So, this car will likely get the chop in the next 2 years to make room for a Bavarian SUV (hoping to find a nice X3 G01 20d with under 30,000km at the right price, or a X3 30d with some luck). Will be posting periodic updates here on the V60 CC, just in case anyone on this forum would be keen on buying this car in future.
The car is now over 59,000km.
Tyres
At 50,000km, I replaced all 4 Pirelli Scorpion Zero Assimetricos tyres with Goodyear Eagle F1 SUV Assymetrics.
The Pirellis were on the car from new (2016) and still had some life left, but started to peel slightly on the edges - they seemed brittle after 4 years and 50,000kms of use.
The Eagle F1s are very good all-round tyres that handle tar and rough gravel well, and also perform decently in the wet.
Build Quality and Durability
Besides minor scuffs and shopping park dings on the bodywork, the car looks and feels new. The leather (seems to be Nappa) is only treated annually, but still feels supple and looks great. No issues with electronics (this car is fully loaded with tech - refer first post) and every feature still works perfectly. No rattles, squeaks or other strange noises - even after regular spirited driving on rough gravel roads (handy 201mm ground clearance). Dare I say it, but this is the best, or rather the most durably, built car I have owned thus far.
Drive
Being built on old-school tech (no Volvo Drive-E, fuel saving nonsense here), the car has a hydraulic steering setup (though, I think it has some electronic assistance working in tandem with the hydraulic system). It feels meaty and helps when you really want to thrash the car through some corners. Yes, there is some body roll, but having a hefty steering does help when pushing on hard. Interestingly, you can can increase or decrease the level of heftiness in the steering and these settings can be customised as a driver profile setting - so, electric seat position, mirrors and steering can all be set up per driver and stored in the car's memory.
The performance on gravel is very good. The car feels stable and gives you confidence to push through at higher speeds. The AWD system is Haldex, so it runs mainly FWD and switches to AWD when slip is detected. I had no issues traversing steep and muddy terrain. Granted, I did not attempt any axle twisters, since the car is not designed for that. Driving on gravel and mud (not too deep) roads is where this car's ability shines, bearing in mind the limitation of 201mm of ground clearance.
On tar, the car feels very stable, even over rough tar. It is a heavy car (1.8 ton), with a lot of sound deadening material and insulation in and around the cabin, so it feels like a bigger car (say, an SUV) than what it actually is (a raised wagon). That feeling, together with the 162kw/440Nm diesel 5-cylinder motor, makes this vehicle an excellent long distance cruiser - it lives up to its Cross Country name.
0-100kph is done in just under 9 seconds, which is nothing fantastic, but in-gear acceleration feels very strong - pulling from 120 to 160 is stronger than my F30 320d - and helps on uphill stretches when you need to overtake in a hurry.
Fuel consumption is bad. Averaging 9.5+ litres/100km currently with mixed driving - more highway than town. That is the price you pay for 5 cylinders, I guess.
On a final point, I have to mention the seats. The seats feel like an expensive couch. Sitting in the driver's seat actually makes you feel relaxed. The seat heaters also work pretty well and add to that feeling of comfort and relaxation, especially on a cold day.
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