Volvo V60 review
If you want a luxurious and spacious estate, the Volvo V60 offers a relaxed alternative to German rivals
Our opinion on the Volvo V60
The Volvo V60 focuses on technology, practicality, and subtle Swedish design, making it a real competitor to the German establishment. Many of its rivals focus on driver appeal, but the Volvo takes a more comfort-oriented approach. We also like that the cabin design is brighter than that of its rivals from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, and the quality throughout is impressive.
With either a front-wheel drive mild-hybrid petrol or two rapid all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid options to tempt business users, the V60 is an attractive proposition in a dwindling sector.
About the Volvo V60
Volvo is famous for its estate cars, and while the Swedish brand temporarily tried to cull estates from its UK line-up to focus on its SUV range, popular demand saw the trusty Volvo V60 load-lugger make a comeback in 2024.
The V60 follows the tradition of capacious yet attractive Volvo estates like the early 240 and later 850, which were generally held to be some of the most practical and family-friendly cars on the market.
Volvo’s focus on SUVs means we’re still waiting for a replacement for the second-generation V60 that’s been with us since 2018 — a car that’s likely to be electric, if or when it comes to fruition. At least a number of updates have been carried out during the current V60s lifespan in order to keep it feeling fresh.
Used - available now
A long lifetime means we’ve had plenty of opportunities to put the Volvo V60 through its paces. This has included a long-term test where our deputy editor, Richard Ingram, lived with one for six months. He couldn’t fault the space and comfort on offer, but some tech troubles did sour the experience a little bit.
Performance & driving experience
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The Volvo V60 takes a different path to a number of rivals in terms of the driving experience. Rather than go chasing the dynamics of the BMW 3 Series Touring, the V60 takes a more relaxed approach. It’s quiet and comfortable, especially now that Volvo has dropped the larger 20-inch wheels in favour of 19-inchers.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| Volvo V60 B4 Plus | 194bhp | 7.6 seconds | 112mph |
| Volvo V60 B4 Ultra | 194bhp | 7.6 seconds | 112mph |
| Volvo V60 T6 Plus AWD | 330bhp | 5.4 seconds | 112mph |
Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
The standard engine in the V60 is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol with mild-hybrid tech, and this is known as the B4. It puts out 194bhp and has a pretty swift 0-62mph time of 7.6 seconds.
The fastest model in the range, however, is the T6 plug-in hybrid. This sends 330bhp and 589Nm to all four wheels, but it’s best thought of as a fast, composed cruiser rather than a BMW-baiting driver's machine. Overtaking is effortless, but there's not much information relayed through the steering wheel in bends resulting in a detached feel.
Town driving, visibility and parking
The upside of the V60’s light steering is that it’s easy to get tight manoeuvres over and done with quickly. This is still a pretty big car, which you’ll notice on tighter streets. However, blind-spot detection, front and rear sensors, and a reversing camera are included in every model to take the stress and guesswork out of parking.
Country road driving and handling
The V60’s suspension isn’t as stiff as in some rivals’, which pays off in terms of ride comfort but not so much when it comes to handling. While the Volvo corners safely and with confidence, you don’t quite get the level of feel you get from a 3 Series Touring through the steering wheel and suspension.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
For most people most of the time, they’ll enjoy the quiet calm of the Volvo without being too bothered about the lack of sporting prowess. This is especially true on the motorway, where it’s an impressive cruiser.
Opt for a higher-spec model and you can make use of Volvo’s excellent Pilot Assist technology. The car will keep a set distance from the vehicle in front once you’ve set the speed you want to travel at (this is the same as other adaptive cruise control systems), but it will also help keep you in your lane and steer you around gentle corners. You have to keep your hands on the wheel and pay attention at all times, though, ready to take over if needs be. However, it really adds a degree of relaxation to longer journeys and the system works well.
“The PHEV’s transition between power sources is generally seamless, and often imperceptible. Working together, the two systems can deliver impressive fuel economy, but what you achieve will vary greatly depending on multiple factors including the length and nature of the journey.” - Matt Robinson, special contributor.
MPG & running costs
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For those who don’t like the idea of a plug, the mild-hybrid petrol Volvo V60 still offers a pretty admirable WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 44.8mpg. This is a little bit ahead of the BMW 320i Touring at up to 41.5mpg, although that car doesn’t come with mild-hybrid assistance.
Naturally, it’s the PHEV that steals the efficiency show — at least on paper. The T6 powertrain’s official WLTP combined figure stands at an enormous 470.8mpg. However, our experience has taught us only too well that recreating these claimed numbers in any scenario outside of a laboratory is nigh on impossible.
During our testing of the plug-in V60, we saw a real-world average of 80mpg. This is a long way off breaking the 100mpg barrier, let alone 400mpg, but it’ll still make fill-ups a rare occurrence.
| Model | MPG | CO2 | Insurance group |
| Volvo V60 B4 Plus | 44.8mpg | 143g/km | 29 |
| Volvo V60 B4 Ultra | 44.8mpg | 144g/km | 30 |
| Volvo V60 T6 Plus AWD | 470.8mpg | 14g/km | 36 |
Electric range, battery life and charge time
The 19kWh battery pack in the plug-in hybrid model is enough for an official WLTP combined electric range of around 61 miles, which is a tiny bit more than you’ll get from the BMW 330e Touring (59 miles).
This battery pack doesn’t support DC rapid charging, but it’ll only take around two-and-a-half hours for a full charge from empty when using a 7.4kW home wallbox charger.
| Model | Battery size | Range | Insurance group |
| Volvo V60 T6 Plus AWD | 19kWh | 61.5 miles | 36 |
| Volvo V60 T6 Ultra AWD | 19kWh | 60.9 miles | 39 |
Insurance groups
Insuring the V60 won’t be the cheapest exercise, but it isn’t horrendously eye-watering compared to its rivals, either. The entry-level model sits in insurance group 29 out of 50, and the line-up climbs to group 39 for the T6 Ultra. Excluding the high-performance BMW M3 Touring, the core BMW 3 Series Touring line-up resides in a very similar insurance bracket, ranging from group 29 to 35.
Tax
Prices for the Volvo V60 range start well above the £40,000 threshold, so all versions are subject to the luxury car tax surcharge on top of the annual VED road tax from the second time the vehicle is taxed, up until it is six years old.
The plug-in hybrid V60 is the best choice for company car drivers as its reduced emissions and electric-only running result in a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bracket. However, fully electric cars are still far cheaper for business users.
There’s currently no electric Volvo estate, so you’ll either have to look towards the Volvo ES90 saloon or electric SUVs like the Volvo EX30, EX40 or EX60. If you’re committed to having an estate, EV options include the BMW i5 Touring, Audi A6 Avant e-tron and Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer.
Depreciation
According to our market data, the Volvo V60 will retain between 40 and 44 per cent of its original value after three years or 36,000 miles. This means the BMW 3 Series Touring is a slightly stronger investment, as it manages 43 to 49 per cent after the same amount of time or mileage.
To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...
Interior, design & technology
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The Volvo V60’s exterior design drew a lot of inspiration from the defunct V90, but it adds a little dynamism to it. So the front looks more athletic and the sides a little more swoopy and toned. It’s a far cry from the boxy Volvos of days past.
The V60’s advancing age means its interior follows the brand’s older design themes, but a key advantage of this is a generous helping of proper buttons — something that might just make you the envy of those driving around in the Volvo EX30. The build quality still holds up for the most part, too, and the cabin is a rather lovely place to sit on a long journey.
Interior and dashboard design
The Volvo V60’s cabin is very similar to the one found within the Volvo XC40 SUV. It features a dash that’s dominated by a 9-inch touchscreen in the centre, with a few supporting buttons beneath.
Ahead of the driver sits a digital instrument cluster, vertical air vents on either side of the centre screen and a ribbon of trim (some of which is finished in a wood veneer if you go for the lighter colour interior trim option) running the full width of the dash.
Materials and build quality
Overall, the Volvo’s build quality is good and sturdy. It should stand up well to the trials of family life, but we do have to wonder how many owners will actually be willing to risk tarnishing the plush materials.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
The V60's nine-inch portrait touchscreen on the centre console runs an Android-based operating system with built-in online services, much like the Volvo XC40. It’s far from being the most cutting-edge infotainment system on today’s market, but the screen holds up pretty well with sharp graphics. The menu layout has also been made less complicated than previous iterations.
This setup generally works best if you sign into its in-built apps (even though it’ll take a while to set up initially) because the Apple CarPlay smartphone connection doesn’t take up all of the screen. Wireless phone charging is provided as standard, along with Google navigation – the latter works well with voice commands and saves you from manually programming your route.
“The leather-clad chairs are perfectly comfortable, with loads of adjustment and a burning hot heater.” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor.
Boot space & practicality
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The Volvo V60 continues to be a practicality benchmark in the compact executive class. It’s bigger than key rivals, and it makes the most of those dimensions inside. Boot and passenger space are better than you’ll find elsewhere, while comfortable seats mean the Volvo is a great place to whittle away motorway miles on a long journey.
All versions of the V60 have electrically adjustable front seats, with memory settings and electric lumbar support on the driver's side. You sit fairly low in the car next to a chunky centre console, providing a sizable centre arm rest with a decent-sized storage area below. As with all Volvos, there’s a usable glovebox and door bins that can handle a large water bottle.
The thick roof pillars can get in the way when looking over your shoulder, so the standard fit blind spot monitoring system is quite a handy feature to have, while the front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera help when slotting into a parking space.
Dimensions and size
The Volvo V60 isn’t overtly massive compared to its key rivals, but it does boast a particularly large boot. The PHEV doesn’t sacrifice any of this space, either.
| Dimensions comparison | |||
| Model | Volvo V60 | BMW 3 Series Touring | Mercedes C-Class Estate |
| Length | 4,778mm | 4,713mm | 4,793mm |
| Width | 1,850mm | 1,827mm | 1,820mm |
| Height | 1,432mm | 1,448mm | 1,462mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,872mm | 2,851mm | 2,865mm |
| Boot space | 519 litres |
500 litres 410 litres (PHEV) |
490 litres 360 litres (PHEV) |
Seats & passenger space
Space in the cabin is good, with a six-foot passenger able to sit comfortably behind a six-foot driver with an inch or so to spare. Foot space is tight if the front seat is in its lowest position, while the wide centre tunnel further restricts things, especially if someone is sat in the middle seat.
Here, shoulder room is okay, but you’ll struggle to adopt a knees together pose due to the transmission tunnel running down the middle of the car – although that’s a complaint you can also level at its closest rivals. If you need more space in the back, then you’ll need to look at bigger estates like the Skoda Superb Estate or Volkswagen Passat.
Parents who need to put their children into car seats will find two Isofix points on the rear seats' outer positions.
Boot space
The upright boot door in the Volvo V60 pays dividends when it comes to luggage space, with 519 litres when the seats are up, it's larger than the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes C-Class Estate. However, the seats-down figure of 1,431 litres in the V60 isn’t quite as impressive as the BMW or Mercedes.
It’s worth noting that unlike these two rivals, the Volvo doesn’t lose any boot capacity when you opt for the plug-in hybrid.
The rear seats fold completely flat at the touch of a button, with headrests automatically tucking out of the way so they don’t get caught on the front seats. And in true Volvo fashion, plenty of other small details have been thought through, like the fold-up boot divider with elasticated straps to stop your groceries flying around the boot. That’s especially handy because it’s a long way to lean into the boot to retrieve items if they have rolled to the farthest reaches of the load bay.
You also get a number of hooks from which you can hang shopping bags, tie-down points in all four corners, plus a passthrough for longer items. It is a shame it doesn’t have the more versatile 40:20:40 split folding rear seats like its German rivals, though.
Towing
Towing capacities for the Volvo V60 depend upon which engine you go for because the B4 mild-hybrid can manage a braked trailer or caravan of 1,800kg, while the T6 plug-in hybrid can lug up to 2,000kg. If you need an estate that can pull more weight, you’ll have to look towards a diesel Skoda Superb, as that can handle up to 2,200kg.
“I’ve given up trying to use the automatic tailgate’s kick function. It’s unresponsive and tricky to operate, and rarely opens on command. I found it far easier to just use the button on the key fob.” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor.
Reliability & safety
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Volvo has earned its reputation as a purveyor of super-safe cars. However, because the Volvo V60 underwent Euro NCAP’s rigorous testing way back in 2018, its five-star rating has expired. This is because the tests have become far more stringent over the years.
There’s still a good amount of advanced safety and assistance tech in the V60, though. The car will help you to avoid head-on crashes if you stray out of your lane, it's also able to detect pedestrians and animals in your path and prevent you from pulling out in front of oncoming traffic if you need to turn right across lanes. As well as these advanced safety features, the V60 has the usual round of electronic driver aids and speed limit warnings, a full set of airbags and Isofix child seat mounts in the back.
The V60 didn’t appear in the most recent Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but the brand wound up in 14th place out of 30 in the best manufacturer results. This is an average result, but owners did praise their cars’ reliability, quality and safety. High running costs were one of the biggest concerns.
Buying, prices and deals
Best buy: Volvo V60 B4 Plus
In its entry-level form, the Volvo V60 starts from around £45,500 for the B4 mild-hybrid in Plus trim. We’d stick with this model as it provides enough kit for the money, as well as reasonable efficiency. The plug-in hybrid does come with its own advantages, but the price jump to at least £52,800 is a very big one.
You can save on the list price when you build your new Volvo V60 with the Auto Express Buy A Car service. We also have a range of used V60 models in stock, and we can also help you to sell your car.
Volvo V60 alternatives
The upmarket estate sector is a fairly small one, but the competition is fierce. Volvo’s usual German foes come in the shape of the Audi A5 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring, and Mercedes C-Class Estate, and these are all worthy of your consideration. However, if you look beyond the unfair badge snobbery, the Skoda Superb Estate and Volkswagen Passat are two of the most spacious estate cars you can buy right now — they’re also far more premium-feeling than their prices might suggest.
As the petrol estate car market dwindles, the electric estate market grows. Options here include the Audi A6 Avant e-tron, BMW i5 Touring, Mercedes CLA Electric Shooting Brake, Toyota bZ4X Touring and Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer.
Volvo V60 pictures
Key updates of the Volvo V60 review
24 September 2026: Latest driving impressions and model information.
Frequently Asked Questions
All Volvos come with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is standard for the class, although BMW and Mercedes offer a similar three-year warranty without a mileage limit. In addition, Volvo issues a paint warranty for the same three years, while a corrosion warranty covers the car for eight years.
Deals on the V60 and alternatives
