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July 28, 2021
Volvo XC60 x Hiramatsu Miyota: An Ideal Marriage | VOLVO
Volvo XC60 x Hiramatsu Miyota: An Ideal Marriage | VOLVO
VOLVO XC60 Recharge Plug-in hybrid T8 AWD Insceiption | Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid T8 AWD Inscription
HIRAMATSU HOTELS | Hiramatsu Hotels
Volvo XC60 x Hiramatsu Miyota: An Ideal Marriage
Volvo has declared its intention to be the first premium brand to electrify its entire lineup. All models currently available in Japan are already electrified, and this time, we headed to "THE HIRAMATSU Karuizawa Miyota," an auberge that opened in Miyota Town, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture, to test drive the "Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid T8 AWD Inscription," a stylish mid-size SUV characterized by its sleek exterior and dual-motor all-wheel-drive system.
Text & Photographs by HARA Akira
To a "Grand Forest Auberge" in an Eco-Friendly SUV
The Volvo XC60, Volvo's mid-size SUV that debuted in 2017, has become the company's bestseller globally, praised for its beautiful exterior designed by Chief Design Officer Thomas Ingenlath and its clean, Scandinavian-inspired interior.
Volvo, which has declared its ambition to be the first premium brand to electrify all its vehicles, no longer offers models with internal combustion engines alone in Japan. The XC60 we drove this time is equipped with some form of electrification system, such as a 48V mild hybrid or PHEV. The T8 grade XC60 used for the test drive is the top model, combining a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine with front and rear electric motors, and an eco-friendly electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system.
To test its performance, we headed to "THE HIRAMATSU Karuizawa Miyota" (hereinafter referred to as Hiramatsu Miyota), which opened in March 2021 in Miyota Town, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture. Situated on a vast 60,000 square meter site amidst a small forest on the southern slopes of Mount Asama, the facility began with a main hotel building and nine villas. It promotes itself as a "Grand Forest Auberge," a haven for gourmands where all their time is dedicated to exquisite culinary experiences.
In the past year, as the new normal has become commonplace amidst the pandemic, this journey, using the XC60 as a personal space for travel, is in a sense a perfect marriage, designed to cater to those seeking healthy travel amidst beautiful nature, away from crowds.