With a combination of 'Volvo' style, backed up by an element of functionality, the XC60 blends the qualities of a regular SUV with the agility and style of a passenger car.

According to Volvo Cars Design Director, Steve Mattin, the new XC60 is, “The boldest crossover so far. This car is charged with more emotive form and far more energy than any previous Volvo model.”

It is also the first vehicle to incorporate Volvo’s new City Safety system, which is expected to bring dramatic reductions in the incidence and severity of urban collisions with impact speeds up to 30 km/h.

As an introduction to Volvo’s 2020 Mobility vision, which is based on the premise that no deaths or injuries should occur in any Volvo car by the year 2020, City Safety monitors the gap to the vehicle ahead as well as the relative closing speed. If it senses a collision is imminent, it will brake the car automatically. Below closing speeds of 15 km/h, City Safety has the potential to avoid a collision altogether.

As well as being said to be the safest Volvo ever, the new Volvo XC60 is aimed at appealing to buyers who seek design, brand integrity and high-tech content in their choice of lifestyle products.

It 'talks' to its target group by offering diversity in terms of its capabilities. The new XC60 is designed to meet the urban lifestyle needs of singles who live in the city, or families who seek outdoor adventures at the weekends. It is aimed at buyers seeking an active lifestyle, rather than a specific age group.

The raised ground clearance and wheel-at-each-corner stance are offset by a high 'waistline' and a lower roofline than other SUVs, giving it a purposeful appearance.

The pronounced, plunging-V frontal aspect with LED fog lights is counterbalanced by the rear end that displays a recognisable Volvo design language with a wide, 'muscular' shoulder line and high-set, micro optic LED taillights.

The interior of the Volvo XC60 is designed to present the driver with a comfortable, easily familiarised feel. The floating centre console, inclined towards the driver for improved functionality, is a Volvo signature that contributes to a notably clean ambience punctuated by styling touches such as the X pattern on the seats and the tasteful interconnection of the sweeping shapes on the instrument panel and doors.

This is all illuminated by the XC60’s new laminated glass panoramic sunroof.

The XC60’s spacious interior has a three-way split, 40/20/40 rear seat that can be configured in three or two-seat form, while behind there is a 480-litre luggage compartment. The XC60’s wide-opening tailgate is available with a three-mode, power-operated function.

The XC60 will be launched in Australia with the choice of a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine producing 210 kW with 400 Nm of torque, or with its 2.4-litre inline five-cylinder turbodiesel producing 136 kW and 400 Nm of torque. Volvo’s Geartronic six-speed automatic will be standard.

The XC60’s All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction system constantly monitors the front and rear axles to determine where best to send torque if an impending loss of traction is detected, while Volvo’s Hill Descent Control (HDC) is part of the XC60’s armoury to extend its operational safely in varying circumstances.

Further supporting the XC60’s dynamics is Volvo’s even more refined Dynamic Stability and Traction Control system (DSTC), which now incorporates Roll Stability Control (RSC) to detect and correct instability in the early stages.

As well, the Volvo XC60 is optionally available with Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), which intervenes when necessary to prevent the tail-wagging-the-dog motion that can develop in certain situations when towing a trailer or caravan.

The XC60 will be built at Volvo Car Corporation's factory in Ghent, Belgium and is expected to go on sale in Australia in March 2009 at an indicative price of around $60,000 (RRP).