I recently had an opportunity to drive our long-term 2019 Volvo XC60 to Greenville, South Carolina from my home outside of Atlanta. This is about a two and a half hour drive each way. It was the first time I had driven it outside of just the normal work commute, so I used this opportunity to see how the cruise control system worked. Volvo calls this Pilot Assist — Driver Assistance System w/Adaptive Cruise Control.
In the Distance
The automatic distance control was good and predictable. You can configure the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, allowing it to get close enough so that other vehicles are not constantly getting between you and the car in front of you, therefore pushing your car further back in the process. It appeared that when wanting to accelerate or decelerate using the cruise control buttons, Volvo only allows you to do it in 5 mph increments. I found that annoying, so I would just accelerate to the exact speed I wanted and set it at that.
Hands Up
I was fully surprised at just how good the Pilot Assist worked while on cruise control. There was absolutely no bouncing between the lines, as I have experienced in other vehicles. It fully keeps the vehicle in the center of the lane. While testing this it would prompt me to place my hands on the wheel after about 15 seconds of detecting I had not been, ensuring the driver does stay in control.
We expect to do some longer road-tripping during our year with the 2019 Volvo XC60, so stay tuned for how well this SUV handles as a family and luggage hauler this summer. Find a Volvo XC60 for sale
