EX60 test drive notes (Chicago area)
Earlier this year I deposited for a P10 Ultra -- Forest Lake with Cardamom interior. Naturally, I was excited to actually drive a car I put money toward sight unseen. I spent an hour with it today, including 40 min driving it, at Fields Volvo in Chicagoland (shout out to Raj there).
In sum, it's as great as it's portrayed to be in social media, here on Reddit, etc.
Pro:
- A serene driving experience. It really is insanely quiet.
- Ride quality is great at any of the 3 suspension settings.
- 500+ HP: a rocket unlike you'd ever expect a Volvo to be.
- It's not a Porsche, but it handled curves and corners well (mind you, I say this as a boring suburbanite).
- Great visibility from the driver's seat.
- Volvo makes the best seats, and that streak continues with this car. Also nice that the second row reclines a bit.
- The main big screen seemed very intuitive. I never had a problem figuring out where I needed to go to adjust things. Very responsive, too -- though from what I could tell, not iPad-level responsive. (I don't have much experience with the Tesla or Rivian versions.)
- The small driver's display is really nice. Its minimalistic design keeps only the most vital info in front of you -- including map and nav.
- B&W sound system is mind-blowingly good. I logged into my Apple Music account to experience Atmos tracks.
- Material quality is high.
- Panoramic sunroof dimming(?) did seem to help with sun (today was a very sunny day).
- Integrated boosters in the second row will be so helpful.
- Cargo storage in the back (plus the frunk) is plenty big. Additional under-trunk storage great to have, too.
- Those adaptive seatbelts are weird...even startling at first -- you buckle in, engage Drive mode, and they literally "hug" you. Yet further confidence that this car will keep you safe.
- 360 camera is solid.
Neutral:
- Steering wheel. Yes, it's small. No, it's not an issue. I forgot about its size after driving the car for a while. Having tactile buttons is nice, too (looking at you, cheap capacitive buttons on the new BMW iX3).
- The funky door handles are a non-issue.
- Wireless phone charger. I couldn't quite tell how to get it to engage with my iPhone 18 Pro (note that it's kinda deep under the screen, too). Tesla's version is seamless and clear in front of you; the Rivian R2's version even includes a MagSafe-type magnet to keep it in place (though in my test drive of the R2, the glare from the sun -- via the panoramic glass roof -- was super annoying given where Rivian decided to place it).
Con:
- Cabin storage kinda sucks. You have the middle glove box, which is nice. Would have been so much nicer to have had an actual glove box, plus that middle storage area. A lack of armrest storage is unfortunate, too -- and a distinct disadvantage vs Tesla or Rivian.
- Frunk is decently sized and I could see being nice to have -- except it requires an ugly manual opening inside on the driver's side, a la how you'd open a hood on many cars. Seems like a missed opportunity for it to be openable remotely.
For reference, I'm coming from a 2015 Lexus NX -- as solid a car as you'll ever find IMO. Recently test drove the Tesla YL (amazingly comfortable, powerful, versatile, high quality... but gotta vote with my wallet against you know who) and Rivian R2 (powerful and versatile, but with a busy ride, wind and some road noise, less comfortable seats, and lower-quality materials).
I'm sure I'm missing stuff. Feel free to comment and I'd be happy to chime in!