Volvo XC40 is the authentic SUV with it’s bold, progressive design and intuitive technology that puts you in command.
The drive up the winding roads leading to Genting Highlands had never been better than with the Volvo XC40 T5 All Wheel Drive (AWD) R-Design. Stylish inside and out, the SUV is designed to make your daily drive more relaxed and safer, promisinng that you will always feel in control.
The XC40 is carefully crafted – from the signature T-shaped front light to the beautifully detailed tail-light – every inch of it screams Volvo. The SUV comes in four colours, the Crystal White Pearl with Black Stone Roof turned out to be this writer’s shining armour for the test drive.
The SUV looks exciting from the outside, and inside it is warm and inviting, with its R-Design Seats in Leather / Nubuck Upholstery.
The safety features of IntelliSafe, made me feel like Iwas not driving alone. One of them is the keyless entry drive that cuts down the hassle of having a key,and gives the assurance that you will be safe the moment you step in your car. In short, it feels like you own a bodyguard.
The moment I pushed the start button, a safety check of the car’s driver support systems analysed the XC40 conditions. The green dots indicated that everything looked good and it was time to start a “new level of driving experience”. I couldn’t wait!
The Sensus Connect with 9-inch Portrait Touchscreen is compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The high-performance audio system with eight speakers integrates well with music from Spotify. At the same time, you can navigate to your destination quite easily from mobile apps – Waze and Google Maps – as well as the built-in Sensus Navigation which can be used both on the driver display and touchscreen.
Another function that is related to the screen is the voice control, which allows you to manage functions that are available in the car, including climate control. The Volvo XC40 R-Design is equipped with Two-Zone Electronic climate control (ECC), which allows one to set set the temperature separately for the left and right-hand sides. Without adjusting the temperature manually, all the passenger needs to say is “Set temperature to X degrees” and your wish will be its command!
It took approximately one hour and 30 minutes to drive up the hill. One of the Volvo preventive safety features, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), helped me to change lanes safely and with confidence. The function detects vehicles that are approaching from behind, either from the right or left lane and alerts the driver with orange flashes on the side or wing mirrors. BLIS now also comes with steer assist, providing a helping hand when you need it, and to avoid potential collisions.
Genting is known for its endless twisting roads – so I was happy to let the power steering do the work. The Electric Power-Assist Steering (EPAS) with Adjustable Steering Wheel Force will help to reduce the driver’s steering efforts. For me, the steering felt light, but it turns out the movements were sharp and reasonably accurate, even during the hill test with slippery and windy conditions.
On the hill drive, the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) was my safeguard. It gave me a smooth braking point and worked exceptionally well.
Without realising it, sometimes we can find ourselves off the roads. Since I pushed the limits of the car’s speed, the IntelliSafe was automatically activated. And that’s how I discovered the Oncoming Lane Mitigation, which helps the drivers to avoid collision with other vehicles in an oncoming lane. It alerts the driver and provides automatic steering assistance to guide them back to their path safely.
It was an incredible weekend drive with the Volvo XC40 R-Design. But, there were still more functions that I wanted to explore, and I was wishing the trip could have been stretched out for more than three days. To sum up, however, I felt secure and confident with the XC40’s safety measures – it made my drive an enjoyable and easy one.
The Volvo XC40 is priced at RM 255,888 on the road without insurance.
For more information, visit www.volvocars.com/my.
