There are certain brands that just seem to appeal to folks who want to go their own way. For example, there are plenty of nice Toyota and Honda vehicles out there. But among the great mainstream competitors, you also have Subaru. Yes, a Subaru does the same things the others do, but you get a feeling that they have their own way. And it reflects on their owners.
In the Premium department, we think you have the same thing. Yep, BMW, Mercedes and Audi – all great stuff. But on the path less travelled, Volvo. It’s a brand that’s been around a long time and was one of the innovators of safety. But the brand has evolved to embrace this Swedishness, from Scandinavian-inspired design to a slightly different take on performance and philosophy. And we love Volvo for being that way!
So it was a great thrill to once again get inside a Volvo XC60, the middle child between the XC40 and XC90SUV’s, and a direct competitor to vehicles like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. So does the road less traveled mean driving bliss? Let’s find out!
Bold and Modern
The XC60 has been around for a bit, but we’d have to say it has aged fabulously. In fact, our 2024 tester is probably the best looking one we’ve seen.
Up front, the Volvo offers a fresh look, with a reasonable size front grille that is nice compared to the oversize Lexus spindle and BMW “beaver teeth”. Blacked out, with lower and side grilles it looks aggressive, while the Thor’s Hammer design LED headlights make it clear what brand you’re looking at. We also like the traditional Volvo badge in the grille, with pointed arow and diagonal slash line. Elegant and special.
The XC60 puts up a sporty look in profile, with a leaned back A-pillar, up-sweeping C-pillar riding atop bulgy fenders with cool color-keyed overfenders. There’s a deeply scalloped line in the lower door panel that accentuates the muscular look. Two things really made our tester pop – the “Dark Theme” package that gives you gloss black accents throughout the design. Subtle, no bling here. Well, except for the gorgeous optional 22-inch 5-double spoke matte black diamond cut alloy wheels (Volvo’s word’s not ours) that look totally awesome and really fill out the wheel wells. $1,475 well spent, if you ask us!
At the rear are Volvo’s familiar wraparound LED taillights, and a snub tail with rear spoiler above the rear window for some aero-cred. A subtle T8 AWD Recharge badge on the tail, and a charger access panel on the front left fender are the only clues that you’re driving the rocket-ship, plug-in hybrid model. Low-key, we like that.
Finishing off the look was our tester’s Bright Dusk paint, a warm silver with platinum-like overtones that’s elegant and classy. Combined with the sporty aggressive lines, it makes this the most gorgeous XC60 we’ve ever seen!
Scandinavian by Design
Inside is where you really feel a strong Swedish presence.
Open the door and your eyes are drawn immediately to the seats. While Nappa leather is an available option, our tester had what Volvo calls a “Tailored Wool Blend” which either strikes as Swedish minimalism expertly crafted, or a couch in a high-end Scan-design store. We love it, but it’s probably not for everyone – hence the Nappa Leather choices.
The trim is special too, called “Driftwood Décor” that sweeps across the dash and creates an instant feeling of simple elegance. And speaking of elegance, what could be better than a crystal gear selector knob by Orrefors? It just works to create a one-of-a-kind experience that makes you smile every time you get in.
The smiles continue as you sit down in the nicely contoured front sport seats. Taller drivers will especially appreciate the power lower cushion that can be extended for added support. The rear seats are adult friendly, with good cargo space and easy folding when you need more room. Overall, space is about on par for other vehicles in this class.
Stylish and comfy, the XC60 is also informative, with a handsome 12.3-inch digital display that can also serve up maps from the on-board navigation system.
The center stack will be familiar to anyone whose been in a Volvo lately, with a 9-inch vertical touchscreen tablet. While previous models got dinged for having a laggy response, Volvo has made things right with a new Google Built-in infotainment system, including Google Maps, Google Assistant voice-activated hands-free access and Google Play with loads of apps and services.
The climate control is also in the system, but unlike competitors that ask you to dig into multiple screens, you can get what you want with a quick tap on the home screen.
Volvo also gives a nice selection of audio systems, including our top-of-the-line Bowers & Wilkins system with 15-speakers, 1410-watt output, a Fresh air subwoofer and four different room modes including Concert Hall, Jazz Club, Individual Stage and Studio. Not cheap at $3,200, but plenty of wow and great sound! And let’s not forget, Volvo puts a nice large volume knob at the bottom of the display. Yay!
Plug in for Performance
Most of the above is available on any XC60, but it’s the plug-in hybrid powertrain that really makes it stand apart. It starts with an interesting twist-turn knob on the center console to start the engine. Kind of reminds us of the old Saab ignition on the center console.
There’s nothing old school under the hood of the Plug-in Hybrid model though, with a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder (312 hp) plus an electric motor adding 143 hp. The results are a jaw dropping 455 horsepower, and a double jaw-dropping 523 lb.-ft of torque.
Power equals performance, here with 0-60 mph in the low 4-seconds which is fast enough to humble many, many, sports cars and high-performance vehicles. It’s more than fast, it’s effortless too, with merging, passing at freeway speeds and beyond (not that we’d recommend that) are smoooooth and you sort of whoosh by everyone. Yes, you can hear the little 4 kicking in, but it’s refined and mellow.
But wait, there’s more. With a full charge on the battery, you can run in full-EV mode for up to 35 miles. So, for many drivers you may enjoy the benefits of EV and not even need to dip into the added power of the gas engine. Overall, you can get close to 30 mpg between the two powertrains. Very respectable.
Charging is reasonable too, you can do an overnight at home, or if you have a level 2 charger nearby, figure about 2 ½ hours to charge up. There’s even a setting that will let you charge the EV battery while driving around. So, you’re sure to find some way to get your electrons.
Or in our case, burning them up. Tied to an 8-speed automatic, acceleration is way too much fun to ignore. Handling is excellent too, with standard AWD and those optional 22-inch wheels and tires giving plenty of grip. The ride is a tad on the firm the side, but as enthusiasts it’s a fair tradeoff. If ride quality is more important, we’d say stick with the standard 21-inch wheels and tires.
It’s an interesting blend of performance and luxury. This is an easy vehicle to drive very quickly, and it’s rewarding to do so, but it doesn’t goad you on like some other high-performance SUVs, instead it’s happy to cruise around smooth and quiet and get you where you need to go. One vehicle that can do it all? It sure feels that way!
Volvo made their bones on safety innovation, so it’s no surprise that the XC60 is well equipped, including blind spot information system, lane keeping assist, oncoming lane mitigation, cross traffic alert with autobrake, front pedestrian, and cyclist detection. It also includes “large animal” detection! We don’t get much moose here in SoCal and we’re not sure what else it covers, but how cool is that?
We really loved the adaptive cruise control in our XC60 – we got caught in a couple of traffic jams (welcome to LA!) and letting the Volvo handle the slow-roll stop and go reduce stress a huge amount.
How much to exceed in the XC60?
There are pretty much two directions to go when shopping for an XC60.
Starting with a non-hybrid, 4-cylinder turbo, the XC60 Core starts at $48,345. For a premium luxury SUV with great style inside an out, that’s impressive value.
Our tester was the top-of-the-line XC60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Dark Theme and started at $67,850. Options included Climate Package ($750), Active Chassis with Air Suspension ($1,800), 22-inch wheels ($1,475), and Bowers and Wilkins Premium Sound ($3,200). Add in $1,195 for Destination, and we rang the bell at $76,270.
Competitors would include the all-new BMW X3 at $71,750, but it’s not available as a plug-in hybrid, so fuel economy and power will be down from the Volvo. Still, worth a look. Those looking for a less-expensive option might want to check out the Mazda CX90 PHEV at $58,920. Stylish with a beautiful interior, it might be all the plug-in hybrid you need.
Fantastic power, efficiency, style and safety, the 2024 Volvo XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid is an amazing premium SUV!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.