2010 Volvo Xc60 Awd 3.2l W/moonroof Automatic on 2040-cars

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Volvo and Polestar Range Assistant app promises more range for EVs

Volvo and Polestar just released a new app for their EVs that promises to help optimize driving range. It’s called “Range Assistant,” and itÂ’s coming as an over-the-air update to the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2. The Volvo C40 Recharge will have it built into the car from the factory. ItÂ’s exclusive to EVs and Volvo/Polestar products running the Android Automotive infotainment system. Volvo says the app has a range-optimizer functionality that automatically adjusts the climate control to improve range. ItÂ’ll also coach drivers with driving style and speed recommendations to increase range on longer trips. The app also comes with passive forms of range improvements. Volvo claims itÂ’ll help better manage battery and regeneration performance. Plus, it has a “smarter timer to precondition the batteries.” For example, when you input a charging destination into Google Maps, the car will automatically precondition the batteries to be ready for maximum charging speed by the time you arrive. ThereÂ’s more data for the driver to scan, too, as Volvo provides greater detail on the available range and real-time energy consumption. Volvo doesnÂ’t put a number or percentage on the range increase that drivers may experience with this new app, but does claim that range will go up because of it. In addition to the new app, Volvo says this latest OTA update includes “further improvements on the safety systems, new information about cold climate impact on battery range and various bug fixes.”  The app is scheduled to be rolled out to the applicable vehicles by the end of October. Its functionality will come baked into the complimentary four-year Volvo Care Package that all Volvo EVs automatically get. Of course, after those four years, youÂ’ll be on the hook for the data connection cost and package fee. Note that the Range Assistant appears to be tied up into this package, and while it wonÂ’t incur a separate fee, youÂ’ll need it and the data connection to take advantage of it after so many years. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2020 Volvo S60 T8 Long-Term Review Wrap-Up | Final verdict

Twelve months of motoring in the 2020 Volvo S60 T8 went by quickly. Our time in Volvo’s sharp, plug-in hybrid sedan is over, and itÂ’s time for a final verdict. The S60 saw two entirely different worlds in its time with us. We took delivery in normal days — you know, pre-global pandemic — but most of its tenure here was in a Covid-19 world. That being the case, it didnÂ’t get out and travel the country as much as our long-term test vehicles normally do. Prior to getting locked down, our S60 took trips to Chicago, Buffalo, the northern reaches of Michigan and elsewhere in the region. Even once its extended driveway sessions began, we snuck it away once to the East Coast for a quick back-and-forth summer trip. We limited our car swaps to once a month in an effort to stay away from each other on staff and keep each other safe. That meant that each of us got to spend longer stints than usual in the driverÂ’s seat — our normal routine wouldnÂ’t have encouraged this behavior pre-coronavirus. It was more like a true ownership experience, which is exactly what we aim to convey with long-term tests. We plugged it in every night, utilized the Volvo smartphone app to track it and integrated the car more fully into our lives. The odometer reading sat at 16,866 miles in the end. A great number of those miles were done under electric power, thanks to the carÂ’s 22-mile electric range when fully charged — our range testing saw it meet or exceed that figure if driven with a light foot.  And since the car was sitting at home so often, it was working with a full charge in most circumstances. Long highway trips saw us match the carÂ’s combined mpg rating of 30 mpg. Most fill-ups would return a much higher effective mpg number, though, as all the electric motoring helps it along. Folks with shorter commutes should take notice, as S60 T8 ownership will greatly reduce the number of necessary fuel stops. Due to the VolvoÂ’s long 10,000-mile maintenance gaps, it only needed to make one regular dealer stop in our time. Besides that, there were two other trips to the dealer. We had recall work done — there was an issue with the automatic emergency braking system — before the first regular service. And a sunroof snafu was the carÂ’s second and last unscheduled trip to the shop. Read on below for all of our final impressions on the 2020 Volvo S60 T8. 2020 Volvo S60 T8 View 15 Photos Road Test Editor Zac Palmer: The S60 T8 is a slightly sporty sedan, but itÂ’s no sports sedan.

2016 Chevy Colorado grabs Motor Trend Truck of the Year award

It's not an easy feat to win Motor Trend Truck of the Year twice in a row, but the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado managed to do just that. Thanks to the introduction of the 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel, the magazine decided to bring the pickup back to defend the title. In more good news for the Bowtie brand, the 2016 Camaro earned the magazine's Car of the Year award. The Colorado beat a tough group of finalists to earn the nod this year, including its GMC Canyon sibling. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra also made this year's list. The Nissan Titan XD and latest Toyota Tacoma rounded out the challengers. A model had to shine in six criteria to earn the title: advancement in design, engineering excellence, safety, efficiency, value, and performance of intended function. Like it did with the Camaro, Motor Trend posted a story online that explained the rationale for picking the Colorado again. They praised the diesel profusely and lauded the whole platform as quite a capable hauler. This year's Motor Trend SUV of the Year honor went to the Volvo XC90. The Swedish 'ute had to win against an initial group of 16 candidates that the magazine eventually whittled down to finalists that consisted of the Honda Pilot, Lincoln MKX, the combined Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and GLE Coupe, and Nissan Murano. "Seven-passenger people movers aren't supposed to drive like this," senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said about the Volvo in the announcement of the champions. The Honda CR-V won last year. In the explanation online, the judges applauded the XC90's new modular platform, and they loved both the T6 twin-charged engine and T8 hybrid version. The SUV's key enamored the writers, too. Related Video: MOTOR TREND Announces 2016 "Of The Year" Winners Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year announced during live ceremony and webcast in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, for the first time in the brand's 66-year history, MOTOR TREND announced winners of the Golden Calipers for Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year at a red-carpet gala in front of an audience of industry insiders and celebrity guests. The awards show was also streamed live on the MOTOR TREND Channel on YouTube, with 3.5 million subscribers the world's largest automotive video channel, and on MOTOR TREND OnDemand, the brand's new subscription video on demand (SVOD) channel.