Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid

I am in the habit of changing cars every 8 months to a year, and it has been a bad habit of mine since I owned my first car some 16 years ago. But the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge has broken this bad habit of mine, as I struggle to find another car to switch to after this as a daily driver.

450BHP and 700NM of torque, in a car that sits comfortably a family of 5 in supreme comfort. Performance for all the family. Best part is you pay the road tax of a 2.0L car for a 4.0L performance.

Without a home charger, I survive on public charging infrastructure at malls and offices and dont drive on pure electric all the time. With the real world combined consumption figure of about 6.9L/100km, That is in the vicinity of the consumption of a Toyota Corolla. Its mind boggling this performance with this consumption.

Without needing to mention the benchmark Volvo safety standards, this car is such a capable cruiser to take the family on long road trips to Malaysia, giving you a real world range of over 800km on a full tank driving on hybrid mode. While in Singapore you can potter around your neighbourhood or town on pure electric mode with 60km of range on a single charge. Best of all because the battery is only about 15kwh usable, each charge is always like a few dollars and its so palatable on the wallet.

It is certainly hard to complain being stuck with one of the most well rounded family cars you can have on the road today. It is also the best transition car for anybody inkling to get into electric cars to let you sample some flavor of that electric lifestyle, without any range anxiety you still have an ICE driverain for backup. Best of both worlds!

The XC60 has been out in the market for quite a while now but this improved T8 variant continues to impress. The test drive has left me impressed with how capable and usable the hybrid drivetrain is. The icing on the cake is that this is not an anemic hybrid system which is fully biased towards fuel economy. The full 455hp and 709 Nm, sub 5 secs 0-100 km/h time definitely stands out in its class of mid-size SUVs, equipped with a full suite of active safety features, panoramic sunroof (a rarity as a standard equipment in this segment) and Harman Kardon speakers.

With the latest Porsche 911 GTS, Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, and C63 adopting hybrid technology to boost performance through electric power, the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge is a pioneer in this tech, delivering impressive power that's truly extraordinary. I recently bought the 2024 XC60 T8 Recharge and have been driving it for the past five months. After extensive research, this model stands out as the best-value hybrid on the market. It combines a 306hp internal combustion engine with a 143hp rear electric motor, yielding a remarkable 449hp and 709Nm of torque.

One of the standout benefits is the annual road tax of just $1,176â€"a fraction of the cost you will pay for a comparable all-electric vehicle, where road tax typically exceeds $3,500. The XC60 T8 Recharge also offers an all-electric range of 65km, eliminating range anxiety with the backup of a 306hp internal combustion engine. Whether you want the thrill of a supercar at the push of a button or a smooth, purely electric drive, this hybrid offers versatility unmatched by other vehicles.

Charging on the go, especially on highways, enhances the convenience, while the ride quality is refined, striking a balance between comfort and sporty handling. With powerful, well-modulated brakes and a suite of standard premium features, it's difficult to find a better all-around performer. The package includes a five-year warranty with servicing, eight years of battery coverage, complimentary data in Malaysia, and Volvo's factory-installed front and rear cameras. This XC60 T8 Recharge is truly the best of both worlds.