Few models can lay claim to being their brands' bestseller after just two generations on sale. Understanding how the XC60 has done it for Volvo, however, doesn't require the intelligence of a quantum physicist.
It's handsome (especially in second-generation form), delivers minimalist luxury in a manner mastered to perfection by the Swedes, and strikes the right balance between being manageable from the helm and offering occupants generous space with its size.
Now, with a refreshed face, snappier infotainment, and most importantly, an upgraded plug-in hybrid powertrain in the equation, the entire recipe has been made more delectable still.
Let's sort the most pressing questions out first. Yes, the Volvo XC60 is still in its second generation. And no, this isn't the first update that the mid-sized SUV has gotten. Sharper styling aside, an initial mid-life (or was it quarter-life?) refresh saw the standard petrol variant receiving a mild hybrid powertrain, as its parent started taking steps away from pure combustion power.
But before getting into the bits your eyes can immediately pick up on, the latest rodeo brings not-insignificant upgrades to this specific plug-in hybrid T8 variant beneath the surface.
The advancements are centred mostly in the realm of electrification, with the XC60 T8 boasting more performance and electric-only range than before. In combination with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine under its hood, helping to propel the car is a more powerful 143bhp electric motor, which, in turn, also feeds off a larger capacity 18.8kWh battery.
The latter is of particular significance in the XC60 T8's latest chapter. Not only is the new car's WLTP electric-only range of 67km - a faithful figure in the real world by the way - approximately double that of its predecessor; so too has its charging speed increased from a meagre 3.4kW to a more decent 6.4kW now. Hook the SUV up at one of Jewel’s AC outlets over a three-hour dinner, for instance, and you could see that battery fully recharged again, for a remarkably silent and fully emissions-free drive home.
On that note, refinement and ease are perhaps among the XC60 T8's most immediate strengths.
Though not exactly a small car, its low dashboard and elevated driving position provide the driver with a commanding vista of the traffic ahead. In tandem, the large windows and the car's boxy shape provide excellent visibility all around. A standard head-up display even seamlessly integrates navigation directions from Google Maps.
The fact that calmness reigns from behind the wheel is arguably expected from a brand known for its sturdy and vault-like machines. Where the XC60 T8 catches you by pleasant surprise, however, is with its performance: Combined output from its turbocharged engine and electric motor stands at a heady 449bhp and 709Nm of torque. That's more than a base 911 Carrera, mind you. With all-wheel drive too, the XC60 T8 can overcome its 2.1-tonne kerb weight and complete the century sprint in just 4.9 seconds.
Rather than the sonorous song of a flat-six, it is silence first, and then a distant and light rumble from its four-cylinder engine that you hear as you pin your foot to the accelerator and the car dashes ahead.
The experience is slightly confounding, but in the best possible way. Here you are, in a cosseting SUV whose commitment to refinement is relentless - yet the manner in which you've left the rest of the traffic behind is on par with that of a hot hatch. The XC60 T8 doesn't punch forward with intense drama, but instead an unruffled swiftness that inevitably means you’ll have to forgive other road-users for their confusion. Firecrackers are typically not so composed, nor have such a serene outlook.
Given the power figures at play, it helps that the XC60 T8 isn't saddled with an overly-cushy suspension setup. It rides with a well-calibrated balance that toes the line between comfort and sportiness, the latter quality aided no doubt by its lower profile 20-inch wheels. Also praiseworthy are its brakes, which are linear and easy to modulate even with some regen from the electric motor always in the mix.
Plug the XC60 T8 in more regularly and keep its battery healthy, and you'll find yourself easily achieving or even superseding the 76.9km/L official claim, since the electric motor handles most of the propulsion. Still, the car is no gas-guzzler even on days you've gotten too lazy to find a charger; we managed a fully-respectable 12km/L when the battery was fully depleted.
Timeless allure, welcome refresh
Along with an updated plug-in hybrid powertrain perfectly befitting of modern buyer expectations, it also helps that the XC60 has been thrusted more firmly into the present from a visual standpoint.
Its nose now takes the form of a new grille covered with sleek-looking diagonal lines (rather than the rectangular blocks of old), giving it an almost baby-XC90 aura. New wheel options and darker tail lights have also landed to keep it looking fresh, as have two new colours, including the regal Forest Lake seen on this test unit.
It speaks a lot to the timelessness of its original design, however, that Volvo hasn’t seen the need to really change anything else.
The current XC60 first landed on our shores in 2017, and eight years on, it still cuts a quietly handsome and muscular figure with a resolute Volvo-likeness that does not feel dated. Few brands have a Norse god to draw inspiration for a car’s head lights, after all. Amidst competitors who can sometimes veer too much into ostentatiousness or conversely into anonymity, the XC60 shines silently still with its unassuming good looks.
In parallel, Volvo has seen fit to make targeted rather than blanket updates within the cabin, which rightly sharpen the XC60's air of modernity without overhauling a well-oiled formula.
The crowning piece here is a larger 11.2-inch infotainment touchscreen that runs on the latest generation of Google’s Android Automotive OS. This system instantly makes the older one look unfairly dated with its new tiles, snappier touch response and more vibrant graphics doing the heavy lifting.
While we're not really fans of touch-heavy systems, the new unit on the XC60 is arguably one of the best in the business. Functions are sensibly labelled, and menus slide in and out of view seamlessly too, with essentials like the Drive Modes and A/C lodged on the homescreen. The native integration of Google Maps and Spotify also means smartphone mirroring is virtually rendered unnecessary.
Elsewhere, the XC60 continues to shine with its expensive-feeling yet uncluttered interior. Leather snobs will likely delight in the smell and feel of Nappa leather covering the seats. Meanwhile, Volvo's insistence on sticking to its own idea of minimalist luxury means that you don't get dazzling multi-chromatic light shows - but the white-illuminated crystal gear lever and other pockets of white light around are highly-relaxing.
There are other thoughtful touches that speak to Volvo’s attention to detail as well, such as the extra indentation between the two main cupholders that can hug slimmer cups or bottles. Note, too, how the base of the middle seat in the second row is recessed for that extra bit of comfort; three will fit abreast here with good shoulder, leg- and headroom, though there is a central transmission tunnel.
Standard equipment levels are also fantastic. Heads-up display aside, the XC60 T8 gets a crisp 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a massive panoramic sunroof, and even ventilated front seats. The Germans may still have the upper hand in terms of brand cachet, but the Swedish way, with its un-shouty luxury, is just as (if not more) appealing.
More accessible than ever today
Once dismissed as expensive and not-that-sensible halfway houses between combustion and electric power, plug-in hybrids like the XC60 T8 might well be entering their golden age today.
Now that chargers across the island are relatively widespread, Volvo's updated middle child arguably presents a best-of-both-worlds utopia in T8 guise. Sure - drivers are mostly still tuned in to the experience of swinging by a petrol station for a five-minute pump. But the benefits of electric power are also brought to bear more confidently than before: With effortless power, commendable fuel economy, and all-round versatility quietly amplifying a uniquely luxurious package.
Of course, a more palatable price tag always helps. At $345,000 with COE (correct at time of publishing), the XC60 T8 costs just $15,000 more than the less-powerful and lesser-equipped mild hybrid B5 variant. It stacks up competitively against its main German rivals too, which - again - are mostly offered only as mild hybrids.
All of which puts it in good stead today. Bestselling recipes, after all, are hard to come by - it's a good thing Volvo isn't ditching nor deviating greatly from the one it has successfully put together.
Here are a couple of other premium plug-in hybrid SUVs worth your consideration!
