IN the premium compact SUV arena, it’s not enough to bring in comfort, convenience, safety and performance. One has to introduce a product that stands out, even if it totes a feature or two that the competition doesn’t offer, in order to become a solid contender.

One such case is the Volvo XC60.   

You can see it in its exterior. Although the overall outline resembles its larger XC90 sibling, there’s a lot more sex appeal. You see it in the ovoid headlights, which bear additional lamps closer to the new grille. You see it in the rear, which has striking curves from the top of the vertically mounted taillights down to the rear bumper. You see it in the aforementioned grille, which—along with the rest of the front fascia—will be the standard visual identity for upcoming Volvos.

Upon first glance the cabin hasn’t changed much, but still offers the trademark Volvo comfort and convenience. The driver-centric “waterfall” middle dashboard carries the Bluetooth-ready, treble/bass balanced audio entertainment, aircon controls, cold air conditioning and hidden storage compartment from the XC70, XC90 and S80. Also brought over from the aforementioned three brands were the automated up-down power-assisted windows, narrow door storage, aircon vents within the B-pillars, start/stop push-button ignition and T-Tec dashboard material.     

Volvo was smart to bring in a common rail direct injection diesel variant for the XC60, as a diesel engine’s ability to make gobs of torque makes acceleration from a standstill start easy. You don’t need much to get the XC60 going on all sorts of tarmac—at 2,000 rpm you enter the powerband and at a notch beyond 4,250 rpm is just noise. In fact the 2.4L is strong enough to render use of the Geartronic manual mode as an option, but it’s best to use the said feature for optimum forward motion—such as attaining top speed (221 kph, limited due to inclement weather) and going to 100 kph from rest (9.96 seconds). On emergency lane changes just putting it in “(D)rive” is all right, as the A/T is willing to downshift at half throttle. Surprisingly, there’s little NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) at the upper areas of the powerband; all you hear is a muffled roar when you step on the gas.

The XC60 is that rare SUV with great handling. There’s little body roll, and the tires do a great road-holding job. The SUV is solid when going through apexes at speed, rarely twitchy. The ride is very comfortable—even the worst potholes on EDSA are absorbed by the suspension in such a way that you’re able to get shuteye. Steering is generally light in feel, and the feedback is great for an SUV, rivaling that of Audi units.

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Fast on the freeway or front driveway The nature of the XC60’s 2.4L diesel engine as an immense torque producer comes into play when it comes to acceleration from rest and sheer pace, as observed in its 9.96-second 0-100 kph time and 221 kph top speed.

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The Volvo XC60’s competition may be faster, handle better, provide better interior amenities, or have striking exterior shapes, but its safety setup, increased body shape appeal, diesel power and composition on turns make it a big consideration for buyers looking for a premium compact SUV. It may take the middle ground, but does it in a way that’s solidly spectacular.