This month, we had opportunity to drive the Volvo XC60 T5 R-Design. As many of you may know, this means there is no power or torque increase over my long-term car; however, there is a host of other upgrades. This car also came equipped with the R-Design Plus pack priced at R20 500.
Parked next to each other, the exterior differences are quite clear. The most notable upgrades include a revised grille, bumpers and tail pipes.
Open the door and thickly bolstered seats, more liberal use of leather and fancy stitching adorns the cabin. Even some of the buttons are unique to the R-Design.
Even though the R-Design has a set of 20-inch wheels (part of the Design Plus pack) compared with my XC60’s 18-inch, the ride did not feel overly affected (surprising considering it also has sportier settings for the suspension system). However, for everyday driving and comfort, the smaller wheels still do the job for me.
The T5 R-Design is priced from R539 400, which makes it around R25 000 more expensive than a standard XC60 T5 like ours, or R45 000, if you include the Plus option. This package does include a list of upgrades, which seems good overall value.
The R-Design does look better, and the interior feels slightly more luxurious than that of the standard model. If it was my money, the standard model with the better ride quality will get my vote.
Mileage on arrival: 107 km
Current mileage: 13 069 km
Average fuel consumption: 9,38 L/100 km
We like: everyday comfort, adjustability of the steering column
We don’t like: torque steer when pushing on
Read the Volvo XC60 T5 introduction report here, or click here for the first update report.