Volvo XC60
Five years on from its launch, can a mild refresh keep the Swedish SUV among the frontrunners in its class?
MODEL TESTED: Volvo XC60 Recharge Plus Dark T6
PRICE: £61,235 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, 1x e-motor, 345bhp
THE XC60 Recharge saw off the challenge of the Audi Q5 and Hyundai Santa Fe last year, but has a mild refresh to its hybrid system kept it fighting towards the top of the class? The trim levels have been mildly tweaked since our test car was released, so while the model here is in Inscription Expression spec, the prices are for the equivalent model you can buy today. The Plus Dark T6 starts from £61, 235.
Design & engineering
WITH its release dating back to 2017, the second-generation XC60 is the oldest car in this contest. It launched with petrol and diesel powertrains, plus a single PHEV model, which has since been joined by a second. Since it first came out, the Swedish brand has introduced incremental improvements both to the powertrains and the infotainment technology, to align with fully electrifying its entire range.
The key upgrade for 2022 is a new, larger battery pack for the plug-in hybrids. Size has increased from 11.6kWh on our last encounter to 18.8kWh now, although only 14.9kWh of that is a usable capacity. As a result, electric-only range now stands at between 42 and 48 miles, depending on trim level.
The electric motor produces 143bhp and 309Nm. Although this is the lowest here, and Volvo’s 2.0-litre petrol unit the smallest, the use of turbocharging boosts the combustion element to 250bhp on its own. The combined power output of 345bhp is the greatest here. The XC60 covers the 0-62mph dash in 5.7 seconds and, like all current Volvos, the top speed is limited to 112mph. The T6 has passive suspension and only the top-spec T8 model rides on air springs.
The cabin design might have lost the initial wow factor of five years ago, but it remains a luxurious, relaxing place to sit. Build quality is great – we particularly like the sturdy feel of the door handles and the steering-column stalks, the driving position has loads of adjustment, and the seats themselves are very comfortable. A panoramic sunroof makes the Volvo’s cabin feel lighter than the Lexus’s.
Driving
BUYERS tend not to buy Volvos expecting an engaging chassis, and the XC60’s comfortable, relaxed gait very much plays to that stereotype. The ride is the softest of the three models here; over larger bumps and compressions, you can feel the suspension squash down gently before bouncing back through its travel. While this makes the Swedish SUV very relaxing at higher speeds, it does mean that on a country road, the Volvo tends to take longer to regain its composure after hitting a bump.
The steering is very light and devoid of feel. It’s also quite slow – especially compared with the Mazda’s set-up – but this means that it feels better matched to the chassis. This, combined with fairly pronounced body roll, puts you off driving the XC60 enthusiastically. Instead, you make the most of the comfort and take it easy.
This is, however, slightly at odds with the Volvo’s performance. On paper, it’s the fastest car here; its 5.7-second 0-62mph time pips the Mazda by 0.1 seconds. There’s very little between the Volvo and
the Mazda on the road, though, with both cars offering strong acceleration – once the petrol engine and laggy gearbox have woken up, at least.
Practicality
HOP into the back of the XC60, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Kneeroom is great
– almost the same as the Lexus’s – but headroom is a little compromised.
While the roofline is of a similar height to the Mazda’s overall, the roof curves in more at its edges; this, combined with the space needed for the panoramic sunroof, means that those in the outer seats might brush their heads against the roof. At the point beneath the glass roof itself, there’s loads of space, but that would mean the occupants might need to tilt their heads inward slightly.
The centre seat is the narrowest here and the backrest is firm, but it’s also quite sculpted at its sides. As long as the middle passenger is slim, then they will be quite nicely held in place. The central hump in the floor is wide but very low, although it is covered in hard plastic instead of carpet.
There are other areas that are less great, though. Not only is the boot the smallest, but it also has hardly any underfloor storage, so you need to leave the charging cables in the main section of the boot. Isofix child-seat brackets are easy to reach behind folding plastic clips; the same applies to the Lexus.
Ownership
VOLVO has maintained a reputation for industry-leading safety for decades, and deservedly so. It’s absolutely no surprise, then, that the XC60 achieved a maximum five-star rating when it was assessed by Euro NCAP back in 2018. Indeed, the 97-per-cent rating in the adult occupant protection category was the highest rating of any car tested that year.
The NX was evaluated this year, which due to Euro NCAP’s ever-increasing standards, means it was tested to more stringent standards than the XC60. The Lexus also achieved a five-star rating, while the CX-60 has yet to be assessed by NCAP.
Running costs
DEPRECIATION holds a big influence over the finances of any premium SUV. Whether you’re a cash buyer or taking out finance, you’ll have to either pay more each month or get less value out of a part-exchange at a later date.
The Volvo is expected to hold nearly half of its original value after three years or 36,000 miles, losing £30,593 over 36 months. The NX is predicted to retain slightly less, with depreciation of £30,757. The Mazda is both the cheapest to buy outright, and will hold the most value over three years. With residual values of 53,7 per cent, it’ll lose £22,933.