Volvo XC60 review

The mild hybrid petrol starts from £48,410 in entry-level Core trim, rising to £53,740 in mid-spec Plus trim, £57,740 in Plus Pro and £62,740 in top-spec Ultra trim.

If you spec the PHEV in Core (£55,360), Plus (£59,860) or Plus Pro (£63,860) trims then you'll get the T6 powertrain, while upgrading to Ultra trim (£68,860) will automatically get you the more powerful T8 hybrid system.

To give you some perspective there, the new Audi Q5 now starts at just over £50k, while the BMW X3 is over £51k but almost everyone will buy the £53k+ M Sport trim. The Mercedes-Benz GLC is more expensive still with an entry-level 220d costing £54,450. Looking for something more left-field? The Lexus NX and Mazda CX-60 both cost a smidge less than the Volvo in their base spec forms.

What about leasing options?

At the time of writing, you can pick up a mild hybrid XC60 for £439 a month for the Core-spec car, or the PHEVs at £535 for our preferred T6 model also in Core trim. That’s over four years with a £7k down payment and 6,000 yearly mileage allowance.

What are the equipment levels like?

At first glance the XC60 doesn’t appear a cheap car, but the entry Core spec is very generous indeed. It includes 18in wheels, auto wipers and headlights, dual-zone climate control, keyless go, cruise control, wireless phone charging and front and rear parking sensors as standard. The touchscreen with Google built-in is also present on all models.

Plus upgrades you to 19in alloys and brings sportier-looking bumpers and a darkened grille. It also adds a Harman Kardon audio system, extra ambient lighting, a 360-degree parking camera, heated steering wheel, a blind spot alert system and heated rear seats in addition to the warmable front pews on the Core model.

Plus Pro adds adaptive cruise control, a rear collision warning system, ventilated seats and 20in wheels.

Go for top-spec Ultra trim and you also get 20in wheels, plus a panoramic sunroof, head-up display, massaging front seats, an incredible Bowers and Wilkins sound system, Nappa leather trim and the adaptive air suspension. All very civilised.

What's the best spec?

The B5 mild hybrid petrol might be the best choice of the lot if the PHEV sums don’t add up as a private buyer. It may not actually be the XC60's best powertrain, but it's a good chunk cheaper than its German rivals and a full £7k less than the T6. However, the BIK rate on the PHEVs will make them attractive propositions for company car drivers. Lucky you if that's the case, because our ideal and extremely sensible XC60 would probably be the T6 PHEV in Plus Pro trim. Lovely.