u/brockimania

Finally drove the EX60 yesterday. Almost exactly the configuration that I’ve ordered - Forest Lake - P10 Ultra with light interiors. The only difference was that I’ve ordered 21“ wheels and the test car had 22“.

There is a lot of interest in the car, so they had back-to-back test drives booked. I’d booked the test drive with my seller a couple of months ago on the phone. Other folks had booked a test drive on the Volvo website and the two didn’t match, so there were a few double or triple booked slots. We had to wait a bit.

Now for the drive itself. It was wonderful overall. The door handles felt very natural. The steering wheel felt a bit too small but not too bad. I drove on the highway, within the city and took some winding roads as well. Highway driving was very smooth. Not much road noise. Pilot assist worked great as well. Google maps was nice. I didn’t quite get used to the front display. I kept looking at the centre display for directions (I’m coming from MY20 XC60).

City driving was smooth as well. The single pedal driving was not very predictable. It kept rolling when I lifted my foot when I put it on Automatic mode. I need to figure out how it really works. I tried the performance mode on some winding roads. The power response is great. However the car was leaning more than I would’ve expected for an EV.

Now for the issues. I encountered only one - The audio wouldn’t play. The radio didn’t work. So I didn’t get to experience the B&W sound system - except for Google maps navigation instructions. The salesperson said that it was the first time they saw this issue.

Hi all, first-time author here.
I've just finished “09h20 Train to Mars”, a hard science fiction novel I've been writing on and off since 2012. Think somewhere between The Expanse and Children of Time. Written and illustrated (yes, the cover too) entirely by me, no generative AI involved. Here is a short blurb for the story and other details in the format requested by this Subreddit:
———————————————————————————

• Blurb: Jon Tsukunaga-Barlowe boards the 09:20 train to Mars expecting nothing more than a routine audit. Ore yields are falling, and his employer's miracle cancer drug depends on a steady supply from the red planet.The last thing he expects is a hijacking. Or the truth: that Mars was never as dead as everyone believed. Rako Huxley has spent years fighting for a planet that isn't supposed to be habitable, leading a fractured rebellion against a self-appointed mayor who'll do anything to protect his monopoly. Buried beneath the copper dust is something older than either of their causes: a machine, ancient and utterly alien, that has kept Mars barren for millions of years, and isn't finished yet. As Jon is pulled deeper into a war he never signed up for, he learns the miners aren't just getting sick. They're changing, becoming something the machine was built to stop. Destroying it may be their only chance to save what's left of Mars. But some things can't be destroyed. Only understood.
• Triggers: violence/injury, body possession, death (witnessed), kidnapping/hostage situations, gun violence (non-fatal), parental death (backstory only), illness
• Book Cover (Fully hand-drawn on Adobe Fresco by the author)

09h20 Train to Mars

• Date of publication (eBook): 08 September 2026
• ARC release date: 30 July 2026
• Request ARC readers to finish the reading and submit reviews by: August 28th
• ARC sign up link: https://forms.gle/ys4pHDDptoHw6T7g8

Thanks for your interest and looking forward to getting your feedback and your reviews.

We heard that the production of EX60s has begun more than a month ago. I suppose quite a few vehicles have now been built. The folks who have ordered on the initial weeks after launch are all reporting week 47 and later for their vehicle delivery. Where are these initially built vehicles going? Exclusively to dealerships for demo/test drive purposes? Any guesses or inside info?