Volvo V60 Review & Prices

The Volvo V60 is a posh estate car that’s so good it should make you rethink buying an SUV. It looks great and everything looks and feels posh inside, but it’s also hugely practical, making it perfect for family life. The only real downside is that it’s getting on a bit now, so the technology inside feels old-school compared with newer alternatives.

However, therein lies its appeal, because many modern touchscreen-heavy cars are really annoying to use. It’s like choosing to walk around with a Sony CD Walkman rather than just streaming your music through Spotify.

Estates are becoming a rare breed but there’s still decent enough choice to consider alongside the V60, such as the BMW 3 Series Touring, Mercedes C-Class Estate, Audi A5 Avant and Volkswagen Passat. You could also look at the Volkswagen ID7 Tourer if you’re open to an electric car.

Modern Volvos have ditched the boxy aesthetic of old, instead being some of the most stylish cars on the road. The V60 is the perfect example of this, with sharp, almost sporty lines in the front bumper and striking headlights, while the pinched rear and sleek roofline avoid the overly bulky looks you’d normally associate with load-lugging estates.

Inside, the V60 really betrays its age. The dashboard is bulkier and lacks the panache of most alternatives, even those from less posh brands, such as the Skoda Superb Estate. That does give it a feeling of good old-fashioned solidity, though.

The infotainment system, too, looks ancient compared with big-screen alternatives such as the BMW 3 Series Touring and Audi A5 Avant, like holding up a Nokia 3210 beside the latest iPhone.

Its simplicity, and the lack of imposing mega screens, does hold some appeal, while the Google-powered operating system works well. Yet there’s no denying that it feels miles behind the times inside.

However, for family car duties it has all the bases covered. Rear seat space is ample for a bulky child seat and the boot is bigger than an A5 Avant, 3 Series or C-Class, capable of carrying everything you need for a weekend away. It’s roomy for those in the front, too, and superbly comfortable seats mean you can spend hours behind the wheel without getting a numb bum.

Couple that with the fact it’s really quiet and refined at high speed and the V60 is a fantastic option if you do a lot of motorway miles. However, the suspension doesn’t cope with potholes and poor roads around town as well as its laid-back ethos might suggest, and that doesn’t translate to a particularly thrilling drive on a twisty road, either. Light controls mean it’s easy to navigate tight streets and heavy traffic, though.

You have a choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid engines, with the former being better for motorway mile munchers and the latter being better for everyone else. The T8 plug-in hybrid has supercar-baiting acceleration, but it’s totally unnecessary. During three months with the less powerful T6 we averaged 88mpg with regular charging, and nearly managed 1,000 miles from a tank.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a practical alternative to an SUV and want a new car that’s not been afflicted by an overdose of touchscreens, the Volvo V60 is a fantastic choice. It’s spacious, largely comfortable and lovely inside. A Mercedes C-Class Estate will be comfier still around town and a BMW 3 Series Touring more modern inside.

Check out the latest Volvo V60 deals or have a look at our Volvo V60 lease deals for another way of getting one on your driveway. Alternatively, browse used V60s and other used Volvos available through our network of trusted dealers. When it’s time to change, you can even sell your current car through Carwow to take the hassle out of the process.

The Volvo V60 starts at about £45,000 for the mild hybrid petrol engine or nearly £53,000 for the plug-in hybrid. That puts it right into line with the other posh options you might consider, such as the Mercedes C-Class Estate and Audi A5 Avant, though you can get a PHEV BMW 3 Series Touring for less than £50,000. The Volkswagen Passat looks like a bargain by comparison.

You have a choice of two trims in the V60. ‘Plus’ opens the range and gets plenty of useful driver assistance kit as well as all the Google infotainment integration that makes life so easy. Upgrade to ‘Ultra’ for more luxuries, such as a panoramic glass roof and a fantastic Harman Kardon sound system.

High-speed refinement is great on the motorway, but inner city comfort isn’t fantastic

In town

Although you sit quite low to the ground in the V60, you have a clear view out. The pillars are relatively thick but not chunky enough to really obstruct your vision, and the view over your shoulder is pretty good. It makes life easy when pulling out at angled junctions or checking that the road is clear before changing lanes.

Either of the plug-in hybrid engines are your pick if you drive in town a lot. They have a decent all-electric range so you can drive them like an electric car most of the time, assuming you can charge regularly. It’s just a bit of a shame the suspension jiggles you about over bumps more than alternatives, particularly the Mercedes C-Class Estate.

On the motorway

This is where the V60 feels most at home. Volvo is renowned for its comfortable and supportive seats, and the ones in the V60 are brilliant on long journeys. The suspension is supremely comfortable at high speeds, and the V60 is practically undisturbed by high-speed motorway dips and bumps.

With a lane-assist system taking care of steering and adaptive cruise control to keep a safe distance from the car in front, Ultra-spec cars will almost drive themselves on the motorway. You should always pay attention and you have to keep your hands on the wheel, but the active cruise control system is generally bomb-proof with only the occasional moment of hesitation.

On a twisty road

Twisty roads are where the V60 falls short of its German counterparts, as the V60 has been optimised for comfort rather than sporty driving.

It’s still capable on a country lane, feeling secure and grippy on fast bends and tight corners, but the BMW 3 Series Touring is by far and away the one to choose if you value a sporty drive above all else.

The Volvo V60 is practical enough for small families, but there are better alternatives if absolute boot space is what you need

Step into the Volvo’s cabin and you’ll have no problem finding a comfortable driving position. The thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel adjusts for height and reach, and there’s loads of adjustment for the front seat.

Whichever model you pick, both front seats are heated, as is the steering wheel, which makes cold mornings that little bit more comfortable.

Storage is plentiful, with large door bins and a decent glovebox. There’s more space under the driver’s armrest, but it’s not as well set-up for storing your bits and pieces as the Skoda Superb, which has more cubby holes for all the detritus of family life.

Twin cupholders sit between the front seats. They’re big enough to hold a large cup, and there’s a sliding cover to keep things neat and tidy when they’re not in use.

Space in the back seats

There’s plenty of space in the back of the V60. A six-foot-tall passenger can sit behind an equally lanky driver without feeling cramped, and standard-fit heated outer rear seats are a nice luxury. There’s a big hump in the middle of the floor, but otherwise the V60 is reasonably comfortable for three to sit on the rear bench.

The ISOFIX mounting points have flip-up covers and the rear doors open wide, so fitting a bulky child seat is easy - and the leg room means your seat backs might survive the journey unscathed from little shoes.

Boot space

Estate cars are all about carrying lots of luggage, and it’s a job the V60 is pretty good at. There’s slightly more space in the back than you’ll find in an Audi A5 Avant or a BMW 3 Series Touring, although the Skoda Superb Estate and Volkswagen Passat offer even more room at a lower price.

It’s easy to make the most of the Volvo’s 519-litre boot capacity as it's a useful square shape. Tie-down points help secure a load, and with a low floor and no lip, lifting heavy items in and out doesn’t put too much strain on your back. There’s also a handy pop-up panel which allows you to separate out the boot space as needed.

Plug-in hybrid T6 and T8 models lose some luggage space to the battery pack; space falls to 481 litres for those models. That’s still quite a bit more than you get in the equivalent BMW PHEV, and much better than the 360 litres of the Mercedes PHEV, but all of those are sidelined by the mighty Superb Estate and Passat PHEV boots, which have a capacity of 510 litres.

Interior quality is fantastic and the Google infotainment is useful, but the V60 definitely feels dated

Volvo interiors are very stylish places to sit. Well finished, uncluttered and inviting, the V60’s cabin might be getting on a bit now, but it still appeals the moment you get behind the wheel. Most of what you can see or touch is of a very high quality.

Look straight ahead, and you’ll notice the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is clear and easy to read as it doesn’t suffer from information overload like many other modern cars. You can tweak the screen to prioritise different information, too.

In the centre of the dash sits the 9.0-inch infotainment screen. The system still looks good, and it’s reasonably straightforward to use thanks to the integrated Google operating system, which makes it easy to access your maps and use apps like Spotify. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included if you prefer them. There’s no getting away from the fact that it just doesn’t look as modern as newer, bigger alternatives, though.

It’s a shame Volvo hasn’t kept the aircon as separate physical controls – they’re part of the touchscreen too, making temperature adjustments too fiddly while driving.

If you’re torn on whether to upgrade to the Ultra trim, it’s an easy decision if you’re a music fan. The top-spec model gets a Harman Kardon sound system, which is genuinely fantastic.

The Volvo V60 range is quite simple. You can either have a mild hybrid petrol engine, or a choice of two plug-in hybrids. The mild hybrid is cheaper to buy and cheaper to run if you do a lot of motorway miles.

However, the plug-in hybrids should have lower running costs for anyone with low cost EV charging at home or at work. In three months with the T6 we saw 88mpg and 66mpg in the more powerful T8. The hybrids will cost less for company car drivers, too.

Whichever model you go for, private buyers will have to pay the expensive car supplement on top of the regular Vehicle Excise Duty payment in years two to six.

Volvo V60 Euro NCAP score (2018): 5/5

Adult occupant: 96%
Child occupant: 84%
Vulnerable road users: 74%
Safety assist: 76%

It’s been so long since the Volvo V60 went through safety testing that the score is largely meaningless in comparison to the modern test, which has undergone multiple updates since the V60’s 2018 rating. It is at least somewhat reassuring that it scored top marks for the time, though, and Volvo has an excellent reputation for safety.

Volvo finished mid-table in the latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, coming 14th out of 30 brands. It’s some way off the likes of Lexus and Mercedes near the top of the table, but much better than Audi.

Anything that does go wrong should be covered by Volvo’s warranty, which lasts for the basic three years and 60,000 miles. The battery in the plug-in hybrid is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles.

We spent six months living with the Volvo V60, splitting the time evenly between the T6 and T8 plug-in hybrids. This allowed us to test the real-world fuel economy with regular charging, and see how practical it is for family life.

What we liked

The interior is fantastic quality and it’s a really relaxing, welcoming place to sit. Paired with the comfy seats, it was never a chore to undertake a long trip in the V60.

It’s also really spacious. Managing editor Darren Cassey ran the Volvo as his family car, and it was easy to fit his son’s bulky child seat, while the boot was big enough for a small bike and a big one, too.

We did find the T8 plug-in hybrid a bit unnecessary. The performance is fun, but it doesn’t suit the car. The T6 returned much better fuel economy and is powerful enough 99% of the time.

What we didn’t like

Considering it’s such a comfortable thing to do motorway miles in, we were a bit disappointed with the suspension around town. It would crash into potholes rather than soak them up.

It’s also a bit expensive for a car that’s now competing with much newer alternatives. Although we liked the less screen-heavy cabin, you’re paying the same for a V60 as you are for cars that have had huge overhauls in recent years.