out which was the editors’ overall pick in this Cars.comparison.

Cars.comparison: Downsized Luxury Crossovers

2009|BMW|X3

2009|Land Rover|LR2

2010|Volvo|XC60

Volvo Lowers Price, Ups Mileage on Entry-Level XC60

Volvo’s compact luxury SUV receives a new model that gives shoppers a less expensive option for getting into an XC60. The new XC60 3.2 starts at $32,395 and forgoes the turbocharged six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive of the current XC60 T6 ($37,200). The all-wheel-drive model is available with the new non-turbocharged engine and starts at $34,395.

Pricing for the new model is now in line with its competitors such as the Acura RDX ($33,895) and higher-end Volkswagen Tiguan (front-wheel-drive SEL, $30,990). The T6 is a better fit with cars like the BMW X3 ($39,700) and Land Rover LR2 ($35,375).  

The 3.2’s six-cylinder makes 235 horsepower, and it uses the same engine as Volvo’s S80 sedan. When paired with front-wheel drive, the XC60 3.2’s mileage estimates are 18/27 mpg city/highway. This is a notable improvement over the current T6 with all-wheel drive, rated at 16/22 mpg. We evaluated the T6’s mileage on one of our mileage drives where it returned the lowest numbers between its competitors — the X3 (16/23 mpg) and LR2 (15/22) — on the same drive. Mileage estimates are not currently available for the all-wheel-drive 3.2.

XC60 3.2 models include 17-inch wheels instead of the T6’s 18s, otherwise the 3.2 is comparably equipped to the more expensive T6 model. Similar Premium, Climate, Convenience, Multimedia and Technology Packages are available.   

Expert review: 2010 Volvo XC60 T6
Cars.com Mileage Challenge 4

Cars.com Mileage Challenge 4.5: Final Thoughts

In what’s become a mileage challenge tradition, we wrap up our spring series with some driving impressions of each car. After all, two editors and our editor in chief spent nearly seven hours in these luxury crossovers.

Cars.com Mileage Challenge 4.3: The Results

The spring’s mileage challenge took three entry-level luxury crossovers — the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Volvo XC60 — on 300-plus miles of mostly highway driving around northeast Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The results? Read on:

Cars.com Mileage Challenge 4.2: Sport Mode

Yesterday, we outlined the routes and cars for our latest mileage challenge: about 315 miles, mostly highway, in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. We’ll report the full results tomorrow; today, we’re looking at the effects of Sport mode, something many luxury cars and an increasing number of non-luxury models offer. The X3 and LR2 both had it, activated by moving the shifter from Drive to the manual-shift gate.

Cars.com Mileage Challenge 4.1: Luxury Crossovers

Memorial Day is nigh, and that means the summer driving season will soon kick off. AAA recently reported that it expects 27 million Americans — that’s 83% of all Memorial Day travelers — to hit the road this weekend. That’s down from 2007 but up nearly 3 percent over last year, when sky-high gas prices took quite a toll on Memorial Day travel.

Gas may be cheap, but gas mileage is still top of mind. That’s why it’s time for another installment of Cars.com’s Mileage Challenge. After last fall’s econocar shootout, we felt ready for something a bit more upscale. So we turned to entry-level luxury crossovers, a segment once dominated by the Lexus RX and BMW X3. With starting prices around $35,000, that segment now includes models from at least 10 premium brands, most of which boast lower prices, better gas mileage and cozier cabins than their larger SUV siblings. We matched one of the latest — Volvo’s all-new XC60 — against the venerable X3 and the Land Rover LR2 in its sophomore season.

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Volvo XC60

Hoping to duplicate the success of the full-size XC90 in the compact luxury crossover segment, Volvo has introduced the XC60. With a slightly higher price tag than some of its competition, Volvo must deliver the goods, including its staple: Plenty of strong safety options. Cars.com’s Mike Hanley reviews the 2010 Volvo XC60 and delivers his assessment.

2010 Volvo XC60 Review