2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD - A Fond Farewell

The Volvo S60 arrived in our fleet a little more than twelve months ago, in April 2011, just before the start of the summer vacation season. Right out of the gate, the Volvo went on road trips to Tennessee, Chicago, and northern Michigan and racked up more than 3000 miles on the odometer. Over those largely highway miles, the S60 showed itself to be a comfortable long-distance cruiser with an impressive powertrain, capable handling, and a high level of refinement.

We were piling on the miles so fast that, four months into the S60's tenure, it was on pace to reach the 35,000-mile mark over the course of the year. That it ended up with a little less than 29,000 miles on the odometer should not be taken as a sign that it had fallen out of favor. The drop in accumulated mileage can be explained by the fact that, at the same time the S60 was in our fleet, we were also testing a family-friendly minivan and a full-size SUV (Honda Odyssey and Infiniti QX56, respectively), vehicles whose overall utility trumped the refinement of the S60 when it came time for long-distance travel with family and lots of cargo in tow. What the S60 was most in demand for were middle-distance, weekend getaways. Here in Michigan, especially in the summer, those weekend getaways mean driving "up north" to places like Traverse City, Ludington, and Houghton Lake, and the S60 was a willing partner in a number of such adventures. It also made several trips to Chicago and various other destinations in the Great Lakes region.
The S60 was a highly sought weekend companion, but even better was the fact that it cost so little to maintain. Not only was the Volvo completely trouble-free - that's right, not a single mechanical issue required service during its twelve-month stay -- but scheduled maintenance is free for the first 50,000 miles. Our only expenditures were for a set of winter tires and some WeatherTech floor mats to keep the carpets from getting a coat of winter grime on them.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1205_2012_volvo_s60_t6_awd_april_update/#ixzz1vcs4jbmH

2013 Volvo XC90 Photos and Info: Minor changes for the Long-Serving Crossover

Volvo’s XC90 SUV is old and nearing retirement—it’s expected to finally get a replacement sometime in 2014—so we’ll consider this mild 2013 refresh something of a 60th birthday party. Of course, the XC90 isn’t 60 years old, but keep in mind it debuted at the 2002 Detroit auto show just months after the first-generation Apple iPod hit the market. Yeah, the one with a scroll-y wheel thing and a black-and-white LCD screen. We’ll pause while you describe to your kids how handheld devices used to be operated via physical buttons. Unlike the iPod, the XC90 is still in its first-gen shell, but Volvo did give its soon-to-be-retiree a shot of botox to keep it fresh-ish for 2013.

Too Old for Skinny Jeans and LEDs

The biggest change for the 2013 XC90 is the application of more paint. Specifically, most everything that was previously black plastic on the exterior—the lower bumper trim, rocker panels, and fender flares—is now painted body color. Volvo also threw some LED daytime running lights at the XC90’s front end and added LED taillights, but the effect is about as successful as your dad squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans. Just as he’s probably not going to be mistaken for Justin Bieber, the LEDs do little to bring Volvo’s large SUV into this decade. Non-R-Design XC90 3.2 models also get some new silver and chrome exterior trim.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-volvo-xc90-photos-and-info-car-news