2010 Volvo XC60

March 08, 2010

Natalie Rea is a fun-loving mummy of two girls - a teen involved in school council and athletics, and a school-aged bookworm who loves the mall and visiting.  Like many multi-tasking mummies, Natalie is often on the go with kids, sports, work and fun, but unlike the norm, she loves driving and checking out the latest and greatest new cars, and loves anything with "turbocharged" in the description.  She can most-often be found on Facebook or Twitter.  Follow her for all the latest Yummy Mummy Club news @YMCbuzz!

 

2010 Volvo XC60

Volvos: Typecast?
My only real impression of a Volvo, up until I got the opportunity to drive a 2010 Volvo XC60 for a week, was from the hilarious ad from the movie Crazy People that read, "Buy Volvos: They're Boxy, But They're Good -- Be Safe Instead of Sexy." 

Any time I'd daydream about apportioning my future lottery winnings, cars like Porsche, Lexus, BMW and Infiniti always made my list, but Volvo did not.  Not even as my picking-the-kids-up-from-school car, my going-to-the-arena car, nor as my yes-hunny-you-can-borrow-my-car car!

Well ladies, Volvo has gotten a bad rap.  Honestly I have never felt SEXIER in a car.  My husband will say that the reason I had rubber-neckers checking me out as I zipped around is because the car is so hot-looking, but I think it was a combination of the car's body and the way mine felt, in it.  (I'm sure I had a vibe going, I don't care what he says :-)

 

First Impression
When I picked up the XC60 from the Volvo dealer, I was impressed with the sleek, teardrop shape of the Crossover SUV that compares to the Acura RDX and Chevy Traverse in size and price ($49,995CAD as tested).  The XC60 was anything but "boxy", and I liked it.  I couldn't wait to slide in behind the wheel.  But my friendly neighbourhood Volvo dealer was also excited... to walk me through each and every feature offered by the car -- in painstaking detail!  You could tell this dealer was thrilled with the car, and wanted me to understand and appreciate all the safety features in their City Safety system. 

Safety First
In hindsight, I'm happy he insisted we test-out the City Safety technology on the lot.  When I activated it, he had me drive towards a barrier at 20 kms/hour, and told me not to apply the brakes when I neared the barrier!  It was VERY hard to resist the urge to slam on the brakes, but I didn't, and when I was certain we were going to collide the XC60 City Safety technology kicked in, safely stopping us within inches of the obstacle.  It was amazing!  The theory behind the technology and a demonstration can be seen here.

Drive
At first, it was hard to concentrate on enjoying the drive, with all the lights and bells going off due to the City Safety features... I had lights ignited to my sides to alert me when another vehicle entered my blind-spot.  I had bells and lights that went off when I followed too closely behind another car (ratio of distance vs. speed of travel)... but once I got my "Queen-of-the-Road" (read: poor) driving habits in check and behaved the way my XC60 wanted me to, I was no longer being nagged, and I could enjoy the quiet stealth of the XC60's powerful 281 HP Turbocharged T6 engine.  Incredible pickup, great braking, super visibility, responsive steering -- this car was truly a pleasure to drive.

My proud girl, seated on one of the built-in booster seats

Comfort

Parents are going to love this car -- how awesome is it that there are built-in boosters in the back seats?!  No need to worry about transporting little people around safely.  With one hand, you can unlock and lift the seat which clicks into place as a booster seat.  The kids loved this special touch, as they felt they were riding in a car that was designed with kids in mind - which clearly the XC60 was! 

Everything else about the comfort was top-notch.  Same legroom and headroom as its competitors, with slightly less shoulder room (wasn't noticeable to me or my hubby).  The cabin had every convenience we needed - cupholders, seat controls etc.  

I will say here that the shape of the bucket seats (particularly the headrests) took a little getting used to... I felt like I was being cradled.  When I asked the Volvo dealer, he explained that this was because they were designed to be "ortho-posture"-supportive, and were considered Best in Class for safety and comfort.  Satisfied, I quickly got used to their shape.

Gadgets and Gizmos
Nothing short of what you'd expect from a luxury, European car-maker.  Sleek, sophisticated and state-of-the-art gadgetry abounds in the Volvo XC60.  Front and rear parking assistance system, stereo, moon roof, USB port, satellite radio, Bluetooth, etc. etc. Not to mention, the beautiful centre console in itself is enough to dazzle!

Conclusion
This is a great family car.  On the affordable side of luxury, good gas mileage for its class, comfort and family-friendly features, state-of-the-art City Safety system, enough cargo space to lug around hockey bags, grocery bags, strollers, or whatever multi-tasking mummies need to taxi around the city or 'burbs.  And best of all, you can do so feeling like the woman you are, and not just the mummy you've become.  This car is Sexy with a capital S!
 

 

Test Drive Mummy's Ratings

 

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2010 Ford Flex Limited Ecoboost AWD

February 19, 2010

Erica Ehm is a yummy mummy on-the-go.  From meetings to voice-overs, writing articles to television interviews, hosting radio shows and weekend getaways, to running fab contests and volunteering at her kids' schools, she's always on her way from somewhere, to someplace else. 

And that's just Monday...  With all the driving Erica does, who better than her to test-drive cars? 

Here's her review on the 2010 Ford Flex Limited Ecoboost AWD:

This review has two parts. Part one started when I spent a week in a 2009 Ford Flex. Be sure to read both!

I’m a sucker for innovative design and gadgetry. Ford Flex is getting a ton of mixed reactions to its quirky exterior styling – sort of a modern retro vibe reminiscent of a boxy station wagon from the ‘70’s. Love it or hate it, it is eye catching.  I literally had strangers approach me to ask how I enjoyed my Flex.

I wanted to love it. The size, the sexy technology, the eye catching design were so appealing. But I didn’t. Hold on...there's more!

Here’s why...
-- It guzzled gas. Not drank politely, but sucked it back like a thirsty drunk. At first I thought the gauge was broken.
-- The size was difficult to adjust to. It felt… boaty. Those are some fighting words considering I drive a minivan, but that‘s how my husband and I both it felt.

BUT THEN IT ALL CHANGED...

As fate would have it, before writing my review of the 2009 model, I was given the Ecoboost 2010 AWD model to test. Guess what? It was almost like driving a different car. I’m not kidding!

Here’s why...

Gas
In the Ecoboost, gas consumption was normalized.  A cross over vehicle of this size isn’t going to be top in saving gas, but it was SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER.

Drive
Both my husband I loved being behind the wheel of the 2010 Eco-Boost model.

Top of the list in terms of drivability is the 3.5L V6 Engine. The power of the car was most evident on the highway. We drove the Flex to Montreal and back and that’s when we the whole family fell in love with it.  Pickup was fab. One touch to the gas pedal and we flew along the passing line.  Both husband land I were loving the driving experience!
 

To add to the test – it started to pour as we raced along the highway.  No matter how slick the roads were , it felt like the tires were glued to the highway. When we passed trucks, the draft that usually makes my minivan shudder  and blow, was non existent. I felt safe and powerful – my two favorite states of being.

When dropping the kids off at school I usually pull a U Turn heading home. I tried it with the Flex, muttering something like “damned big boat”, but I ate my words. The turn radius was surprisingly tight. I was humbled.

Comfort
Oh ya baby. The benefits of a large, boxy car are a ton of interior space and big, big leather seats. The feeling is airy, spacious and luxurious. Nothing cozy about the Flex. Back Seats have inordinate amounts of leg room. My kids were so far apart they didn’t fight. And…wait for it…this model was not equipped with a DVD system!! What separated the kids was a cooler! That’s right – a little refrigerator in the back seat.  My son was particularly impressed with his rear seat heaters – maybe it was his warm butt that kept him calm for the five hour ride.

Bells and Whistles
The gadget technology is a highlight of the car. Ford has worked with Microsoft to create a seamless in dash hi-tech system called SYNCH – described as Ford’s "groundbreaking voice-activated, hands-free communications and entertainment system that listens when you speak”.  I love tech and this system has it all in a user-friendly interface: Navi, Blue Tooth Phone, Radio, Satellite Radio, iPod dock and more.  The kids can have their DVD – This SYNCH system is a blast for the grownups. True there is a small learning curve to understand the technology and its capabilities, but well worth the quick study.

Although the Ecoboost model I test drove didn’t have a DVD player, the 2009 Flex did have a video system that allowed the kids to control the whole experience from the back.  It was their favorite thing about the car aside from the seat heaters. Hubby and I loved the split sound systems – so while the kids were transfixed with the movie they listened to on headphones, we had the luxury of blasting tunes in the car.

Parking
I don’t like parking my minivan and I had the same experience with the Flex. The rear view camera and the Parking Assist features are both minimally helpful, but the car is huge and spaces are small.  Parking sucks with large cars.  Period.

Storage
The Ford Flex is a huge vehicle and with it comes a great payload. The trunk is large enough – but when you drop the second and third row seats with their nicely engineered pulley system, you are swimming in space.

In conclusion
If you’re looking for a luxurious, yet affordable family vehicle to replace your soccer mom minivan which is fun for the whole family, Ford Flex should top your list…that is, if you can live with its quirky looks and strangers staring.  The cost for the Ford Flex Limited Ecoboost AWD - which is the very top of the line, is $46,599. Not cheap but you get great bang for your buck.

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