Volvo XC60 review

Do you even need to ask that question? This is the Volvo XC60, and they’re literally everywhere. No really, this is now Volvo’s best-selling model of all time with over 2.7 million examples shifted since its launch back in 2008. It overtook the brilliantly boxy 240 earlier in 2025.

But seriously, what is it?

This is the middle child of the Volvo SUV range – smaller and less fancy than the large and recently facelifted XC90, but roomier and more family oriented than the diminutive XC40. In the wider car market it sits smack bang in the middle of the most crowded and competitive segment there is, the mid-size crossover.

Still, whatever the competition, Volvo’s XC60 comes with enough of the Swedish firm’s solid safety, pared-back elegant design and the sort of alternative luxury that drew fans to Saab to help it stand out.

Neither is it distracted by any of that nonsense around pretending to be a lifestyle-oriented off-roader. Does anyone still want their SUV to pretend it’s a 4x4? Surely we’re long past that. Neither is it wearing the pretence of track-lapping athleticism. So it's not hampered by the heavy and cumbersome hardware of the former, or the harsh inflexibility of the latter.

This middle-of-the-road approach of course lands it some stern rivals. The Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC are all right there and implacably competent. But the Volvo feels very different inside – while the Germans go off in one direction, the XC60 has the confidence to follow its own path.

It’s been around a while, hasn’t it?

This is the second-generation of the XC60 – as previously mentioned the first one was launched in 2008 and lasted for a solid nine years on sale. This current version has been around since 2017, with a mid-life facelift in 2021 and then another refresh early on in 2025. The latter brought a new grille, a bigger infotainment screen (no surprise there) and some fresh interior materials, but the powertrains remained the same.

So what engines does it offer?

It’s actually a fairly simple choice – there have been no diesel options for a while now, so you can opt for a 2.0-litre petrol with 48V mild hybrid tech that's known as the B5, or there’s a plug-in hybrid set-up that comes with two levels of power from the petrol engine (labelled T6 and T8) and an 18.8kWh battery that’s good for up to 51 miles of electric range.

The mild hybrid petrol offers 247bhp, 0–62mph in 6.9 seconds, claimed fuel economy of 36.2mpg, and 178g/km CO2 emissions.

The T6 PHEV set-up brings 345bhp and a 0–62mph time of 5.7s, and the perkier T8 offers a meaty 449bhp for a 4.9s sprint. The lesser-powered T6 claims 256.8mpg while the T8 claims 282.5mpg, but obviously both of those are meaningless figures – keep it juiced up with electricity and you’re laughing; let the battery run out and you’re looking at sub-30mpg. They also claim just 22 and 23g/km CO2 respectively.

Gotcha. How much does it cost?

Prices start from £48,410 for the mild hybrid, while the T6 PHEV starts from £55,360 and the T8 PHEV (which can only be combined with the top spec Ultra trim) from a hefty £68,860.

Worth mentioning Volvo also introduced the Black Edition back in 2024, which essentially does exactly what it says on the tin and paints everything black. Even the Volvo badge couldn't escape the blackout treatment. Prices for that start at £55,490 for the mild hybrid and £61,610 for the PHEV. You can read more on the pre-facelift version of that special by clicking these blue words.

We’re big fans of modern Volvos, and the XC60 is no exception. It takes most of the good bits from the bigger XC90 and distills it into a smaller package.

It’s relaxing to be in thanks to the superb, calming cabin (get it in a bright colour, you won’t regret it… unless you have kids), and mostly relaxing to drive. It does things differently to the equivalent BMW, Mercedes and Audi, and as good as those cars are, this one's all the better for it.

We’d argue it’s a much cooler, less offensively aggressive-looking thing to potter about in too. It’s not the sportiest nor the cheapest SUV, but it’s probably the most socially acceptable.