Otherwise, if we were going out together, I would automatically head for the passenger seat and let him do the driving, regardless whether we are using his car or mine.
This time, however, we were test driving the Volvo S60 T5, and I insisted on being at the wheel. And there he was, fidgeting about like a caffeine freak who hadn’t had his first coffee of the day.
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As far as I was concerned, my driving was faultless, but he kept on pointing things out like, “Watch out, you’re too near the car in front.”
This was when we were negotiating a stretch where traffic was a bit heavy. “That’s how we will be able to test the car’s braking system,” I countered.
When it seemed like he was not going to sit down quietly, I reluctantly stopped and told him to take over. He did not need a second invitation and I couldn’t blame him.
We were both enjoying the drive to Senawang in Negri Sembilan via the North-South Highway and were heading back to Petaling Jaya via the new Kajang-Seremban Highway that took us through some traffic-clogged stretches close to Kuala Lumpur.
Having read through the media notes about the features of the S60, there were a few aspects of the car that we particularly wanted to test.
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One was the Pedestrian Detection System (PDS) with Full Auto Brake, which, according to the notes, can detect pedestrians in front of the car, warn if anyone walks out into its path and then automatically activate the car’s full braking power if the driver fails to respond in time.
The system can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds up to 35kph.
My colleague and I had earlier discussed how we could test this system.
But short of forcing another colleague to put his/her life at risk stepping in front of a moving car, we did not have the means to try it out.
As it turned out, I did get a feel of how the PDS worked while turning into a side road.
Three things happened at once: I saw the guy who had stepped onto the road (without checking if it was safe to do so) and my foot was already on the brake pedal, at the same time I felt a slight drag and realised immediately that the car’s braking system was kicking in.
There are lots of idiots on the road, so a system like this would really make for peace of mind when driving.
The S60’s new Adaptive Cruise Control System is another aspect that we really liked although it was a bit unnerving initially.
The driver can set the maximum travelling speed and distance from the vehicle in front, and then let the car take over.
However, putting your life in the “hands” of a car travelling at top speed and trusting it to slow down when required, without you having to put your foot on the brake, needs some getting used to, believe me.
As it were, more often than not, our foot hovered over the brake every time the car needed to slow down.
But slow down it did, and it picked up speed again once the going was clear. It could also be controlled with a touch of the button on the steering wheel.
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| No spare tyre in the trunk but the Continental puncture repair kit should do the trick before heading to the tyre shop. |
On the open road, the drive was smooth as the car accelerated and swallowed up the kilometres effortlessly, courtesy of its 2.0 GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) powerplant, which churns out 240bhp at 5,500rpm with an equally impressive torque of 320Nm between 1,800 and 5,000rpm.
The interior is both lavish yet elegant (accentuated leather trims all around, leather-wrapped gear knob and sports leather steering wheel) and offers comfortable space for all occupants.
The S60 also boasts an all-new entertainment system whereby information from the audio, navigation system, mobile phone and other functions is presented on a seven-inch colour screen in the upper part of the centre console.
The screen is installed high to enable the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road while viewing it. All the functions can be accessed via controls on the steering wheel.
As for the outside, it certainly isn’t anything like the models my other half used to drive in the 80s. (Remember the brick-ish 240 Series?)
According to hubby, those cars were solid, looked solid, and not only felt safe but were safe. That was about all you could say about them.
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They were not slow, but took a bit to wind up, and when running, they were responsive. But they were heavy and consumed a lot of juice. They were, however, at the forefront of safety technology at that time, being by far the safest cars on the road.
The new models are a far cry from the 80s. With its C-pillar stretching sensually all the way to the tail lamps, the profile of this S60 radiates so much coupe feeling that it really looks like a coupe until you come up close and see the rear doors.
And it is still solid and safe with excellent pickup and speed, but still steady. How do they do it?
Among some of the other features of the Volvo S60 include a grocery bag holder and a ContiMobilityKit in the boot.
For those in the dark, the latter is a compact air compressor with a separate sealant bottle which can be used to temporarily re-inflate and fix a punctured tyre.
Is the S60 worth it with all the hi-tech gadgets thrown in?
At RM255,000 on-the-road without insurance, the S60 which is now available locally assembled, makes a compelling case for itself.
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