Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in review

“Until there are as many public
charging points as there currently
are petrol stations, plug-in hybrids
will continue to have the edge over
all-electric cars...”

AND WHEN IT COMES to picking the right plug-in for your needs, Volvo makes it easy by offering a wide range to choose from. Sitting perfectly between the Swedish carmaker's XC40 compact SUV and its range-topping and big-is-beautiful XC90 is the practical and versatile XC60.

With usual Volvo honesty the plug-in versions are badged 'Recharge' and recharging one couldn't be easier. Keep this hybrid's battery fully charged and use the electric power most of the time and you could see as much as 113mpg.

While you can drive perfectly normally in the Recharge's all-electric mode, going heavy on the accelerator will trigger the 2.0-litre petrol engine to kick in which will, obviously, gnaw away at that incredible headline figure. However, given that the Recharge only needs to 'shake hands' with a fast-charging wallbox in your garage for approximately two to three hours means there's really no excuse not to plug-in every time you park-up.

“Recharging an XC60
plug-in couldn’t be
easier. Keep this
hybrid’s battery fully
charged and use the
electric power most
of the time and you
could see as much
as 113mpg.
And given that the
Recharge only needs
to ‘shake hands’ with
a fast-charging wallbox
for approximately two
to three hours means
there’s really no excuse
not to plug-in every
time you park-up...”

A fully topped up battery pack holds enough all-electric charge to power your XC60 up to 33 miles. Statistically, that should easily cover the average user's daily commute or driving deeds. While fast-chargers are not expensive (around Ł500 installed), you can also make use of a bog-standard three-pin domestic socket — although this does push the charging time up to an overnight seven hours. For those times when you can't charge the battery pack, you can still expect to see the 34.7mpg we averaged — and driving purposefully — after we'd used up our 33-mile all-electric range.

Looks-wise, the XC60 is a winner. In R-Design spec it's smart and sassy — the standard-fit 19-inch alloy wheels look pretty good, but the optional 21-inchers gracing our press car really do catch the eye. LED headlights with integrated Thor's Hammer-style LED daytime running lights lend its boldly-grilled nose an assertive air that's as bullish as anything from its premium rivals both from Germany and those homegrown here in the UK.

But it's when you swing open the driver's door that the XC60 really seduces you. The cool, unmistakably Scandi cabin exudes Swedish charm and an inviting ambiance that seamlessly blends sportiness with luxury. It's blatantly designed to cosset you like no other — and it does too, from the moment you sink joyfully into any of the sporty and beautifully upholstered seats until the time you climb out at your destination. And you'll feel equally as good whether you've only popped into your local Sainsbugs or motored halfway across the UK.

We've said it before, and it's worth saying again: Volvo's contoured and impeccably upholstered (soft leather with textile mesh inserts on the bolstering) seats really are first-rate and if you could somehow drag them into your study, you would. Three-stage seat heating is standard as too, for the driver, are three degrees of heating for the great-to-grip, three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel. The helm is multifunction and with every function clearly marked, it's a no-brainer to use. Ratcheting up the comfort factor, both front seats are power-adjustable every which way with electrically adjustable lumbar and under-knee support, so the perfect driving position is never more than seconds away.

And once you've found your sweet spot you'll never lose it, thanks to the two-setting memory recall for each front chair. Along with plenty of personal space around each seat there's also very generous headroom: a fist-and-a-half of it. At your other extremity is a spacious footwell — no need to change out of your boots after you've been walking the Labs! — with a comfy rest for the driver's left foot.

Boosting the airy interior mood is a panoramic glass tilt-and slide sunroof, now upgraded with oh-so-easy touch-sensitive controls. The large front section slides all the way back to the anti-whiplash front headrests and if the sun's rays are not your thing, then there's a powered 'blackout' sunblind. Rear passengers also benefit because the fixed rear glass roof panel extends as far back as the rear headrests.

“A new Google-powered
infotainment suite gives
the XC60’s built-in
SatNav the edge over
those of other premium
SUVs thanks to Google
Maps-based navigation.
And being voice-
activated, you can
control just about
everything while keeping
your eyes on the road
and hands on the wheel
— for instance, stuff like
playing media, setting
a navigation route, and
even operating the
heated seats, can all
be managed using
‘Hey Google...’
commands...”

Not always provided, even at the top end of the market, is adequate in-cabin storage. Fortunately, Volvo haven't skimped here either, and there's more than enough cubbies to keep your personal stuff tidily out of sight including a bed for wirelessly charging your smartphone in the wide, sliding-lidded central console (which also houses the twist-action engine Start/Stop knob along with switches for the electric park brake and its auto-hold function), plus big, deep bottle-holding door front bins with room for plenty of other stuff too.

Comms are bang up to date courtesy of some new Android automotive software accessed via Volvo's Sensus 9-inch portrait-format infotainment touchscreen. The 12.3-inch instrument panel is digital too and incorporates active mapping and a crystal-clear road speed readout alongside the posted speed limit so you'll be able to stay on the right side of the law without one of the Big Brother Intelligent Speed Assists that, from July 2022, will be permanently looking over your shoulder and cutting your speed whether you want it to or not. If you hadn't heard, and despite leaving the EU post-Brexit, the UK looks likely to follow suit and obey the new European Commission ruling — petition your MP now before it's too late!

Not only is the tastefully designed cabin of these facelifted versions welcoming in the extreme, but with their premium materials and first-rate built quality they epitomise Volvo's standing as a premium carmaker. Not only that, but as just mentioned, the XC60's cockpit has an ace up its sleeve — actually, it's in the software: a new Google-powered infotainment suite that also gives its built-in SatNav the edge over those of other premium SUVs thanks to the Google Maps-based navigation.

And being voice-activated, you can control just about everything while keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel — for instance, stuff like playing media, setting a navigation route, and even operating the heated seats, can all be managed using "Hey Google…" commands. A Volvo Cars app works via your smartphone, smartwatch or tablet to let you control various car functions remotely, and also acts as an emergency assistant and tracking service. Naturally there's also Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, DAB, radio bluetooth handsfree, and plenty of Type C USB sockets.

Standard R-Design kit stretches to a long list including keyless entry and start, Drive Mode Settings, 2-Zone climate control with 'CleanZone' air quality system and pollen filter, high-tech infotainment and navigation system, wireless smartphone charger, digital instrument panel, heated leather sports seats (front and rear), heated sports steering wheel, 10-speaker 220W HiFi, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, powered tailgate, frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, one-shot up/down power windows, heated and auto-dimming powerfolding door mirrors (on-demand and auto on locking and leaving), and dark tinted glass (rear side windows and cargo area), sports pedals. R-Design version also wear a sportier bodykit with gloss black exterior trim and front grille to go with their 19-inch alloys.

“The torquey Volvo
powertrain can call on
an instantly-available
177lb ft from the electric
motor plus its four-pot
2.0-litre generates a
further 258lb ft.
Acceleration off the line
to the benchmark 62mph
takes a satisfyingly
swift 5.9 seconds.
And, more importantly,
it’s not just quick to
accelerate — there’s
always more than enough
in hand to respond to
your right foot for a
quick, safe overtake or to
join fast-moving
motorway traffic...”

As everybody knows, Volvos are 'as safe as houses'; and these latest versions are even safer, with new features like the Rear Autobrake (automatically brakes for you if you're about to accidentally reverse into another parked vehicle or even a non-forgiving bollard). That's in addition to City Safety with Steering Support that includes pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, and front collision warning with fully automatic emergency braking and steering assistance. Oncoming Lane Mitigation automatically provides steering assistance if you unwittingly drift out of your lane, guiding you back into your lane and out of the path of any oncoming vehicles while Run-off Road Protection automatically tightens the front belts should the car inadvertently leave the road, plus front seat frames have a collapsible section to reduce vertical forces to help prevent spinal injuries.

Other driver 'assists' include Driver Alert Control with Lane Keeping Aid, Stability and Traction Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, Cruise control with speed limiter, and Road Sign Information Display. Headlights are LED with Active High Beam (Automatic switching between dip and main beam) and incorporating daytime running lights, auto lights and wipes, a very comprehensive array of airbags including one for the driver's knee, and not forgetting a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

If you like your passengers to be comfortable and relaxed then a Volvo XC60 really must be on your shortlist. Not only are the sculpted rear seats purrfect, being more or less replicas of the superb front chairs, but they're also heated (full 3-stage), have backrest angles ideal for chilling-out, and respect your personal space — even the drop-down central armrest is almost wide enough to sit on. Unexpected but especially welcome is the fist-plus of headroom and generous leg and foot room.

Convenience features run from bottle-holding door bins, pop-out cupholders, front seatback net pouches, Type C USB fast-charge ports, directional air vents in the B-posts, slim front headrests that allow good forward views supported by large side windows and, of course, that panoramic roof which runs all the way back to the power-folding rear headrests. For those occasions that you might need to accommodate three side-by-side, it's no hardship for any of the trio; in fact, even the piggy-in-the-middle spot is fine with decent headroom.

Another area where the XC60 appeals over its Continental competition is in the ride department. While it handles more than satisfyingly, its 'softer' suspension majors on comfort. The chassis soaks up pretty much anything UK roads can throw at it. Just as important, it's refined too — and, once you are loping down a motorway, the XC60 shows proves to be a mile-eating and laid-back long-distance cruiser.

Volvo's T6 PHEV powertrain serves up a respectable blend of power and economy and your Ł53K buys you a lot of car plus a lot of tech. For the record, non-hybrid petrol and diesel powered XC60 models are still on the menu, priced from Ł42K. Volvo's refined plug-in hybrid system pairs a 250bhp 2.0-litre turboed and supercharged petrol engine and an 86bhp electric motor with an eight-speed autobox: the petrol unit drives the front wheels; the electric motor and battery pack powers the rears. It's a sophisticated set-up and the automatic switching between pure-electric and hybrid modes is all done very fluently.

“Some carmakers have
gone a tad too far down
the handling-trumps-all
road with their SUVs.
Not Volvo — the Swedes
have got the balance
just right. With its well-
fettled chassis and
supportive seats, easy
speed-sensitive steering
and fluent suspension
setup, comfort can be
taken for granted — you
can rely on this Volvo
to deliver you to your
destination feeling
fabulously fresh.
But that’s not to say the
XC60 can’t be hustled,
so if your route takes in
those ‘long and winding
roads’, there’s absolutely
no need for concern...”

It also makes the XC60 Recharge pretty fast: the torquey powertrain can call on an instantly-available (from 1-3,000rpm) 177lb ft from the electric motor plus its four-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol engine generates a further 258lb ft. Acceleration off the line to the benchmark 62mph takes a satisfyingly swift 5.9 seconds. And, more importantly, it's not just quick to accelerate — there's always more than enough in hand to respond to your right foot for a quick, safe overtake or to join fast-moving motorway traffic.

As with all hybrids, the economy you get is completely dependent on how much you make use of its pure electric range. If your journey falls within the 33-mile all-electric range (so long as there's charge in the battery pack) then you'll barely use any unleaded at all. The driver can also manage the battery pack's usage by selecting either Auto, Hold, or Charge (commanding the petrol engine to charge the battery pack). In addition to its Pure driving mode, the XC60 Recharge offers four other drive settings: Hybrid, Constant AWD, Off Road (which also activates the hill descent control for negotiating slippery downhill slopes), and Power.

And talking of power, some carmakers have gone a tad too far down the handling-trumps-all road with their SUVs. Not Volvo — the Swedes have got the balance just right. With its well-fettled chassis and supportive seats, easy speed-sensitive steering (with adjustable steering force) and a fluent suspension setup, comfort can be taken for granted — you can rely on this Volvo to deliver you to your destination feeling fabulously fresh. But that's not to say the XC60 can't be hustled, so if your route takes in those 'long and winding roads', there's absolutely no need for concern.

Press on and the XC60 makes a game partner, and whenever you need to scrub off some speed the brakes are reassuringly effective, with none of the 'grab' you can experience with some other hybrids; so, despite weighing two tonnes, the XC60 Recharge stops with authority. Plus, of course, the all-wheel drive system is always there for you, providing reliable grip, even in the wet. And for full-blown British Winters you can always lock the powertrain in its all-wheel drive mode via the touchscreen before you set out.

While for some a boot is just a boot, at 468 litres (to the glass line; 598 litres to the roof) the XC60 Recharge's square, deep hold is accommodating enough for even extended families. The backrests split 60:40 with the larger section incorporating a sizeable load-through hatch. And the standard-fit powered tailgate (hands-free opening and closing via the dash switch, smart key, or tailgate button) lifts high, works quickly, and makes everything so much easier. There's also some underfloor storage, along with sturdy tie-down eyelets as well as removeable and sturdy dog-guard-cum-load protection net.

Also keeping things simple is the roller blind luggage cover: it can be opened/closed horizontally, or you can choose to run it up the C-pillars to the roofline for better access. And if you forward-fold the rear seatbacks you'll create a seamlessly flat-floored loadbay that will swallow 817 litres (1,395 to the roof). Not all hybrids have what it takes to tow heavy duty loads but the T6 XC60 Recharge is more than happy to haul a braked 2,100kg.

Decidedly impressive economy potential with a commute-capable pure-electric range along with indulgent comfort and luxury, all stylishly wrapped up in a mid-size, hybrid-powered SUV body, gives the latest XC60 an appeal that trumps its equally premium German rivals. ~ MotorBar

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