Volvo XC60: 'I test drove Volvo's new SUV - it rides and handles like a hot-hatch'

Now it’s got its mojo back. Volvos are sleek, sweet and both good to look at and even better to drive.

Saloons and estates are ditched and the marque is concentrating on SUVs in electric and hybrid form.

It comes at a cost, though. XC60 tested here is almost £60,000 and even the more affordable versions only shave off a few thousand pounds. It doesn’t seem to hinder sales, though.

The company recently celebrated its best ever global sales (763,000 models in 2024) so its approach seems to be paying off.

Tested here is one of the keystone models, the XC60 which is the middle of three popular SUVs. XC40 is cute but small and the XC90 is smart but too big for most, so the XC60 is the Goldilocks option.

It is smart, very well appointed and sportier than any mid-sized SUV should ever be. Its performance is its standout feature – although the crystal gear selector runs it a close second.

This car may be on the tall side but it rides and handles like a hot-hatch. I didn’t believe the 0 to 60mph in 5.7 seconds but I found a quiet stretch of legal road and sure enough it managed it.

It comes with Pilot Assist, not quite autonomous driving but close. It gives smooth, intuitive driving from standstill to motorway speeds and helps you maintain a safe distance from the car in front. It will also brake to a standstill when necessary.

The steering wheel will give a discreet vibration if it doesn’t sense any driver action, and it will slow the car to a complete halt if it needs to.

It is also one of the best illuminated cars on the road. It has integrated courtesy lights and discreet mood lighting on door pockets and cupholders for example. Few features give a car class better than upmarket illumination.

The car tested here is good but Volvo is already set to improve it.It is set to receive the firm’s new UX infotainment system that includes a larger 11.2-inch touchscreen running Google-based software. Volvo says this new device is twice as fast as the outgoing system.

Its exterior design has been updated with similar design cues from the latest XC90 SUV. At the front, there is a new air intake, and at the back, the tail lights are now darker.

Inside, the XC60 can now be specified with laminated windows, to help improve its refinement by reducing the amount of wind and road noise that enters the cabin.

Other changes include some new alloy wheel designs and a choice of two fresh exterior paint colours called Forest Lake and Aurora Silver.

The updated Volvo XC60 will be available to order from now. But the model here is luxurious and smart enough for me.

The mixture of petrol and electric gives this car real prowess so I for one won’t miss the diesel option. The ditching of diesel is hardly a surprise but it is a landmark.

Volvo produced its last diesel car at the start of 2024 as it continues to switch its focus to electrified models.

Diesel was historically popular in larger Volvo models like the XC90 and XC60, but has faded as more buyers choose plug-in hybrids instead.

Volvo says it’s ‘all-in on electrification’, and by 2030 plans to only sell fully-electric models. A decade later it hopes to be a climate-neutral company.

The Swedish carmaker hit the headlines recently when it confirmed that it would only be selling SUVs in the UK, with its once-popular estate cars and saloons facing the axe due to slow sales.

Today, you can still get Volvo’s with petrol and plug-in hybrid engines in the case of the XC90, XC60 and XC40, meanwhile electric versions of the XC40 and C40 are offered. This year sees Volvo’s two new EVs, the EX30 and flagship EX90 all becoming established.

Volvo became one of the first ‘legacy’ carmakers to announce its turning its back on the diesel, with other rival premium brands Audi and Mercedes expected to stop producing diesel models for years to come.

Sales of diesel cars have fallen dramatically in recent years, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing that just 7.8 per cent of new cars sold between January and August in the UK were diesel, compared to 16.4 per cent for electric models.

I was wondering who exactly this vehicle might appeal to? The affluent of course and those who want their versatile cars to be sporty. But it also appeals to “lifestyle” types such as caravanners.

The XC60, in T6 Plug-in Hybrid AWD Plus guise as tested here, won the tow car of the year award. It was handed the award after receiving high praise from a panel of industry-leading judges.

It also scooped three further category wins – caravan weight over 1,800kg, Family Towcars and Hybrid Towcars – proving that it’s a top choice for caravanners.

Judges agreed the mid-sized Volvo SUV offered effortless performance, strong towing capability, excellent comfort levels and a roomy interior, along with easy driving characteristics.

The XC60 was one of 33 cars tested by the Club at the world famous Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. The testing comprised several hundred laps of the two-mile high-speed bowl and ‘alpine’ hill route.

Tests included hill starts on a 17 per cent gradient, a 26 per cent downhill brake test, and acceleration tests from a standstill to motorway speeds. Practical tests also took place, including loading boots with caravanning paraphernalia.

All cars were ballasted and were hitched to caravans ballasted to 85 per cent of the cars’ kerbweights, or towing limits if lower, to both create a level playing field and replicate accurate real-world towing conditions.

Volvo XC60 Plus T6: £59,750; 1,969cc four cylinder 253bhp petrol engine and an electric motor; Top speed 112mph and 0 to 60mph in 5.7 seconds; Emissions 24g/km; Three years warranty, 60,000 miles