Volvo V60 Review & Prices

The Volvo V60 is a posh Swedish estate car with stylish looks that won’t draw comparisons with boxy Volvos of old.

Take the Volvo V60’s front end for example. Its broad grille, subtle creases and ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights (yep, that’s really what they’re called) make it look just like a baby V90. It looks pretty sharp at the back too, thanks to some huge ‘L’-shaped brake lights and a set of real exhaust pipes – unlike the horrid fake chrome items you get in a Mercedes C-Class Estate and Audi A4 Avant.

There isn’t any fakery inside the Volvo V60’s cabin, either. You get plenty of plush leather, cold-to-the-touch aluminium and even optional driftwood trims which all look like they belong on the walls of a swanky Stockholm cocktail bar.

It’s a similar story with the Volvo V60’s cool vertical touchscreen. This comes as standard across the range and looks and feels just like an iPad, but it’s a bit fiddly to operate when you’re driving – unlike the screens in a BMW 3 Series Touring or Audi A4 Avant.

Thankfully, everything else about the Volvo V60’s cabin is there to help you relax. You get lovely supportive seats in the front with plenty of adjustment as standard and there’s enough space in the back for tall passengers to get comfy, too.

It’s not just good at carrying passengers and as you’d expect from a Volvo, the boot’s pretty spacious too. It’s roomier than the load bays you get in a C-Class Estate and A4 Avant so there’s more than enough room for a baby buggy and some suitcases or – if you fold the back seats down – a bike.

After a hard day’s pedalling, the Volvo V60 is the ideal place to sit back and relax. It’s quiet and comfortable to drive and comes with plenty of active safety and driver assistance systems to help you avoid bumps and scrapes.

If you do lots of long journeys, then you may be disappointed that Volvo no longer offers the V60 with diesel engines. On the other hand, you do have a choice of petrols with mild-hybrid assistance and respectable fuel economy. Volvo calls them the B3, B4 and B5 (‘B’ stands for battery).

Or you’ll use least fuel – provided you can recharge reasonably often – with the T6 plug-in hybrid, although its economy advantage over the regular petrol models won’t be so great on a long trip unless you can give the batteries a boost. It’s quick too, although not as fast as the more powerful T8 plug-in hybrid which is available in the S60 saloon.

There’s also the V60 Cross Country to consider. This four-wheel-drive estate is essentially a V60 on stilts, a halfway-house between a regular estate and an SUV. It’s a compelling choice for the right buyer, although it costs more than the regular V60.

If you’re looking for a fun-to-drive estate car that won’t break the bank then, you might be better off with the BMW 3 Series Touring. But, if it’s a comfortable, stylish and very safe family car you’re after, then the Volvo V60 makes a very fine choice indeed. Take a look at some of the great Volvo V60 deals at carwow. If you're after a reliable used Volvo V60 then the used page is the place to go.

With prices starting from over £40,000, the Volvo is more expensive than some other very practical estate cars like the Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat. But these days Volvo buyers are more likely to be considering an Audi, BMW or Mercedes than more mainstream estates. Compared to the premium German brands, the Volvo is reasonable value. It’s not necessarily cheaper, but Volvo is very generous with standard equipment to compensate.

The range is much simpler than it used to be. The V60 Plus is the more affordable specification, while Ultimate costs a lot more but comes with lots of toys included in the price.

Comfortable for long drives, but not the sportiest estate

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.

Any of the V60’s engines are up to the job of town driving, as even the least powerful has 163hp. You don’t really need to look beyond the entry-level B3 if most of your journeys are on urban roads.

Every V60 comes with an automatic gearbox – there’s no manual available - which makes for easy and relaxed driving in heavy traffic. The T6 is the most relaxing of all, as it will travel on electricity alone for nearly 55 miles, according to the official figures.

Plus models come with a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors, so although the V60 is a long car, squeezing into parking spaces shouldn’t be a problem. The Ultimate model goes one better with a surround-view camera system.

On the motorway

This is where the V60 feels most at home. The Volvo eats up motorway miles in quiet comfort.

Volvo is renowned for its comfortable and supportive seats, and the ones in the V60 are brilliant on long journeys. There’s powered adjustment with a memory function on Plus cars, and the passenger gets the same if you upgrade to Ultimate spec.

The ride is comfortable at high speeds, although we’d stick with the standard 19-inch alloys rather than upgrading to 20-inch wheels if you want to keep things smooth and serene.

For a bit more overtaking punch than the 163hp B3, you might want to go for the 197hp B4. But any of the engines will briskly pull your car, kids, and the family Labradoodle up to 70mph.

With Pilot Assist taking care of steering and Adaptive Cruise Control to keep a safe distance from the car in front, Ultimate spec cars will almost drive themselves on the motorway, although obviously always under the driver’s supervision.

On a twisty road

Ready for some B-road fun? You’re in the wrong car. Perhaps that’s a bit harsh, but the V60 doesn’t entertain the way a BMW 3 Series Touring does. The steering is too slow and lacking in feel, and the suspension has been tuned to put comfort first rather than agility and precision. The automatic ’box can be slow to grab a lower gear when you want to get a move on.

For most of us, though, the V60 is just fine on a twisty back route. It holds the road well and won’t spring any nasty surprises. Go for one of the four-wheel-drive models, and you get plenty of grip in all weathers.

Roomy for people and luggage, but there are even bigger estate cars for less

Step into the Volvo’s cabin and settle down behind the wheel, where you should have no trouble getting comfortable.

The chunky three-spoke steering wheel adjusts for height and reach. With every-which-way electrical adjustment for the driver’s seat, people of all shapes and sizes can find a sound and supportive driving position. That includes back pain sufferers, as adjustable lumbar support is standard on all V60 models.

If you share driving and will often be sat in the front passenger seat, think about the top-spec Ultimate model. This comes with electrical adjustment for the passenger seat as well. You’ll also be glad of the memory function, which means once you have stored your ideal position for the driver’s seat and mirrors it’s just a button-press away.

Whichever model you pick, both front seats are heated, as is the steering wheel.

Head and legroom are generous, even if you choose a V60 Ultimate with a panoramic sunroof.

Storage is plentiful, with large door bins and a decent glovebox. There’s more space under the driver’s armrest.

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. Even in the Ultimate model with its full-length sunroof, headroom is pretty good.

Four-zone climate control is standard on the mild-hybrid petrol models, so rear-seat passengers can set their own temperature. However, this feature isn’t available if you choose the plug-in hybrid.

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.

Boot space

Estate cars are all about carrying lots of luggage, and it’s a job the V60 is very good at. There’s more space in the back than you’ll find in an Audi A4 Avant or a BMW 3 Series Touring, although the likes of the Skoda Superb Estate offer even more room at a lower price.

It’s easy to make the most of the Volvo’s 519-litre capacity, as the boot is a good 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.

Both the Plus and Ultimate models have hands-free opening and closing of the tailgate – if your hands are full of bags, just waggle your foot under the rear bumper.

Minimalist Scandinavian style, but the infotainment is fiddly to use on the move

Volvo interiors are very stylish places to sit. Well finished, uncluttered and inviting, the V60’s cabin appeals the moment you get behind the wheel. Look really closely and you may find the Volvo falls short of the attention to detail you’d find in an Audi or BMW, but it’s not far off. 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 instead of a regular speedometer and rev counter. Volvo calls it the Progressive Driver Display. You can tweak the screen to prioritise different information.

In the centre of the dash sits the 9.0-inch infotainment screen. It’s unusual in being portrait rather than landscape oriented. The system looks great, and it’s reasonably straightforward when you are not moving. The trouble is, when you do drive it’s too difficult to use without becoming distracted. We reckon the iDrive system in a BMW 3 Series Touring is easier to use on the move, because it still uses a physical controller as well as the infotainment screen.

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

On the other hand, the system is now compatible with Apple CarPlay, something that was frustratingly absent from the Google-based system initially. Android Auto isn’t fitted, but much of the functionality of an Android phone is already built into the Google Automotive Services system so it’s not really an issue.

A DAB radio is included, and there are 10 speakers and a 220-watt output as standard. If you like to play your Swedish death metal really loud, Ultimate spec cars upgrade to a Harman Kardon system with 13 speakers and a 600-watt output. Those buzzsaw guitar riffs have never sounded so good…

If you worry about the cost of fuel, or want to keep your emissions right down, the best bet is the T6 plug-in hybrid. It emits just 18g/km in official tests and achieves 353.1mpg.

To get near that figure, you’ll need to recharge regularly – although the V60 T6 will go a lot further on a charge than most plug-in hybrids. Reckon on close to 55 miles, according to the official figures. Plenty of similar cars have an electric range of nearer 30 miles.

The mild-hybrid petrols are nowhere near as economical as the plug-in hybrid, although the difference in efficiency on a long journey won’t be as great as it appears on paper. Both the B3 and the more powerful B4 achieve 44.8mpg on the combined cycle. The B5 Cross Country has four-wheel drive and a bit more poke, so fuel economy worsens to 38.2mpg.

All V60 models cost over £40,000. That means that after the first year on the road, the owner will have to pay what is currently a £355 annual car tax surcharge for the next five years. That adds up to £1775 in total.

Company car drivers looking to keep their benefit-in-kind tax bill down would be wise to choose the T6. Thanks to low emissions and a long all-electric range it will cost business drivers less in tax than any other V60.

Volvo and safety go together like pickle and herring in Swedish cuisine. So it’s no surprise that the V60 earned a five-star rating from the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2018. The Volvo scored 96% for adult occupant protection, 84% for child occupant protection, 74% for pedestrian safety and 76% for its safety assistance systems.

Every car has City Safety, Volvo’s name for its autonomous emergency braking system. The car’s sensors can detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as other cars.

Other safety devices include dual-stage driver and passenger airbags and full-length curtain airbags.

Among the Volvo’s security features are an alarm, an immobiliser, and a private locking luggage compartment.

Volvo tends to finish midfield in reliability and customer satisfaction surveys. It’s some way off the likes of Lexus near the top of the table, but there’s usually nothing major to put buyers off. We’re certainly not hearing of any significant problems with the V60.

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 (for the original owner).