2023 Volvo XC60
| Fuel Efficiency | 1.6 - 7.6 / 100km |
|---|---|
| ANCAP Rating | 5-star |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Fuel Efficiency | 1.6 - 7.6 / 100km |
|---|---|
| ANCAP Rating | 5-star |
| Warranty | 5 years |
About the Volvo XC60
The Volvo XC60 is the a competitor to the likes of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC.
Now in its second generation, the XC60 was recently refreshed to exclusively offer electrified petrol engines (48V mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid) as well as Volvo's new Android Automotive infotainment technology.
Three trim levels are available in 2022: Momentum, Inscription and R-Design, as well as three powertrains in the B5 and B6 2.0-litre mild-hybrid turbo petrols, and the Recharge 2.0-litre twin-charged plug-in hybrid.
Summary
Beautiful and practical cabin
Brimming with tech and safety
Daily urban EV range (PHEV)
Firm-ish ride at low speeds
Fuel economy is only great sometimes
An optioned R-Design hard to go past
Video Review
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2023 Volvo XC60 (inc. 0-100 & braking) review
With the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC now close to or over $100,000, are you better off looking at the Volvo XC60? Paul Maric gets behind the wheel of the 2023 Volvo XC60 B5 Plus.
Volvo XC60 Photo Gallery
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Pricing Level
Price Value
Details
RRP
$86,990
Manufacturer listed price
Body Style
SUV
Fuel Type
Mild-Hybrid Petrol
Number of Doors
5
Number of Seats
5
Drive Type
AWD
Transmission
A8
Engine Size
2.0 L
Torque
420 Nm
Reviews
News
Volvo XC60 Range Guide
XC60 B5 Momentum highlights:
- 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Satellite navigation
- Wireless phone charging
- DAB+ digital radio
- 10-speaker 220W sound system
- Semi-autonomous parking assist
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
- Leather upholstery
- Power-adjustable front seats with four-way power lumbar
- Four-zone climate control
- Ambient lighting
- Keyless entry and start
- Hands-free power tailgate
- LED headlights and fog lights
- 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Automatic headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- ‘Iron Ore’ aluminium interior trim
XC60 B5 Inscription adds:
- Crystal gear shifter
- Leatherette-wrapped dashboard
- Heated front seats
- Head-up display
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- ‘Driftwood’ interior trim
XC60 B6 R-Design adds:
- Nappa leather/vinyl/textile upholstery
- Aluminium pedals
- Front sport seats
- 21-inch alloy wheels
- ‘Metal Mesh’ aluminium interior trim
XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid adds:
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- 15-speaker 1100W Bowers & Wilkins sound system
- Panoramic sunroof
- Active Bending Lights
- Dual-zone climate control
- Rear privacy glass
- Heated steering wheel
- Headlight cleaners
Price & Specs
Interior
Volvo knows how to impart a feeling of quality in a cabin.
The material choices are top notch, from the plush carpet that runs right up to the transmission tunnel, the padded armrests and dash, metallic trim pieces, damped buttons, and knurled dials. And the build quality is hard to find flaw with.
Behind the lovely steering wheel sits a digital instrument display that can show maps. It doesn’t have the breadth of adjustability that German systems do, but it nails its primary function and is augmented by a nifty head-up display.
The portrait-oriented centre screen works nicely with mapping, and once you’re familiar with where to swipe and press it all becomes very user-friendly. The second page is full of tile shortcuts, which is a better approach than burying functions in endless sub menus.
Below this is a little gear shifter, and the signature twisting button to start the car. A rolling dial behind this changes your chosen driving mode. I love the way the metallic sliding cover retracts to reveal the cupholders – its action is smooth as silk.
The seats are very supportive, and the Scandinavian design (a mixture of stitched leather and grey cloth) looks the part.
The back seats a spacious enough for two average-sized blokes, while the B-pillar vents and large sunroof create a nice ambience. The material and trim quality is also undiminished.
In Volvo style, the seat bases on the outboard pews pop up to make an integrated booster for smaller kids, enabling them to sit up high and see what’s going past.
Boot space is cut by 37 litres over other XC60s to 468L in the Recharge.
While other XC60s get a space-saver spare wheel under the floor, the plug-in hybrid has a repair kit comprising filler and a compressor.
Exterior
Cosmetic tweaks as part of the mid-life facelift include new bumpers front and rear.
The rear bumper on regular XC60 models is now body-coloured with a horizontal chrome strip, while the front bumper cutouts each have a horizontal, chrome strip.
R-Design models have larger front bumper cutouts with a more complex shape that’s mirrored on the rear bumper.
Depending on variant, a range of alloy wheel designs are available, with sizes ranging from 19 to 22 inches.
Volvo XC60 Colours
The 2022 Volvo XC60 is available in a total of nine exterior finishes:
- Ice White
- Crystal White*
- Onyx Black*
- Denim Blue*
- Pine Grey*
- Fusion Red*
- Thunder Grey*
- Platinum Grey*
- Silver Dawn*
*Premium finishes cost $1950 extra
Cost of Ownership
The Volvo Cars range is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Volvo Roadside Assistance is also included at purchase for the duration of the new vehicle warranty.
As for scheduled maintenance, Volvo Cars offer three- and five-year service plans across its line-up, with prices for the XC60 range advertised at $1500 (3yr) and $2500 (5yr), averaging $500 per annum.
How it Drives
Much like Volvo's other models, the XC60 prioritises comfort rather than overt sportiness and engagement, regardless of trim you choose.
Adaptive air suspension is a $2600 option on B5 and B6 models, and standard on the Recharge Plug-in Hybrid. If you're looking at some of the larger wheel sizes, this is an option you really should consider ticking.
The steering is on the lighter side making it easy to pilot in town and to park, though the trade-off is that it's not as fun or engaging as something like a BMW X3.
Performance is similarly effortless, with decent grunt from the turbocharged models with a relatively smart-shifting eight-speed automatic.
The B6's 48V mild-hybrid tech also includes an E-charger function that can assist the engine with an extra 10kW under acceleration (the B5's setup just recuperates energy to smoothen the stop/start function).
The PHEV's complex drive system means you can drive most daily routes on zero-emissions electric power (up to 81km ADR), while also allowing you to combine both power sources for sports car-like response – claiming 4.8 seconds for the 0-100 benchmark sprint.
Volvo fits plenty of assistance tech as standard too, including adaptive cruise control with Pilot Assist (combines with lane centring for semi-autonomous highway driving), blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic assist, as well as lane-keep assist.
These systems generally work quite well and aren't as intrusive as you may find on other brands.
Volvo XC60 Safety Rating
The Volvo XC60 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, though the safety authority says the PHEV flagship is unrated.
The XC60 received an adult occupant protection score of 98 per cent, a child occupant protection score of 87 per cent, a pedestrian protection score of 76 per cent, and a safety assist score of 95 per cent.
All 2022 Volvo XC60 models come standard with:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-keep assist with oncoming lane mitigation
- Lane centring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Adaptive cruise control
- Traffic sign recognition
- Reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors
- Surround-view camera
Volvo XC60 Lifecycle
The current generation Volvo XC60 was launched in October 2017 and is currently 91 percent through its lifecycle. The last update was a new variant that was launched in September 2023 with the next model expected in 2024.
Volvo XC60 Options
Available option packages include:
Climate Pack ($800 Momentum; $400 all other variants)
- Heated front seats (Momentum)
- Headlight washers
- Heated steering wheel
Lifestyle Pack Harman Kardon ($3900 B5 + B6 variants)
- Panoramic sunroof
- Tinted rear windows
- Harman Kardon premium sound system
Lifestyle Pack Bowers & Wilkins ($6200 Inscription + R-Design)
- Panoramic sunroof
- Tinted rear windows
- Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system
Other available options include:
- Air suspension with Four-C Active Chassis: $2600 (B5 + B6 variants)
- Head-up display: $1900 (B5 Momentum)
- Harman Kardon premium sound: $1800 (B5 + B6 variants)
- Bowers & Wilkins premium sound: $4100 (Inscription + R-Design)
- Advanced air cleaner: $500 (all variants)
- Tinted rear windows: $700 (B5 + B6 variants)
- Panoramic sunroof: $3100 (B5 + B6 variants)
- Perforated Nappa leather upholstery: $3000 (Inscription + R-Design + Recharge)
- Massaging front seats: $1050 (Inscription + R-Design + Recharge)
- Heated front seats: $500 (Momentum)
- Power-folding rear headrests: $350 (B5 + B6 variants)
- Alloy wheel upgrades: $3500-5000 (variant dependent)
Volvo XC60 Warranty
The Volvo Cars range is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Volvo Roadside Assistance is also included at purchase for the duration of the new vehicle warranty.
As for scheduled maintenance, Volvo Cars offer three- and five-year service plans across its line-up, with prices for the XC60 range advertised at $1500 (3yr) and $2500 (5yr) respectively, averaging $500 per annum.
Volvo XC60 Stock Availability
The Volvo XC60 has only just started rolling into local showrooms, with the Recharge Plug-in Hybrid the last of the updated range to dock in Australia.
It appears there's decent stock on the ground compared to some other brands, and we haven't heard of features being stripped in Volvo products due to the global semi-conductor shortage.
However, as is the case across the industry, this is a developing situation and things can change at any time.
It's worth noting the XC60 now comes out of China for the Australian market, which may not appeal to those more trusting of a European build, though it should reduce shipping times.
Volvo XC60 Boot Space
Boot space is 468L in the Recharge Plug-in Hybrid and 483L in all other models.
Volvo XC60 Fuel Economy
Volvo claims XC60 B5 models use 7.6L/100km on the combined cycle, with the more powerful B6 version quoting 8.0L/100km.
The XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid offers up to 81km (claimed) of EV range per charge, and a combined fuel consumption figure of just 1.6L/100km.
All versions of the XC60 feature a 71L fuel tank, with 95 RON premium unleaded required as a minimum.
Depending on the variant, view the 2023 VOLVO XC60 fuel usage below.
All Highway, City, and Combined figures below are litres per 100km
| Variant | Series | Style | Fuel Type | Highway | City | Combined | E10? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLUS B5 MHEV | 246 MY24A | 4D WAGON | PREMIUM UNLEADED PETROL | - | - | 7.6 | - |
| ULTIMATE B5 BRIGHT MHEV | 246 MY24A | 4D WAGON | PREMIUM UNLEADED PETROL | - | - | 7.6 | - |
| RECHARGE PLUS T8 PHEV | 246 MY24A | 4D WAGON | PREMIUM UNLEADED/ELECTRIC | - | - | 1.6 | - |
| RECHARGE ULTIMATE T8 PHEV | 246 MY24A | 4D WAGON | PREMIUM UNLEADED/ELECTRIC | - | - | 1.6 | - |
Volvo XC60 Dimensions
The Volvo XC60 measures 4708mm long, 1902mm wide and 1653mm tall, with a 2865mm wheelbase.
Maximum braked towing capacity is 2400kg in the B5 and B6, and 2100kg in the T8.
The 2023 VOLVO XC60 measures 4708mm long, 1902mm wide and 1653mm tall, with a 2865mm tall wheelbase.
The 2023 VOLVO XC60 has a braked towing capacity from 2250kg to 2400kg depending on the variant and an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg.
Volvo XC60 Market Fit
The Volvo XC60 competes in the premium medium SUV category by VFACTS classification, meaning it plays in the $60,000+ price bracket.
Pricing starts from just under $70,000 and extends to just under $100,000 plus on-road costs.
Volvo XC60 Sales Data
The XC60 is Volvo's most popular model in Australia by sales volume, notching up 3688 registrations during 2021 – making it the second best-selling model in its category also.
Sales were up 29.0 per cent last year, inline with Volvo's overall growth for the year.
Owner Reviews
Should you buy the Volvo XC60
The Volvo XC60 has proven itself to be a plush and practical alternative to the typical German premium players, and Australian buyers seem to agree given it's one of the most popular vehicles in its segment.
Given its focus on comfort, we'd argue the Momentum and Inscription models smaller wheels and optional air suspension embody the pitch best, though the B6 R-Design offers more grunt and sexier styling.
The Recharge Plug-in Hybrid is getting pricey, but offers more performance and much more EV range than its competitors, making it one of the better examples of the plug-in breed.
Competitor Analysis
Volvo tends to pitch its products as value-oriented alternatives to established German premium players, and the XC60 is no different.
Compared to the equivalent BMW X3 or Mercedes-Benz GLC, for example, the XC60 offers more equipment and more performance for less money.
Further, the XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid gets a larger battery as part of its mid-life refresh that essentially doubles EV range over its predecessor, as well as rivals.
Other alternatives include the dimensionally smaller Audi Q5, sportier Genesis GV70 and Jaguar F-Pace, along with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
Unlike most rivals, the Volvo errs towards comfort in its tuning rather than sportiness.
Volvo XC60 Interesting Facts
Volvo has scattered little Swedish flags around the cabin of the XC60 as a reminder of its heritage.
