Cars

Should you choose the Volvo XC60?

Home » Volvo » Should you choose the Volvo XC60?

The Volvo XC60 has been a huge success for Volvo and a massive part of their transition to an all SUV marketplace in the UK. It is one of ‘the’ best medium-sized SUVs currently available, even with strong contenders such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC and the Volkswagen Tiguan, it still miles in front.

For 48 hours we got our hands on this excellent Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge and we loved it from the moment we set eyes on the amazing flat grey paint, which seems to be the trend at the moment. Read More Below…

Tech Specs:

Gearbox: Automatic
Fuel Type: Petrol Parallel PHEV
Engine Size: 1969 cc aka 2.0l
0-62mph: 5.7 seconds
CO2 Emissions: 23 g/km
Engine Power: 350 bhp
Top Speed: 112 mph
EV Range (WLTP): 48 Miles
Vehicle Size: Length; 4708mm x Width; 1999mm x Height; 1656mm
Boot Space: 468 litres (Seats Up) / 1395 litres (Seats Down)

Standout Features:

Apple CarPlay available, only by wire
Integration of Google in the satellite navigation system
Great EV range, suitable for a commute of 25-35 miles
App works really well but found it difficult to set-up
Comfortable Seats and seating position

Volvo XC60 Review...

For some reasons there is a stigma about Volvo’s and that you need to be of a certain age to have, own or subscribe to this marque, but the new Volvo’s are cool, drive beautifully and look good. Okay, so you may be better suited to a Volvo if you have a family. They have a fantastic safety record but all of their models are well suited to those with kids and/or pets. Lets take a deeper look…

Driving & Performance...

This particular model is the Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) version, it had a full tank of fuel and the battery hardly registered. I wasn’t able to drive the car straightaway, so I popped the car on charge thanks to some BP Pulse EV Chargers at the Coppice Car Park in Belper.

When fully charged and in ‘electric-only’ mode, it was super smooth and still felt very quick off the mark thanks to the electric motors kicking in. Hybrid mode mates the petrol and electric motors together, producing 350bhp, it was very quick and felt super smooth to 60mph on hard acceleration.

On the motorway to Sheffield, the car just sat at the legal limits and I could easily watch the miles drop off on the sat nav. By the time we reached Meadowhall, I had still got 3 miles of range left on the battery.

I did feel that the gearbox was a little hesitate but I have recently been driving the BMW where you can ‘drive’ passed the limited a little bit to easily.

Ride Comfort...

The Volvo XC60 is was perfect for driving around Belper and the surrounding towns but give it a bit of stick on the back roads and you’ll realise that this doesn’t hold the road as well as some of the Audi’s or BMW’s.

Steering feels a little too light so you don’t feel the full forces of cornering and I couldn’t find on the infotainment system a setting to change this, which of course you can on the BMW’s.

You can feel the extra weight of the batteries on this PHEV version over the traditional petrol XC60, but nothing to be concerned about.

Internals...

As with all Volvo’s, the interiors feel well built, solid and most importantly comfortable.

Seating-wise, the driver seat is well positioned and keeps you well supported, lots of adjustments are available to really tweak the perfect driving position. Although it took me ages to work out how to slide the seat backwards and forwards, it was a manual adjustment, no electric.

Infotainment...

Infotainment offers a portrait ipad-style screen in the centre console. It is just like operating a tablet to be honest, really simple and easy. The satellite navigational software is from Google, so you already get that familiar feel when looking for destinations and points of interest. You can even log into your Google account on the car so that you can sync home, work and favourites.

Apple CarPlay is included on this model, but you have to plug your Apple iPhone into the USB port. I’m sure a Wireless Apple CarPlay Adapter will sort this minor issue.

As this is the Plus model we were delighted with the Harmon Kardon sound system, whilst we’re no audiophiles, there was a massive difference in quality when compared to the Kia Niro we had sitting around. DAB Digital radio is also on-board, which is the norm nowadays.

Passenger and Boot Space...

At 6ft tall, I didn’t struggle in the car in the front or the back seats. We loaded the rear seats with 2 large ISOFIX child seats which sat nicely in the outer.

Whilst in most cars I need to slide the drivers seat all the way back, I was a good 3″ away from the end of the seat runners.

There are plenty of cubby holes in the front along with the important cup holders for your morning travel cup coffees.

The rear seats had heating, which was a waste due to the child seats but it would be a welcome addition for when the kids reach booster seat age. Talking about boosters, I do believe fold out booster seats are an option to add when specifying a new car.

Boot space is impressive with 468 lites with the seats up. It swallowed up the pushchair, it is worth knowing that the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 offer larger boot space.

Own or Subscribe to a Volvo XC60...

As you’re aware, we are big fans of Car Subscriptions but there are also excellent ways to purchase and lease a Volvo XC60. Subscription-wise Volvo offers it’s own service which used to be called Care by Volvo, these days it is simply called Volvo Car Subscriptions. Other companies you can subscribe with include my own; Cocoon Vehicles and Flexed.

Looking to lease a Volvo XC60? Click on the highlighted link to jump on to Volvo’s website to view stock and future ordered vehicles which can be specified to your liking, Volvo also give you the option to buy the vehicle in the traditional ways and collect from your local dealer.

Conclusion...

We’ve got no real negatives of the Volvo XC60 and it really is the perfect medium-sized SUV for families and those alike. If you don’t need the PHEV version, you can opt for the traditional ICE models and still be happy.

Infotainment system is excellent and whilst we would like to see Wireless Apple CarPlay, it isn’t a contract breaker. What are your thoughts on the Volvo XC60? Let us know below…

Volvo XC60 Gallery...

Disclaimer

As the author, I own and run the company Cocoon Vehicles and have access to many different vehicles, but not for the purposes of reviews, I just write these in my spare time. Some links on this page including those supplied by Volvo may pay me a commission should you go ahead with one of their products/services.