“If you like a sporty and great handling car with supremely comfy seats and enough power for any task, this V60 T6 is fantastic.” (more…)

“Driving the 2015 V60 wagon can be likened to a floatation tank experience: but don’t close your eyes and turn off the lights to enjoy the tranquility!”

Whistler, B.C.

Each morning, I wake up to my inbox clogged with a plethora of messages boasting of “great deals.”

And while I swiftly send most to the trash, I often entertain the idea of not paying full price for a meal, or getting my mani/pedi at a 75 percent off, or occasionally splurging on a spa treatment. Not to mention yoga classes at a fraction of the cost.

One message in particular from West Coast Float caught my eye recently and gave me an excuse to take the Volvo V60 T6 R-Design wagon for a longer drive up to Whistler.

The image accompanied with the text looked like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. There was this woman, floating in lagoon-blue water, in a rather interesting contraption. Beside it were words like “sensory deprivation,” “relaxation,” and “salt.” A colleague had mentioned to me in conversation about these float pods so I bought two sessions and brought along a friend to enjoy it with me.

Without going into too many details on the experience, I floated for 90 minutes in my private room. Note: do not rub your eyes! When it was all over, I was very relaxed.

I am so glad the V60 T6 R-Design was the chariot home because I wanted the feeling of serenity to last as long as possible. The V60 certainly facilitated this state of being.

Driving the 2015 V60 wagon can be likened to a floatation tank experience: but don’t close your eyes and turn off the lights to enjoy the tranquility! It glides effortlessly and handles brilliantly in whatever environment I put it in.

Thanks to the R-Design Sport chassis, which has been lowered 15 mm, and spring stiffness is 15 per cent higher compared with the Dynamic chassis in the standard V60. That said, it’s stiff in all the right places.

The dynamic handling on the sinuous roads made me realize just how much I missed driving the Swedish brand’s vehicles.

The smooth-revving 3.0L, turbocharged I-6 engine also helps sweeten the deal.

With 325 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque being produced (with Polestar Performance software tuning), it’s no sleeper.

It’s then linked with a six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission with advanced Quick Shift, and a Sport Mode
Haldex electronically controlled all-wheel-drive with Instant Traction.

I was hoping for some snow on the ground so I could play in it a little, but alas, my request was not answered. Maybe next time.

The cabin offers a simplistic yet stylish setup – one that has been a common theme through the Volvos I’ve tested over the years – complete with Volvo’s “floating” centre stack.

It’s sublimely quiet at highway speeds and because of its Climate Package ($1,350), I had such features as a heated steering wheel and a heated windshield, along with the standard heated front seats, to keep my body blissfully warm in the sub zero temperatures.

With room for five inside, a cargo area of 692 litres, and an overall impressive execution, I didn’t want to give this bright red wagon back.

Though I wouldn’t call it a deal with a price as tested of $58,700 (then again, the base V60 T5 FWD starts at $38,900), it is the real deal: an incredible wagon that gives you all the pleasure of driving without the salt in your eyes. Just on the roads.

Visit www.volvocars.ca for more information on the V60.

Contact: alexandra [dot] straub [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

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