Should I Buy? 2023 Volvo XC60 // One Major Flaw
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2024
- The 2023 Volvo XC60 Ultimate is a phenomenal luxury crossover. The seats are tremendously comfortable, the ride is good, and the materials are top notch. Unfortunately, the general awesomeness is seriously hampered by Volvo's frustrating infotainment. Which compact luxury crossover would you buy? Would it be the XC60?
Timestamps:
0:00 - Title
0:27 - Intro
0:55 - XC60 trim levels, powertrains, and prices explained
5:02 - Acceleration & Brakes
5:46 - Driving Experience & Interior
6:57 - Transmission
9:39 - THE MAJOR FLAW
13:11 - Should You Buy?
15:04 - Final Thoughts - Авто та транспорт
You’re being a but unfair regarding the infotainment system , you can simply push one physical button on the steering wheel and tell it what to do, eg change temp, fan speed, radio stations etc and not once in your review did you mention that.
Yes, and I appreciate you pointing that out-I should’ve given more attention to that in the video. And I’m not suggesting you should read the entire comments section, but I’ve addressed this a number of times in response to others. Though ideally, that system works as well as you’ve characterized it, I feel that 1. It interrupts music, podcast 2. It doesn’t always follow my instructions as stated and 3. There are specific phrases you need to use…it’s not as simple as casually telling your passenger to turn the temp up to 71. The finicky nature of it could’ve been an issue with the particular car I had, but in general I think it’s fair to say a button accomplishes the same task with zero thought or frustration. That said, if some buyers (including yourself) don’t mind it, that’s great! But my purpose is to provide my own perspective and I encourage anyone who’s viewed this video to watch many, many more reviews on this car if they are in the market.
And honestly, the reason I didn’t include it in the video is because the google voice was bad enough (in my experience) that I didn’t want the video to include any more of me being super critical, because I loved the car other than the infotainment. Thanks for your comment!
As an owner of a Volvo XC60 since 2018, I will say that all the items you need while driving can be used without any issues (radio and climate) after a week or so of driving it.
Where you will need to search and dig down into the menu are the settings such as how you want to set the steering wheel feel, which options you want to see on the dash, GPS, setting your preferred radio stations and so on. You would not be adjusting these while driving.
You need to remember that most of the settings can be adjusted without taking your hand off the steering wheel by using the voice commands. That would include adjusting radio volume, temperature, GPS, phone etcetera.
Yeah, a few folks in the comments have pointed that out. It’s great the voice controls can be used and I’m sure for some people it’s not an issue, but I personally hate voice controls. I find they don’t often work the first time and I think it’s still inferior to a simple button setup like on the Q5 or like Honda’s infotainment on their latest models. Especially given you’d have to read the manual to learn the very specific prompts you have to give to make it do what you want. That’s just my opinion though! I’ve driven Volvo’s with this exact infotainment a bunch since 2017 (my brothers are volvo nuts) and I still find it clunky and inexcusable. That said, if it works for some people thats awesome! Especially because the rest of the car is so so good. I was totally in love with the seats and that interior. Next time we review a late model Volvo I’ll try out the voice commands more-maybe I’ll get on with it better next time. Thanks for your comment btw! It’s really nice to hear that many owners are having a good experience. Definitely helps broaden my perspective.
Great review as an owner I will say "Okay Google - Turn on heated seat - Change temp to 20oC - Turn on cooling seat - Turn on heated steering wheel" I do agree the screen and controls can be awkward to use but Volvo and Google integration simplifies and makes driving so much safer. Do appreciate it was you first time in vehicle. Try the T8 Recharge if you get a chance!
I would love to have a go in one of those! Though complicated, I’ve heard that powertrain is a monster. 455 hp is no joke! We are definitely going to need to review another Volvo so we can explore the voice controls more. Thanks for sharing your experience as an owner!
@@aveautomotive2441 I just test drove the 2024 XC60 and will be picking up my new model today!!! When I did the test drive I just spoke my commands to google and there is no need to use the touch screen. Google "turn in the airconditioning" Google "turn on music" etc, etc. I specifically bought this car for long travels and want everything to be hands free and safe. I hope it is everything I want!
I just recently traded-in my 2017 V60 R-Design wagon for a 2022 XC60 T8 Recharge R-Design and I couldn’t be happier! Plenty of power (400hp, 472 lb-ft of torque, which is a bit shy of what you get in the 2023 extended range Recharge model!), and it is EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. I drove the V60 wagon more than 1,800 miles to and from Nashville over the Christmas-New Year holidays and this 2022 XC60 Recharge R-Design (which basically has all of the Ultimate-level options and packages) is infinitely more comfortable and sure-footed than the wagon was. The topper is that I recently drove it 643 miles from Myrtle Beach to Eastern PA and still had 60 miles of range remaining. That’s about 40 MPG from a 400 HP plug in hybrid that weighs almost 2.5 tons!
That’s awesome! I heard Matt Farah say recently that he wanted to replace his Mach-E with the XC60 Recharge. The XC60 is definitely one of the most comfortable vehicles I’ve sat in/reviewed in the last 2 years. I hope you’re enjoying yours immensely!
Call me old-school but I do prefer physical buttons for climate control etc. Something the volvo just missed out on. I currently own a 2021 Audi q3 and I am contemplating moving to an xc60. I have a 3 yr old which explains why safety is high on my priority list. The display gauge isn't configured at all. Which is something I love on my Audi virtual cockpit.
My wife and I have been setting seat heat and cooling and steering wheel heat through the center Sensus screen for nearly six years now and it's no big problem. The old knurled wheel to control driving mode was not so easy to use, so using the screen now is not so awful a change. Set the sound system where you want it, set navigation to where you're going and put it up on your instrument panel, and leave the center screen on driving mode if you have to change it that often. But there's really no reason to be changing it that often. I suppose youtube reviewers just have to find some "major flaw" to attract clicks, even if that flaw is trivial.
The flaw really isn’t trivial to most people I talk to. It certainly isn’t trivial to me. The point of the review is to share my honest opinion on the car and it’s completely cool if we disagree. I even asked owners for their thoughts in the video-so we genuinely appreciate your comment! That said, assigning motive to a person’s opinion is a little silly. We are open to opposing perspectives at AVE, so I promise there is no need for that…we love discussing cars with owners and bettering our understanding of all the vehicles we review. In fact, we are probably wrong quite a bit. Clicks is irrelevant, though I do word the subtitle of the video to help the video seem as interesting as possible…the end goal is to get people to see it lol.
As far as not being trivial, Hyundai has recently expressed that it will be returning to hard knobs and buttons as they believe them to be safer. The screens in the Volvo and systems like it are no less distracting than smartphones from my perspective. I’m fairly confident that regulations down the line will push manufacturers back to buttons despite the fact it’s cheaper to install screens. That said, as some other commenters have pointed out, voice controls work rather well as a substitute which is awesome. That and, as you said and as I said in the review-you probably get used to it.
UA-cam reviewers are too often whiners, like this guy. The 2023 T8 is a terrific car. One-pedal driving. 40+ miles electric range. 475 horses. Voice control works every time to change everything climate. Google maps is excellent. Sound system is superb, as is air suspension. This guy should buy a car with buttons and go away..
I didn’t review a T8, I reviewed a B5 (247 hp, no one pedal driving, no electric range…no buttons 😜) and I actually said it was one of the best luxury crossovers on the market. Not sure if you watched the video, but I discuss the specs of the car I shared my opinion on. That being said, my opinion on buttons is not unique-it’s held by most consumers I know, so I feel like I’m representing a widespread section of the car buying populous.
And not for nothing, but I do think it’s pretty funny to heap praise on every aspect of the car and criticize (albeit heavily) the infotainment, which is just one part of the overall package, and still get people in the comments telling me to buy a car with buttons and being absolutely staggered that I don’t love every single thing about every single car 😂 Unsurprisingly, my car does have buttons haha. I appreciate you having a different opinion though! My review is my opinion and I enjoy the discussions with people who have other feelings and learning what other folks think of these cars as that’s exactly what these videos are for. I’m just providing my particular angle. Cheers anyway man and I encourage you to watch other reviews to find someone who better represents what you want in a car!
My wife and I seem to be the target audience. We just picked one up and have been in the Google ecosystem for quite a while. So, safely asking google to set the temp is second nature to her, since we do it at home with our thermostat. Same with playing music from Spotify for our son.
We were actually looking at the Q5, but exterior styling pushed us to Volvo (As well as being a bit more stealthy and unique as a luxury vehicle). I can't imagine fumbling with the infotainment without using voice control--may ask your family member how they use it.
That’s awesome that the google thing works so well. I’ll definitely make sure to include that in future coverage of late model Volvo’s. I do think the Volvo may have the edge on styling as well, but I’d personally feel more comfortable long-term with the 3rd Gen 2.0 TSi than Volvos 2.0. That said, I haven’t heard terrible things! They definitely have some good grunt too
How are you enjoying it so far?
You can use Google voice commands to control almost everything in the infotainment screen. For example, you can say “hey Google turn on ventilated seats.” And it will turn on your ventilated seats. You can adjust the fan speed of the climate control the same way. You can call out navigation commands the same way. I find that using the Google commands, somewhat mitigate everything being in the screen.
Great commentary well done. Thanks for calling out this lack of button thing. Its getting ridiculous. And since its a cost savings for the manufacturer, they should never disappear from a car at this price point. I rarely see the the mainstream UA-cam marketers, whoops, I mean reviewers, calling this stuff out. A few do, but most don't. As you mention, this is a safety issue. Currently working on a Subaru Outback video, and while the center infotainment touch screen is not bad with some main functions on the home screen, a touch screen still lacks tactile feedback and requires more attention to zero in on a press. Again, great vid and coverage of this XC60.
But, it does have Android Auto - which allows among other things hands free operation of climate control and heated seats and steering wheel by saying Hey Google followed by command. The screen is actually very tactile and swift - of course it takes a few days to get use to but after that it’s a piece of cake! Saying this i do agree not everything has to be placed in a touch screen!
Yeah I think it’s just lazy design and I genuinely think it’s unsafe to use while in motion. I think people probably get used to it, but I just can’t imagine a company like Volvo thinking it was appropriate given their reputation for safety. I’m usually pretty positive about everything I drive-I love most cars-but stuff like that is always concerning. Honestly, it’s disappointing too. Excited to hear your thoughts on the Outback!!
That’s interesting! I didn’t know that. I’m sure it’s better than Siri - she sucks. It might just be me, but I hate operating things through voice control. I just find it frustrating and inconsistent most of the time, but perhaps I haven’t experienced the best or latest systems yet. Either way, I’m glad other solutions exist if you have an android phone! That’s pretty cool. I’m still way more drawn to the Q5 though given it’s got the right amount of tactile buttons.
@@yaadi thanks Don. Good info. Yea, I would agree that these systems gets easier with time and use.
I love the fact my xc90 has voice control for climate control, seat heating etc. Use it all the time and it’s super simple.
On the contrary, I think the screen is awesome. Easy to control with google voice
To each their own! I quite enjoyed the total package, but when I review a car I give my personal opinion even if it’s negative. I do not like google voice, but that’s because a twist of a button accomplishes the same tasks with no fuss or interrupting my music/podcast. That’s why my mom bought a 2023 Accord hybrid…well that and other reasons.
The safety features like lane departure mitigation, accident mitigation, and cross traffic warning and stopping has been very useful for me. In Volvos defense you’re really not supposed to be digging around in settings while driving.
I do think those safety features are useful! And agreed, you shouldn’t be futzing around with random settings while on the road. In my defense though, Volvo makes changing the temp, fan speed, and turning on and off the heated seats an unsafe process. That’s my big gripe, because I’ve not met anyone who doesn’t adjust those controls a few times throughout the drive. That said, I really do mean “One Major Flaw” as I think the car is absolutely phenomenal besides the less than satisfactory infotainment setup.
Volvo has to do a better job teaching us owners how to use the voice commands. The manual/digital app is horrible at this. Even the sales agent didn't know about the extend of voice commands integration. I still agree that it needs to have physical interface for AC AND Drive mode options. For example, wanting to change into all wheel drive while driving at night on rural narrow road with heavy rain with voice command didn't work for me... trying to use the screen to do it was unsafe af.
I wholeheartedly agree. I also assume many Volvos are bought by families. I know when kids are asleep in the backseat you don’t want to wake them up by speaking commands just to lower your AC temp lol. Ultimately, I just find current voice command systems to be as slow and frustrating as using Siri from across the room. I hope sales reps do a better job teaching customers about voice commands because as rough as they are, they are still better than using the screen while driving. I hope you love your car aside from some infotainment frustrations!
The body roll in the corner is pretty bad, it’s ok for around City, pick up kids, shopping groceries, but if you driving out of the town it’s crap, massive body rolls, stupid slow response steering, and no changes with firm steering turn on. The gear shift is pretty wired, it’s not like slow, it just feels weird, feels like it’s trying way too hard to squeeze the power out of engine.
It’s a perfect car to eat miles-the seats are best in class I think. Totally agreed though…it does not have any performance chops whatsoever.
Adding in my 2¢ as an obsessive Volvo owner who loves buttons - giant infotainment screens are horrible for motion sickness and the placement seems iffy for navigation (too much head movement + screens = bad time). Here’s hoping the voice tech really is that good otherwise I’ll have to switch to Audi and lord knows I don’t want to do that… their seats are horrible 😂
Looking at the list of voice commands the other day made me feel like I was studying for a vocab quiz, but I’m sure it’s fine for some folks. I’d genuinely not buy the car because of it, which makes me sad because the XC60 is genuinely one of the most comfortable cars I’ve sat in this past year. Oh well :/ Thankfully I like Audi seats 😂 well actually I can’t afford either the Audi or Volvo so thankfully I like 2007 Honda Accord seats lol
As someone who switches between speed limiter and cruise control several times during the course of a journey, the absence of a physical button to switch between the two is a major safety issue. Having to go to the third level of the touchscreen menu to make the change whilst driving is just ridiculous. If they had included a voice command I could live with it, but it will be a major consideration when I consider my next car. As regards the reviewer’s comments on the infotainment system, I feel he misses the point that so much of what he criticises is achievable by voice control. There is very little that needs a physical input while driving, speed limiter/cruise control aside. It’s a different concept that you have to get your head around. Taking everything into account, I love my XC B5 Plus.
Thank you for your comment! We genuinely appreciate input from owners. We’ve fielded a lot of comments that mention the voice commands and as the reviewer in question this is my position on that: I personally find the voice command system to be pretty useless. You have to learn certain phrases and commands in addition to the voice command system being pretty hit or miss even when you do say the correct instructions. I 100% appreciate that some people get on with it just fine and if it works for some people that’s genuinely awesome-I’m not trying to take away from that with my critique. That said, I think that the absence of buttons is still a major safety issue and even with voice commands I found the infotainment system to be pretty poor compared to other systems like Honda, Audi, and some Kia/Hyundai stuff. I think eventually the safety regulations will require some physical controls for climate control, climate control, and basic audio functions. Voice control is a nice half measure, but I don’t think it solves the problem the way some people think. Then again, if it works for you and some others, I’m happy because these cars are absolutely phenomenal in every other way. Hope you’re enjoying the shit out of yours :)
It’s now 2024 I’ve been looking at the Volvo ex 30 recharge EV and the xc40 EV but I agree about the lack of safety in putting everything in the screen, this is one of my biggest gripes about Tesla, buttons please people.
My brother, who unfortunately crashed his 2017 S60, opted to get a new ES350 instead of a new S60 partially for the button issue-also because the 3.5L V6 and 8-speed Aisin auto are a pretty bulletproof combo. His wife’s 2.0L V60 has had lots of issues now that it’s up over 100k miles unfortunately.
That said, besides the infotainment and potential reliability concerns, the new Volvos are wonderful to drive and extremely comfortable.
And though I personally found the voice control to be clunky and irritating to use, many folks have reported to us that it’s a viable replacement for buttons, so that could be something to test out on a new XC40 or EX30 and see how you get on with it!
As to "more buttons." Just use the voice commands... which you didn't even mention in this review (a major oversight).
Thanks for the comment! I’ve explained in detail why I find the voice commands to be a very poor substitute for buttons in response to similar comments. If you like the voice commands, that’s fair-I found that they were so inconsistent that I’d rather try and use the dangerous touchscreen lol
Remember the XC60 is made with hot grade Boron steel, if you value your and your family’s life it is the best car you can drive.
My brother got into a nasty rollover accident in his 2017 S60 and got out of it with only a few scratches. If you saw the outside of the car you’d put money on him being dead, but the interior was undisturbed except for the glass shards from the windshield strewn about. Definitely safe!
Hey .. have u heard about voice control ? 🤔
I have! I neglected to mention that in my review (I really shouldve talked about it)and I didn’t love how it worked, but many owners have told me they have good luck with it. I think if it suits you, then it’s an awesome feature. I find it to be more of an irritating substitute for real buttons, but that’s just my personal opinion on it. I am glad owners like it though! Do you have a Volvo?
@@aveautomotive2441 Yes, I do have a 2023 Volvo XC60 and luv the Google thing. My previous car was a 2019 Audi Q5 and I hated its GPS.
Maybe it's my British reserve but I really don't like the crystal gear lever.I don't get it at all.
I totally get that! The other one of us (the non bearded one) called it “chincy”
I don’t particularly like it, but it’s not horrible.
Stop using touchscreen and buttons while driving (in-motion) this is why America have so many rear end crashes collisions
Maybe they don’t have all the knobs and buttons because you can ask Google to do most of those things for you. That’s as hands free as you can get.
If voice control works for you, you’ll absolutely love these new Volvo’s!
Sigh, smh, I guess I will be waiting for the 2025 or later if they don't fix the lack of buttons issues. Seriously seriously unsafe and from seeing tons of videos and comments of owners saying this kinda kid like dash console having to be reset over and over or not connecting, its kinda disaster and I really like only volvo cars. Though my 2016 has been suddenly problematic all of the sudden (which started tho pretty sure after a mechanic intentionally ruined my car).
Everyone agrees the infotainment system is painful. But, this car has always been the style alternative to the soul-sucking sameness of the BMW-Audi-Volkswagen competition. So how do you wanna roll?
I agree that Volvo is a more quirky and comfort oriented version of what the Germans are building, but I would still prefer a 2.0 Q5 for the button-adorned infotainment and powertrain reliability. The Volvo is definitely the most comfortable and arguably the most attractive though for sure!
Gearshift is a little bit kitsch!
It is a bit yeah😂
Buttons are slowly going away to full touchscreen hang on
No more buttons please. We don't need it. If you guys still use a round dial pad on your phones then get 1970 Toyota. In Volvo you don't need to take off your eyes from the road. You just need to say Hey google i want a coffee and voila. So please no more buttons. Remove even the rest of them.
Fair enough! As I’ve said in response to others, I have not found it to be that effective when compared to buttons. Buttons are instant, easy, and safe. Hey Google is not for me-it takes memorizing specific phrases, interrupts my music or podcast, and takes many times longer to complete the same task as a simple button twist.
That said, voice control is certainly safer than navigating through a screen, I just personally find it to be more cumbersome.
And I know you mention 1970s Toyota with a negative connotation, many manufacturers are going back to buttons based on the demands of consumers-both for increased safety and convenience. Preferring older “tech” that works over something more technologically advanced yet ultimately less efficient isn’t being a Luddite or old fashioned-it’s just pragmatic. Just my two cents though-I absolutely loved the car in almost every other way! Hope you enjoy yours (or whatever you drive)!
'promo sm'
Sorry for sounding ignorant, but what do you mean? If you have any questions about the car, let us know. Cheers.
im supposed to finalize my volvo purchase today but after i found out that volvo has been owned by chinese since 2010, i dont want to buy volvo anymore
They are pretty well put together despite being bought out by Geely! That said, they aren’t as tank-like/bulletproof as the Volvos of old.
Trouble with the infotainment system? Ok Boomer.
Hey man, you’re allowed to have a different opinion if you’ve sat in a late model Volvo lol. You’ll find some thoughtful dialogue from some other commenters/owners who have expressed their experience. That said, this is a very common industry complaint, hence why many brands are going back to having hard buttons.
And not for nothing, but I never said it was hard to use. Just difficult to use on the road. That is objectively true, but as many have pointed out, voice commands work quite well. I’m personally not a fan, but to each their own.
@@aveautomotive2441 relax...I was just messing with ya'. 😄 I'm sure i out boom you.
I’m only 28, so my greatest fear is booming it up before my time lol