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In-depth reviews

Volvo XC60 review

Offering style, luxury and lots of advanced tech, there's plenty to like about the Volvo XC60 premium family SUV

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
RRP
£47,615 £69,975
  • Comfortable
  • Interior quality
  • Tax efficient hybrid
  • Infotainment not the best
  • Small boot compared to rivals
  • Rivals better to drive

With a classy interior, excellent build quality and comfortable ride, the Volvo XC60 remains a great alternative to rivals from premium manufacturers such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Safety is first-class, too, as is overall space and practicality, although the XC60's infotainment setup has its flaws – the fiddly climate controls among them.

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If you're after more power than most, then the plug-in hybrid models are particularly punchy, and offer the best fuel economy and company car tax rates in the XC60 range. The second generation XC60 may have lost a little of its wow factor since its launch in 2017, but it's still worthy of consideration if you're after a premium mid-size SUV that offers excellent levels of comfort.

About the Volvo XC60

The original Volvo XC60 launched in 2008 and managed to become the Swedish firm’s best-selling car during its life. The second-generation XC60 went on sale in 2017, and sits on a scaled down version of the platform that also underpins the brand’s flagship seven-seater SUV, the XC90, also benefiting from the same suspension and engine range. The XC60 also benefited from some updates during a mid-life facelift to help keep it fresh and competitive among the mid-size premium SUV segment.

Among its laundry list of rivals is our Mid-size Premium SUV of the Year for 2023 – the Lexus NX – along with the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Mazda CX-60, Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery Sport

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Volvo has said it will stop producing diesel engines by 2024, but has already removed oil-burners from the XC60 lineup, meaning buyers have a choice of a mild-hybrid petrol and two plug-in hybrid powertrains. All three versions use a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, with the plug-in hybrids – badged as the XC60 Recharge – also utilising an electric motor and 18.8kWh battery. 

The entry-level B5 mild-hybrid petrol produces 247bhp, the mid-range Recharge T6 has 345bhp on tap and the Recharge T8 pumps out 449bhp, along with 709Nm of torque. All three versions of the XC60 come with all-wheel drive as standard. As well as more-than-adequate straight-line performance for a family SUV, the plug-in hybrid XC60s offer superior fuel efficiency and big company car tax savings for business users – but more on all that later on.

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Volvo has three core equipment levels for the XC60 – the entry-level Core followed by Plus and range-topping Ultimate. These replace the Momentum, R-Design and Inscription trims, which were offered until early 2022. The XC60 B5 is available in all three trim levels, with prices currently starting from just over £47,000, while the Recharge T6 can only be had in Plus trim and the Recharge T8 is available exclusively in Ultimate-spec. That, along with the more complex powertrains, explains the T6 and T8’s starting prices of around £60,000 and £68,000, respectively.

Every XC60 features alloy wheels (18 to 20-inches), a powered tailgate, two-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, numerous safety systems, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, 12-inch digital driver’s display and nine-inch touchscreen with Google apps built-in, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity to boot. The XC60 Recharge models are also available in a ‘Bright’ exterior theme with chrome trim or ‘Dark’ that gives the car a more aggressive front end look and gloss black trim. The XC60 PHEVs are also offered with wool-blend upholstery as an alternative to the more traditional leather.

For an alternative review of the Volvo XC60, visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk...

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