THE SMART UTILITY VEHICLE(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 82

Think of a premium-badged mid-sized SUV and you probably think of something German -maybe also a Land Rover or Lexus product. We'd also suggest though, that you should be looking at the car we're going to test here, the improved version of Volvo's elegant and beautifully crafted second generation XC60, proof that in Sweden, they build SUVs just a little differently. Safe, efficient, clever, practical and stylish, it's yet another model that re-establishes this Scandinavian maker as a credibly prestigious automotive brand.

Background word count: 191

Once, Volvo was a car maker primarily specialising in spacious estates and solid, safe saloons. It isn't true any more. The brand now builds fewer cars of that sort and today, the majority of its business is done in selling SUVs - cars like this XC60. This second generation version arrived in 2017, replacing an extremely successful predecessor, then in 2021 was lightly updated before in early 2025 being updated again to create the car we're going to look at here. Like the model that inspired it, the second generation version of the larger XC90, this XC60 uses the 2.0-litre 'Drive-E' engines and 'SPA' 'Scalable Product Architecture' platform that Chinese brand owner Geely bankrolled for all current mid and large-sized Volvo models to use: the smaller XC40 model uses a much less sophisticated 'CMA' 'Compact Modular Architecture' chassis. That more compact car is essentially a family hatch with Crossover cues. This one in contrast, must be in every way a proper SUV, offering everything you get in a prestigious XC90 but in a slightly more compact five-seat package. At first glance, that appears to be exactly what Volvo has delivered here.

Driving Experience word count: 385

Volvo's softened up the passive dampers and worked on refinement for this updated XC60 (it reckons this is its quietest mid-sized SUV yet). Otherwise, nothing significant has changed in terms of the engineering of this car - with its efforts focused on the forthcoming EX60 EV model, Volvo has no budget for that. Which means drive dynamics continued to be based towards comfort. But you shouldn't gauge from that an expectation that this XC60 will be a complete duffer when the road turns twisty. It's very far from that, this model described as 'confident and predictable', which is what we've found it to be and precisely what most likely buyers will want it to be. There's unruffled poise and exemplary refinement, plus you get supple standards of ride comfort from the multi-link rear suspension and top variants continue to have the desirable 'Active Four-C' adaptive damping and air suspension package. A 'Drive Mode Settings' driving dynamics system allows you to tailor throttle response, steering feel and shift timings from the standard 8-speed auto gearbox to suit the way you want to drive. If you do decide to push on a bit, grip and traction are actually quite impressive aided by the standard AWD system, while cornering body roll is also decently well controlled. All the engines on offer continue to be of a 2.0-litre, four cylinder configuration and come bolted to the same stiff, sophisticated 'SPA' chassis that also underpins Volvo's larger XC90 model. The brand has long ago banished diesel power in this car, hoping instead to convert customers to the merits of its Plug-in Hybrid powertrain. There are two PHEV variants, badged 'T6' or 'T8', both with a battery size at 18.8kWh, facilitating an EV drive range up to around 50 miles (not especially noteworthy in the current PHEV market); the rear electric motor output (once just 87hp) has more recently been upped to 145hp. This motor supplements the output of the 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine that both these Recharge variants share and contributes to prodigious power outputs - 350hp for the T6 and 455hp for the T8. If you really don't want to plug your XC60 in, there's a B5 petrol version with a more conventional 250hp version of the 'Drive-E' 2.0-litre turbo engine, embellished with 48V mild hybrid tech.