I know that you can see in magazines like What Car? when a new model is due (roughly), but how do you find out when a manufacturer is going to do a 'face-lift' update on a car?
Often these brighten things up, often adding extra kit, and only occasionally changing the list price. I appreciate that the 'improvements' in the aesthetics can sometimes detract from the cars looks, but all things are subjective I suppose.
I am contemplating a Volvo XC60 or a BM 520d Touring as my next company car. With the Beemer, the model is still very new, so a face-lift is a long way away, but how do I find out about the Volvo?
I would be gutted to get one and see weeks later a 'new, improved' version is on the road, or imminant.
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From what I've seen with Fords, facelifts happen roughly every three years, although minor changes can happen more often.
Unless you change the car very often, you will not have the current showroom model for long, so it's not worth worrying about unduly.
Buy the car you like, when it suits you.
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Facelifts can be more significant than a few cosmetic tweeks, I waited for the facelift Ceed as it gained a modified engine and a six speed gearbox along with the cosmetic stuff.
Auto Express did a feature showing all the car releases for 2012, I think it included facelifts but I no longer have that issue of the magazine.
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It depends on how well the kick off model is selling. As mentioned, model life is about 6 years, with a mid life kicker at 3.
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Model lifecycle for BMW is typically 7 seven years, Volvo typically about 8 years. The midlife facelift for the present 5 Series I would put at late next year, as it appeared in 2010, at least for the saloon.
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>>Buy the car you like, when it suits you.
That's all well and good for people like me who keep their cars for a long time, but not a wise policy for those who prefer changing them more often.
What's a two year old Mondeo going to be worth once a new model has been introduced?
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Quite often face lifts correct issues with the first generation to, so they also product inprovements
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BMW don't do facelifts; they have Life Cycle Impulses (LCI) ;-)
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I have tracked down the Auto Express article (published in Sept), and the only Volvo mentioned is the Concept You - a four door coupe to compete with the Mercedes CLS. The only other thing I've come across is the following which relates to the 2011 model year:
"After the S60 and V60, the Volvo XC60 also adopts the new driver assistance systems of the Swedish company. At the end of November the Swedish SUV will be equipped with pedestrian detection system and automatic brake system that can recognize pedestrians and is able to brake independently up to 35 km/h through a radar. The Volvo XC60 is already equipped with a City Safety system that prevents rear-end collisions at low speeds with brakes, based on which the pedestrian detection was then developed. The XC60 model year 2011 can also be equipped with the new generation adaptive cruise control, which in addition can automatically keep the distance from the car ahead and sets the speed until it stops, then again when the traffic starts to move. Also new is the infotainment system, which is identical to the one presented on S60 and V60, with 5 or 7 inch screen built into a revised central console, which now houses a new range of sound systems: the top of the range is the Premium Sound System , Class D digital amplifier with 5 x 130W, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II Surround and 12 loudspeakers. As for engine range, the Volvo will offer the new four-cylinder direct-injection on GTDi 1.6L and 2.0 L. The 2.0 turbocharged T5 with 240 hp and 320 Nm of torque and Powershift six-speed automatic transmission will be available on S80, V70, XC60, S60 and V60, but the five-speed manual transmission will feature version S80, V70, S60 and V60 . The 2.0 GTDi is a four-cylinder engine that delivers 240 hp and 320 Nm and on XC60 will be paired only with automatic transmission Powershift dual-clutch six-speed."
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Thanks for that detailed response. My E61 did not appear to be any different styling-wise from the 2003 version when I got mine in 2008, so I think BMW rarely change much whereas Ford, Peugeot, etc need to keep brightening things up on a regular basis.
The S60 I got in 2005 was not significantly different to the ones from 2000, so perhaps the XC60 will change little too.
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A face-lift when? - Iffy
