Volvo V60 (2018 – 2023) Review

The Volvo V60 is the most recent in a long line of Volvo estates, but modern Volvos are designed to take on premium rivals like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate. As is the way with modern Volvos, it blends traditional values of practicality and safety but adds in a distinctive sense of style and quality, as well as plenty of latest generation technology. The range also reflects Volvo’s commitment to electrifying its powertrains, with just one diesel option alongside petrol and hybrid options. Composed, understated, comfortable and practical, the V60 is a very appealing medium estate.

The Volvo V60 doesn't shout about its abilities. In many ways, it's just a Volvo V90 that's shrunk in the wash, as a left-field alternative to an Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series. It has the same sense of Scandinavian style - inside and out - as the V90, and it's loaded with technology, including all the safety kit you'd expect in a modern Volvo. 

There are a number of different variants to reflect your personality, from the sporty R-Design to the gentrified Cross Country. The former is trying a little too hard to be an Audi, while the latter is very good - if expensive. Most buyers will find one of the regular Momentum or Inscription models offer the best compromise.

The interior is lovely - a superb contrast of twee materials (you can spec wood if you like) and up-to-date technology. There's a large portrait screen in the centre of the dash on all models. This offers access to the superb infotainment system, with a clear navigation screen which works well on the portrait screen (showing the road ahead rather than fields to your side).

Volvo seats are known for their comfort and you can easily spend long periods of time in the V60 without complaining of any aches or pains. There's a useful amount of space inside, thanks to longer dimensions than rivals - meaning six-footers can squeeze into the rear seats relatively comfortably.

At 529 litres, the boot's one of the biggest in its class, while dropping the rear seats increases this to 1441 litres. Every V60 features an electric rear tailgate, while a wide opening with no lip helps when loading bulky items.

Unlike many of its rivals, the V60 has an engine range with just a single diesel option, alongside three petrol options and two hybrid models, and although it’s not really a sporty car (unless you go for the expensive Polestar model) you can choose from a number of versions with strong performance.

It's not really a car that likes to be hustled along like the BMW 3 Series - the steering's quite light and it's at its best being driven in a relaxed manner.

What makes the Volvo V60 really stand out is its safety kit. Volvo says that no one should be killed or seriously injured in one of its new cars from 2020, and the V60's standard safety equipment reflects that. This includes Volvo's Pilot Assist autonomous driving technology, which can provide steering inputs at speeds up to around 80mph, as well as accelerate or brake.

The semi-autonomous City Safety system is also available, with radar and cameras allowing the V60 to avoid low-speed collisions by automatically applying the brakes. Volvo tells us it's the only system on the market that's capable of recognising pedestrians, cyclists and animals. 

Volvo is going for the Audi and BMW market with its V60 R-Design, which drops ride height by 12mm thanks to its sports suspension.

At higher speeds, this works well, providing a dynamic drive as alluded to by its sporty looks. Around town, however, it's unnecessarily firm, finding every bump in the road and passing them into the cabin, and this just doesn’t fit in with the V60’s vibe.

On smaller wheels with its standard suspension, the V60 isn't as dynamic as an Audi or BMW but it's more absorbent and ideal for stress-free travel. For the ultimate in all-terrain comfort, the V60 Cross Country provides a very compliant ride as well as off-road capability.

The basic 163PS petrol is no poor relation; with 265Nm of torque it’s quick enough but if you can stretch to the next version up, the 197PS version should be just as frugal, has better pulling power and works better with the standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 250PS 300PS versions essentially turn the V60 into a hot estate car - great if the budget can stretch to it, but expect to be filling them with fuel more often than you’d like.

The single diesel engine is a strong choice; with 190PS and 400Nm of torque it’s well set for moving heavy loads or regular towing. It’s also quite refined so is a good choice if you plan on doing lots of long journeys.

The two hybrid V60s are intriguing but won’t suit everyone. They are both fast cars with the Polestar being the quickest V60 you can buy, but in the right conditions they are also capable of impressive fuel consumption as long as they are driven with some restraint.

Euro NCAP tested the V60 in 2018 and awarded it the full five star rating. It scored 96 per cent for adult protection, 84 per cent awarded for child protection, pedestrian mitigation was rated at 74 per cent and safety assist 76 per cent.

As you might expect, the V60 is also fitted with a comprehensive range of driver assistance systems as standard, with all models getting ESC, automatic emergency braking including city, interurban, pedestrian and cyclist detection, as well as speed assistance and lane assist. An optional Drive Assist pack adds adaptive cruise control, blind spot information system, cross traffic alert and rear collision mitigation for the highest level of safety equipment.

The towing ability of the V60 is pretty strong, and unlike many estate cars, it’s pretty consistent across the engine options too. All versions can tow up to 750 unbraked, the 163PS, 197PS and 250PS petrols can 1800kg braked, while the 300PS petrol, diesel and both the hybrids can cope with 2000kg braked.

The V60 is the smallest estate car in the firm's line-up, but its 529-litre boot space is still the biggest in its class. Access is easy, too, thanks to a wide-opening boot with an electric tailgate (standard across the range) and no irritating lip to lift things over.

The V60 is longer than rivals, so as well as having a bigger boot there's also more space for front and rear passengers. Head and legroom is generous in the back, with enough room for two tall adults in the rear. There are also Isofix points fitted to the outer rear seats, making it easier to fit child seats.

Just how opulent the V60 feels depends on which trim level you opt for. The Inscription models are the most luxurious, with leather seats as standard and optional wood inlays should you wish.

It's true that it's not quite as luxurious as the bigger V90, but the V60 can be made to be pretty special. With its sports seats, metal inlays and sports pedals, the R-Design takes a more German approach to the entire design which will appeal to those used to alternatives from BMW and Audi. It’s less obviously flashy and luxurious than its rivals, but it still has the feel-good factor you expect from a premium offering.

A nine-inch portrait touchscreen display is located in the centre of the dash, providing access to all the infotainment features you may require. It's easy and intuitive to operate as well as being fast to react.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a worthwhile £300 option if you want to access your phone's media library, although they don't integrate with the portrait screen as well as the landscape systems used in other cars.

There's a 12.3-inch driver's information display replacing the dials on all models - a bonus as, while systems like these are becoming widespread, they'll often cost you extra. They're clear to use and help with directions when approaching junctions.

The cheapest V60 you can buy is the B3 163PS petrol in Momentum spec which comes in at £34,285 - that compares to £35,685 for a BMW 318i SE Touring and £33,825 for an Audi A4 Avant Sport 35 TFSI, so you could almost throw a blanket over the three of them.

It also gets pricey pretty quickly too. The spiciest petrol in the same trim level is another £3500, while the least-expensive hybrid version is in R-Design trim at £45,105.

Model for model, R-Design trim costs around £2,400 on top of Momentum, while Inscription models are approximately £3,300 above Momentum, while the Polestar is in a whole segment of its own with a list price over £50,000.

As for used examples, it’s still relatively fresh to the market but there are used examples out there as well as the potential for good discounts on newer and pre-registered examples.

We found a 2019 D3 diesel in Inscription specification with less than 20 miles on the clock for less than £25,000, or a 2020 T4 in Momentum Plus specification with under 500 miles covered for £26,000. As for older examples, the earliest 2018 V60s are still pretty young.

We found a 2018 D3 diesel in Momentum trim with under 10,000 miles on the clock for £20,000. If you have your heart set on a low price, it pays to be patient and keep an eye out for the first cars reaching their third birthday, which will often mean a trade-in and a price tumble.

Unusually, the three output versions of the 2.0-litre petrol all have the same official maximum fuel consumption figure of 40.9mpg, but the real world consumption will depend on how you use it, so if you plan to load it up frequently then one of the more powerful versions will deliver better economy more of the time.

The diesel is more economical than all the petrols of course, with a claimed figure of 51.3mpg - expect to achieve mid to high 40s without too much effort.

As for the hybrid versions, the claimed maximum for the 340PS model is 156.7mpg and 117.5mpg for the Polestar - you’ll never hit those figures of course, but the more urban electric driving you do, the better.

The insurance groupings for the V60 reflect the fact that the sticker prices start quite high and get higher, and there are some spunky engines too.

The basic 163PS model in Momentum trim is in group 26, the 197PS jumps up to group 32 and the 250PS version is in group 34, so expect quite a difference in premium between the most and least powerful. The diesel is the lowest of them all at group 25, while the hybrids are in the highest groups, with group 42 for the 340PS and group 43 for the Polestar.

Few rivals have quite the same unusual engine mix as the V60, so it’s worth considering what you need your car to be good at.

With the petrol options the 163PS, 197PS and 250PS all have the same claimed fuel consumption figure, but the price goes up the more powerful it is, so the 197PS version offers a good balance of sensible purchase and running costs with good performance.

The D4 diesel is a good choice if you want increased range and better fuel consumption too. The hybrid models are impressive but expensive with it, so consider them a luxury choice rather than a rational one.

As for trim levels, there’s no shame in sticking with the entry-level Momentum model which has plenty of kit as standard, while the R-Design model also represents good value.