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"   SAN FRANCISCO\u2013The small luxury crossover segment promises to be one of the hottest this year. BMW pioneered the trend six long years ago with the X3. It took three more years before the Acura RDX arrived in 2006. Last year, we took a spin in the Infiniti EX35 with its award-winning Around View Monitor . And now, the Mercedes-Benz GLK is touching down at dealers. The Audi Q5 will be in stores within a month or two as well. So in just five years, this group has swelled to six.   What makes the XC60 stand apart from the crowd? Well, since it is a Volvo\u2014inventor of the three-point seatbelt\u2014safety, of course. Volvo says the XC60 is the safest car the company has ever produced. And considering Volvo&amp;#039;s reputation, that&amp;#039;s some statement. In addition to Volvo&amp;#039;s extensive repertoire of protection and prevention equipment\u2014including a full complement of airbags, traction and stability controls, plus an optional blind-spot information system\u2014the XC60 has something completely new: City Safety. It&amp;#039;s a system that could help prevent low-speed accidents, and it comes standard. To find out how it all works we spent a few days with the XC60 on the roads around San Francisco. \u2014Colin Ryan  The Specs  Beneath the XC60&amp;#039;s attractive sheetmetal is the 281-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged straight Six, sending 295 lb-ft of torque to a slick six-speed automatic transmission. The power is proportioned to each wheel by a new Haldex permanent all-wheel drive system. Volvo says the XC60 can hit 60 mph in a tick over 7 seconds and return around 22 mpg on the highway.   The interior follows in Volvo&amp;#039;s tradition of using cool Scandinavian design, mixed with clever ergonomics. The handsome &amp;quot;floating&amp;quot; center stack has a brushed aluminum face as standard, light Nordic oak as an option. Leather trim is standard and there are optional children&amp;#039;s booster seats. Rear head- and legroom is more than adequate, while the second-row seating also folds flat into the floor for practical load space. Up above is a panoramic moonroof made of shatterproof laminated glass (a feature not offered by rivals).   Speaking of safety innovation, Volvo has culled through research and determined that 75 percent of all accidents occur at speeds under 19 mph\u2014those little bumper-to-bumper nudges in traffic. These accidents may not be life threatening, but they are sometimes expensive, not to mention distressing and time-consuming. Volvo&amp;#039;s City Safety system uses laser sensors that can detect an object up to 18 ft in front of the car and will activate the brakes automatically to avoid a collision or at least make contact less catastrophic.   Potential buyers will be able to test the City Safety feature at Volvo dealers. And yes, it can be de-activated.  The Drive  But of course, in a crossover as sharp-looking as the XC60, we want to avoid the accidents well before this impressive tech takes over. Good news is, the XC60 might be one of the best-handling Volvos ever. Sure, Volvos have always been comfortable, but this quality has rarely translated into many fun-to-drive products.   The XC60&amp;#039;s chassis keeps body roll in check and has the ability to hold a midcorner line with tenacity (without invoking the traction-control system). The steering is meaty and precise, and there is plenty of thrust from the smooth Six. The whole car invites the driver to take the twisty way home.   If an XC60 driver was ever tempted to forsake the tarmac for something wilder, Volvo has a few of the tools you might need. There&amp;#039;s a class-leading 9.1 in. of ground clearance and short overhangs, which offer advantageous approach and departure angles. The XC60 also has Hill Descent Control, using the ABS brakes and engine torque to regulate downhill speed on slippery surfaces. Adding to its multipurpose credentials is a trailer sway control and a 3300-pound towing capacity.  The Bottom Line  Our gripes are few. The front seats don&amp;#039;t offer enough lateral support for a vehicle that can take corners so quickly. In addition, rough road surfaces are not as smoothed out as they might be in, say, a Lexus. But then, few machines achieve sprightly handling without a bit of compromise.   The XC60 will start at $37,200 when it goes on sale next month. And there is a full array of electronics: Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, satellite radio, plus the option of a swankier stereo\u2014a 650-watt, 12-speaker version with Dolby Pro-Logic II Surround.   RELATED STORIES \u2022 EARLIER: 2009 Volvo XC60 Crossover Offers Bleeding-Edge Safety Tech  \u2022 PLUS: Volvo S60 Concept Foreshadows 2010 Production S60  \u2022 TEST DRIVE: 2008 Volvo XC70, Off-Road Luxury Gets Real   2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 2010 Volvo XC60 T6 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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