By Samuel Ee

THE smart-looking Volvo XC60 just got a smarter powertrain.

When it was first launched early last year, this handsome crossover came with a 3.0-litre turbocharged engine driving all four wheels.

But all that cool Swedish styling could not distract some owners from the thirsty predilections of the XC60 T6's inline six-cylinder unit and all-wheel-drive (AWD).

Now though, there is a new and smaller turbocharged engine with a new gearbox.

This latest version is called the XC60 2.0T and it has a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit mated to a six-speed twin-clutch transmission, with the four-cylinder engine featuring direct injection and twin variable camshafts.

It has taken some time for this powerful yet economical powertrain to make its way into the XC60 but it is worth it.

Where the AWD T6 consumed 10.7 litres of petrol for every 100km (combined cycle), the front-wheel-driven 2.0T only requires 8.5 litres per 100km.

Also improving fuel efficiency are the reduction in displacement and the twin-clutch Powershift's more direct operation. The T6 gearbox also had six ratios but it is a conventional automatic with a torque converter.

But something has to give and in this case, it is outright performance.

The T6's 3.0-litre engine packs 304hp and a whopping 440 Newton-metres of torque. The 2.0T has 203 horses and a respectable 300Nm, but you will feel the strain under certain circumstances.

The 2.0T is 138kg lighter than the T6 but it cannot be considered a featherweight at 1,756kg.

Still, the two-litre turbo and dual-clutch gearbox impress in the areas of smoothness.

Under hard acceleration, the XC60 is the epitome of sweetness. Its zero-to-100-kmh sprint is significantly slower than the more powerful T6 with its better traction, at 8.9 seconds versus 7.3 seconds.

But it is possible to eke out a bit more oomph by changing gears manually using the gear lever - the XC60 2.0T does not come with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts.

Surprisingly however, the 2.0T does not lack much in terms of standard equipment when compared with the more expensive T6.

Stuff like the clever City Safety collision avoidance feature is there, with its laser technology and automatic braking function.

So too are the keyless entry and start system, as well as Personal Car Communicator and power tailgate, among others. But the 2.0T also makes do without the T6's bi-xenon headlamps, hill descent control and six-CD changer.

Like most big Volvos, this XC60 2.0T is best suited for comfortable cruising.

Its steering isn't set up for sporty precision driving but it has a spacious modern cabin with excellent rear legroom and a huge boot.

Best of all, the added fuel economy comes with a smaller price tag - the 2.0T costs $16,000 less than the T6.

samuelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Business Times.