volvo jay

REVIEW: 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD

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Known for their beautiful, safe and reliable cars, Volvo proved they are still living up to that reputation with the S80! We had the opportunity to drive the 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD thanks to Jay at Volvo in Englewood, and we thought it was an excellent car.

With a 3.0L turbocharged V6 producing 300hp & 325 lb.-ft. of torque, this isn’t your average sedan. Performance on the car was great – with a 0-60 time of just over 6 seconds. With standard all-wheel-drive in the S80 T6, it was complemented with a 6-speed Geartronic automatic transmission with sport mode and very sleek and stylish 18″ wheels.

On the inside, you had a black leather interior with walnut wood trim and a leather and silk metal-trimmed steering wheel. Interior technology included the Volvo Sensus system with integrated 7″ color LCD screen, a 4 x 40 watt amplifier with 8 speakers, CD/MP3/USB/AUX and Sirius radio.

Our S80 test vehicle also came with the Premier Plus and Climate packages. The Premier Plus package includes Front & Rear Park Assist, Active Dual Xenon headlights, HomeLink and digital compass, while the Climate Package includes heated front and rear seats, heated windshield washer nozzles and an Interior Air Quality System (IAQS).

Overall, we were very impressed with the S80. From it’s sophisticated styling to the supreme comfort of the interior, it’s a great well rounded car. Well-equipped at just over $46,000, it’s more affordable than comparable vehicles.

Pros: Very stylish; great performance; luxury feel inside; supremely comfortable front seats; very comfortable ride; heated rear seats(!)

Cons: Feels heavy at times

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $42,950 || Price as Tested: $46,445

Vehicle Layout: Front Engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger sedan

Engine: 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder, 300-hp,  325 lb-ft torque || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight:  4,053 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 191/73.3/58.8 inches

0-60:   6.1 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 18/25 MPG

RATING: 8.4/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 9

We’d like to thank Jay Tobia at Englewood Volvo for getting us into the luxurious Volvo S80. For all of your Volvo needs, go check out Englewood Volvo in Englewood, NJ and online at http://www.kundertvolvo.com. Make sure you tell him Greg and Dave sent you!

REVIEW: 2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
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Driving the Volvo XC60 R-Design proved to be a pleasant surprise. Let’s just put that out front. Initially, I had thought it would be your typical soccer mom vehicle — roomy enough to fill the trunk with hockey sticks, mildly sluggish and just generally unappealing. After driving the XC60, my expectations were blown away, and I’m happy to say that I am actually considering getting it once the lease on my current car is up.

Bridging the gap between the XC70 and XC90 (funny how the numbers work out), our XC60 came with 20″ stylish 5-spoke R-Design alloy wheels, the Volvo Sensus system with Integrated 7-inch color LCD monitor, laminated panoramic roof with power sunshade, Xenon headlights with Active Bending, Keyless Drive, Bluetooth Hands Free Phone interface with audio streaming, heated power outside rearview mirrors, High Performance Audio system with 4 x 40 Amplifier and 8 speakers, CD/MP3/HD Radio/USB and SiriusXM. It also had the Blind Spot Information System and the Climate Package & Child Booster Seats, which includes heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles, Interior Air Quality System and dual two-stage child booster seats.

The XC60 was great to drive — super comfortable, very sporty and backed by Volvo’s renowned vehicle safety. Acceleration in the car was superb — when you stepped on it, it moved. The panoramic roof was great to look out of and the central location of the controls (radio, AC, etc.) was very easy to maneuver. Interior styling was excellent — with two-tone leather and aluminum accents, it had a very good looking interior and was roomy as well. The only drawback of the car was it’s price — a little pricey for a small SUV. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the XC60 and think it’s a well-rounded vehicle and we’d still consider it one of our top picks.

 

Pros: Unexpectedly fast, very spacious & comfortable, good styling cues, easy navigation on steering wheel controls.

Cons: Its’ price.

 

QUICK FACTS:

Base Price: $34,350 || Price as Tested: $47,345

Vehicle Layout: Front Engine, AWD, 5-passenger Crossover

Engine: Turbocharged 3.0L 6-cylinder, 325-hp, 354 lb-ft torque || Transmission: Six-speed Automatic

Curb Weight:  4,225 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 182.2/74.4/67.4 inches

0-60:  5.7 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 17/23 MPG

 

RATING: 8.4/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 8

Braking: 9

Ride: 9

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 9

Audio: 8

Tech: 9

Value: 8

 

We’d like to thank Jay Tobia at Englewood Volvo for getting us into the impressive XC60 R-Design. For all of your Volvo needs, go check out Englewood Volvo in Englewood, NJ and online at http://www.kundertvolvo.com. Make sure you tell him Greg and Dave sent you!

Review: 2013 Volvo S60

When you think of Volvo, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Safety. Known for the incredible safety features, as well as their performance, style and quality, we got to drive the 2013 S60 thanks to Jay at Englewood Volvo.

Pushing out 250 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, we had the Volvo S60 T5 AWD. A turbocharged 2.5 liter 5-cylinder engine powers the car from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. With a 6-speed automatic transmission with sport mode, the shifts in the car were quick and smooth.

The audio system in the car was great with a 4×40 Watt amplifier and 8 speakers with the 7″ Volvo Sensus screen and HD radio on all models. Other amenities included 8-way power drivers seat, push button start, leather & silk metal steering wheel and electric parking brake. Additionally, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity with audio streaming and a 60/40 folding rear seat with pass-thru add to the list of features. The Premier package adds a power glass moonroof, leather seating surfaces, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power passenger seat and keyless drive. Our test vehicle also had the Climate Package which includes heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles and interior air quality system.

With a class-leading 20/29 city/highway fuel economy, the S60 is sure to please. Starting at $31,900, our car came out to an as-tested suggested MSRP of $39,444.

Oh, and did we mention the shift knob is LED backlit so it shines at night? We thought that was pretty cool too.

Pros: Acceleration and handling in the car was great. The trunk was very spacious and we liked that there were folding seats and a pass-through. Everything on the  center console was centrally-located and angled towards the driver which we thought was great. The audio system was top-notch, as well.

Cons: The center console storage was fairly minimal. To get a navigation system, you’re going to have to pony up $6,000 for the Platinum package.

QUICK FACTS: 

Base Price: $31,900 || Price as Tested: $39,444

Vehicle Layout: Front-engine, AWD, 5-passenger, 4-door car

Engine: 2.5L, 250-hp, 266-lb-ft. I5 || Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 3548 lbs || Length/Width/Height: 182.2/73.4/58.4 inches

0-60: 6.5 seconds || EPA City/Highway Fuel Economy: 20/29mpg

RATING: 8.1/10

Exterior: 8

Interior: 8

Acceleration: 9

Braking: 9

Ride: 8

Handling: 8

Gearbox: 8

Audio: 9

Tech: 7

Value: 7

We’d like to thank Jay Tobia and Englewood Volvo for getting us into an S60 — we thought the car was awesome! For all your Volvo needs, go check out Englewood Volvo in Englewood, NJ and online at www.EnglewoodVolvo.com. Make sure you tell them Greg and Dave sent you!