I love my Volvo V60, but I’d have to buy a used one – here’s why

This is my Volvo V60, and over the past month or so it’s been proving itself as a brilliant family wagon. It’s spacious, comfortable and it looks fantastic as well, but I’ve got one gripe with what’s under the bonnet.

This car is a plug-in hybrid, and I’ve never really seen the point in PHEVs. In order to make the most of the electric range you really need to have a home charging point, and if you have a charger on your driveway then I think an electric car will suit most people’s needs.

The trouble is, the V60 is only available as a plug-in hybrid if you buy a new one. That’s why I’d browse the used market to find my ideal model.

Why I’d buy a used Volvo V60

A few years ago, you could buy the Volvo V60 with a diesel engine, and I think this is better-suited to this comfy estate car.

It’s a fantastic motorway cruiser, and I spend a lot of time slogging up and down the country for work and to visit family in Cornwall. A V60 with the old 2.0-litre diesel engine will get around 50mpg on a long run, whereas my PHEV gets around 35mpg once the battery has run flat.

I’m lucky enough to have a home charging point, meaning I can make the most of cheap electricity for shorter local journeys, but those gains are quickly undone by the poorer mpg on a longer drive. And if you have to rely on public charging then the diesel will be cheaper to run for those covering a lot of miles.

Company car drivers may be the exception though, because the lower Benefit in Kind rates offered by PHEVs may offset the slightly higher running costs.

The other reason to consider a used car is the purchase price, because there are some proper bargains available through Carwow. I found a top-spec 2019 V60 Inscription with just over 56,000 miles on the clock for a smidge under £22,000. That’s just over a third of what my car cost.

Being an Inscription, this is the most luxurious V60 you can get. In addition to the large, Google-based touchscreen and adaptive cruise control, you also get electric heated leather seats and posh-looking driftwood interior trim.

What’s the Volvo V60 like to live with?

I’ve been living with a Volvo V60 for around a month now, and it’s a great alternative to the usual family SUVs.

There’s loads of interior space, including roomy back seats which easily accommodate my three-year-old and his bulky child seat. The boot is also more than big enough to swallow up all the kit and clobber which goes with parenthood.

That said, news editor Jamie Edkins is running a Skoda Octavia vRS Estate which has 120 litres more boot space, mostly thanks to the storage under the boot floor. My Volvo has a load of electrical gubbins under there which eat into space.

It’s also a hugely comfortable motorway cruiser. There’s minimal wind and road noise in the cabin, and it’s smooth over bumps and undulations on faster-moving roads. The seats are fabulous as well, offering the perfect amount of support.

I also think the V60 is a fantastic-looking car. It has that Swedish style which makes it effortlessly cool, and the interior is lovely as well. It’s really well-made, and I like the Google-based infotainment system.

Are there any drawbacks to the Volvo V60?

I love my Volvo V60, but it’s not perfect. Around town it can feel a bit fidgety over potholes and broken surfaces – a Mercedes C-Class Estate handles bumps a bit better.

It’s also not the most fun wagon to drive on a twisty road. It feels safe and secure, and you have the confidence to get a wriggle on when you want to, but a BMW 3 Series Touring is more engaging.

I’d also like to have some more physical buttons in the cabin. The infotainment system is one of the easier touchscreens to use, but a few knobs for the climate control would still be welcome. A Skoda Superb Estate has a more intuitive interior layout.

Small drawbacks aside, the Volvo V60 is a fantastic family car if you don’t want an SUV, and a second-hand model with a diesel engine would be my choice.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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