Volvo V60 D5 Geartronic with City Safety, test drive at the 2012 Madrid Motor Show

The 2012 Madrid Motor Show was characterised as an event attended by very few brands, but at the same time it is a place that car enthusiasts can find entertaining, where you can spend a good time surrounded by true gems.

One of the brands that had a presence was Volvo, which presented its latest creation, the V40. This city car and the V60 Plug-in Hybrid were the only ones on display, but there was something more in the car park. At the exit there was a tiny circuit with cones and inflatable dummies where you could put to the test the brand’s most intelligent system. The well-known City Safety is a device that can prevent or minimise a rear-end collision up to a speed of 35 km/h.

In the test you can choose between two vehicles: a Volvo S60 D3 with 163 CV or the V60 estate with a 215 CV powerplant called D5. In both cases you can only drive with the six-speed Geartronic automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive. I like fast cars and although today I wouldn’t have the chance to floor it, I opted for the most powerful one.

As I was about to get into the passenger seat so that the monitor could show me what I had to do, the first failures this system had at its official presentation came to mind. Thinking that you have to drive at 30 km/h on a straight of barely 100 m, with only the accelerator pedal available, makes you wonder. Will it brake or won’t it?

With the monitor at the wheel, it did. With 5 metres to go before we ran over the inflatable dummy, a sensor fitted at the front of the vehicle sends a signal to the control unit to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The first time is surprising, but after carrying out a few emergency stops you start to enjoy it. I didn’t want to stop.

My turn came. I put the gearbox selector into “D” and accelerated. Intuition tells you to brake, and the first two times that’s what I did. The moment you touch the brake pedal or make a tiny turn of the steering wheel, the system assumes everything is under control and deactivates completely.

City Safety can give the driver quite a scare, but having it does not mean driving without keeping all your wits about you at the wheel.

I spent little time with the Volvo, but it left me with a good impression. The interior materials appear well finished and although the leather is not the same as that of the BMW M5 that I will show you later, it passes without any problem.

The test unit had a rear-view camera. It only activates when reverse gear is engaged, producing an effect similar to the rear-view mirror. So much so that in all the manoeuvres I carried out, I never once had to look back. It is one of the most interesting purchase options offered on this model, and for the 898 € it costs, it is worth it.

Technical specifications of this car

EstateVolvo V6011 versions · from 49,950 €