XC20 - new small car confirmed

[anotherv60]

Hi All,

Looks like Volvo will be launching another new "platform" for small cars starting with the XC20, its 2 years away however.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volvo/...ls-in-pipeline

[tofufi]

Oh good. More small, ****, ugly SUVs. Just what the world needs.

Sorry, but it's not pretty...

[T5R92011]

I just don't understand it.

Surely the consumer is bored of every single vehicle being a crossover/SUV at this point.

[christheancient]

Originally Posted by tofufi

Oh good. More small, ****, ugly SUVs. Just what the world needs.

Sorry, but it's not pretty...

Somebody once gave me a lovely word for what you would like to say (funnily enough a female student back in the days I was a driving instructor...

FUGLY!

[Rocinante]

Off the back of this post I discovered that Volvo no longer sell the V40, which seems to be a bit of a gap in the range, with the smallest Volvo currently being the XC40, then everything switches up to the '60 range.

As far as I can see there are no plans to replace the V40 either, with the XC20, presumably being smaller and taller.

[EssexExile]

The SUV shape is the most popular now, especially with us older less bendy people. Once I went for an SUV I wondered why I'd spent years trying to fold myself into a low car. And they're easier to find in car parks.

[Welton]

SUV's do have an appeal (ease of access and an elevated view of the road etc) but I wonder if buyers feel like they need an SUV because everyone else has one?

It's like the primitive cave man, if one gets a bigger 'club' to beat stuff with then all the others want bigger clubs!

Also if we all 'enjoy' elevated driving positions surely at some point we'll need even bigger cars to see over all those bloody SUV's

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by EssexExile

The SUV shape is the most popular now, especially with us older less bendy people. Once I went for an SUV I wondered why I'd spent years trying to fold myself into a low car. And they're easier to find in car parks.

I appreciate SUV's are becoming ever increasingly popular, but I still see a lot of 1 series / A class / A3 / Golf's out there for there to be a reasonably sized market. (Best Selling Cars last year, UK - Golf 3rd, Focus 4th, A-Class 5th)

No doubt there are a lot of factors that come in to play, with these things, but it still seems an odd omission.

As for finding them in car parks, if everyone gets an SUV, you'll need to get an even taller SUV to find it past the other SUVs.

[Thekilt]

XC20, really? when i first heard of a new volvo being developed below the XC40, i was hoping for a replacement of the V40 as we loved that car, but just needed updating to the new interior and better rear legroom and boot (compared with 1 series, A class etc). such a shame. SUVs are ok, but they arent easy to pick heavier items up and put into the boot as they are taller, and they dont drive as nicely as the estates too. far too much roll for my liking.

What is more interesting is the development of the XC100. At 5.5m long!!! that thing will be massive and totally unecessary. Probably going to be aimed at the US market to take on the likes of Lincoln Navigator etc.

[anotherv60]

I quite liked the V40, but it suffers from "Isn't that just a really expensive ford focus with a nicer interior" and that unfortunately has effected sales. It was outsold at least 3:1 by all its competitors.

This is my first SUV and there is a lot to like about them, especially if you have a young family, its much easier to get the kids in car seats (less crouching), the kids can see more out of the windows (not just other cars) and living in the countryside being a littler higher for hedge rows makes a difference, if not in reality but certainly in perceived safety. Its also my first AWD vehicle which I'm been impressed with (no wheel spin yet on takeoff on wet roads, and it did well in the mud while camping).

Modern Volvo is really an SUV company who sells some estate cars - almost 75% of Volvo sales are SUVs.