The Volvo V60 is perhaps the best representation of how far Volvo has come in recent years. Why? Because it’s not an SUV - it’s a wagon. It’s a modern-day counter-argument to the XC40 and XC60 models that have impressed many over the past few years.
But is there a place for a mid-sized Volvo wagon? One that sits low to the ground and isn’t nearly as boxy as those of old?
Read on to find out.
Volvo V60 2020: T5 Inscription
Safety rating
Engine Type
2.0L turbo
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
7.3L/100km
Seating
5 seats
Price from
$42,790
Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
Look at the V60 before you - you can’t tell me it isn’t one of the best looking cars on the road. Well, actually, you can tell me - do it in the comments section below.
The car we had on test was the mid-range T5 Inscription, and the colour is called Birch.
The car we had on test was the mid-range T5 Inscription, and the colour is called Birch. It’s a beautiful colour, and helps the svelte lines of the V60 stand out and blend in, all at the same time.
All models have LED lighting across the range, and Volvo’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ theme Volvo adds a little aggression, too.
The rear lives up to the boxy Volvo wagon look you’d expect, and in fact, it almost looks like the XC60 SUV at the back. I like it, and I like what it offers, too.
All models have LED lighting across the range.
It carries its size well, being identical in most dimensions to the S60sedan. It measures 4761mm long on a 2872mm wheelbase, it’s 1432mm tall (just 1mm taller than the sedan) and 1850mm wide. That makes it 126mm longer (96mm between the wheels), 52mm lower but 15mm narrower than the last model - and it’s built on the brand’s new Scalable Product Architecture - which is the same underpinnings from the range-topping XC90 to the entry-grade XC40.
The V60’s interior design is familiar to Volvos from the past three or four years. Take a look at the interior pictures below.
The Swedish brand’s current interior design language is premium, plush, but not sporty. And that’s totally fine.
The cabin of the V60 is lovely to look at.
The cabin of the V60 is lovely to look at, and the materials used are all sumptuous - from the wood and metallic elements used on the dashboard and centre console to the leather on the steering wheel and seats. There are some lovely elements like the knurled finishes on the engine starter and other controls, too.
The Swedish brand’s current interior design language is premium, plush, but not sporty.
The 9.0-inch tablet-style vertical media display is familiar, and while it may take a week of driving to figure out how the menus work (you have to swipe side-to-side for detailed side menus, and there’s a home button down the bottom, just like a real tablet), I find it mostly very usable. However, I do think the fact you control the ventilation (air con, fan speed, temperature, air direction, seat heating/cooling, steering wheel heating etc) through the screen is a little annoying. However, the de-mister buttons are exactly that - buttons.
The 9.0-inch tablet-style vertical media display is familiar, and I found it mostly very usable.
The volume knob below doubles as a play/pause trigger, and you get steering wheel-mounted controls as well.
Cabin storage is okay, with cup holders between the seats, a covered centre bin, bottle holders in all four doors, and a rear flip-down armrest with cupholders. But there isn’t as much in the way of smarts as, say, a Skoda wagon.
The V60 wagon is clearly a more practical pick than the S60 sedan, with 529 litres of cargo space (the S60 has a still decent 442L boot). The rear seats fold down flat for extra room, and there’s also a clever partition wall you can erect to stop things moving around in the boot. The opening is a good size, easily broad enough to make loading luggage or a pram in easy. The boot can cope with the bulky CarsGuide pram and a large suitcase side by side, with space to spare.
The V60 wagon is very practical with 529 litres of cargo space.
There’s also a clever partition wall you can erect to stop things moving around in the boot.
The opening is a good size, easily broad enough to make loading luggage or a pram in easy.
The boot can cope with the bulky CarsGuide pram and a large suitcase side by side, with space to spare.
Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 9/10
The V60 wagon line-up is attractively priced, with entry level variants undercutting some of the big name competitors.
The starting point is the V60 T5 Momentum, which is priced at $56,990 plus on-road costs (a $2000 premium over the equivalent S60 sedan). The Momentum has 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as DAB+ digital radio, keyless entry, auto dimming rear vision mirror, auto dimming and auto folding wing-mirrors, dual-zone climate control and real leather trim on the seats and steering wheel. It also gets a power tailgate as standard.
T5 Inscription lists at $62,990.
The next model up the range is the T5 Inscription, which lists at $62,990. It adds plenty of additional gear, with 19-inch alloy wheels, directional LED headlights, four-zone climate control, a head-up display, a 360-degree parking camera, auto-parking assist, wood interior highlights, ambient lighting, heated front seats with cushion extensions, and a 230-volt power outlet in the rear console.
The Volvo V60 T5 Inscription gets 19-inch alloy wheels.
Stepping up to the T5 R-Design gets you more grunt (info in the engine section below), and there are two options available - the T5 petrol ($66,990) or the T8 plug-in hybrid ($87,990).
Extra equipment for R-Design variants includes ‘Polestar optimisation’ (a bespoke suspension tune from Volvo’s performance division), 19-inch alloys with a unique look, a sporty exterior and interior design pack with R-Design sports leather seats, paddle-shifters on the steering wheel, and mesh metal interior finishes.
There are some packs available to add more to your V60 if you want it, including the Lifestyle Pack (with panoramic sunroof, tinted rear glass and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo), the Premium Pack (panoramic sunroof, rear tinted glass and a 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins stereo), and the Luxury Pack R-Design (nappa leather trim, blonde head-lining, power adjustable side bolsters, front massage seats, heated rear seat, heated steering wheel).
What are the key stats for the engine and transmission? 8/10
All Volvo V60 models are petrol-powered, but there’s one that adds electricity to the mix. There is no diesel this time around.
Three-quarters of the range are powered by the T5 engine, which is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo motor. However, there are two states of tune offered for the T5.
Three-quarters of the range are powered by the T5 engine, which is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo motor.
The Momentum and Inscription get the lower state of tune - with 187kW of power (at 5500pm) and 350Nm of torque (1800-4800rpm) - and it uses an eight-speed automatic with permanent all-wheel drive (AWD). This powertrain’s claimed 0-100km/h sprint time is 6.5 seconds.
The R-Design model takes a higher tune of T5 engine - with 192kW of power (at 5700rpm) and 400Nm of torque (1800-4800rpm). Still eight-speed auto, still AWD, and a little quicker - 0-100km/h in 6.4sec.
At the top of the range there’s the T8 plug-in hybrid drivetrain, which also uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine (246kW/430Nm) and pairs it to an electric motor with 65kW/240Nm. The combined outputs for this hybrid drivetrain equate to a phenomenal 311kW and 680Nm. Unsurprisingly, the 0-100km/h time for this grade is a startling 4.5sec!
The T5 models - Momentum, Inscription and R-Design - all use a claimed 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres, which on the surface appears a little high for a vehicle in this segment. On test in our V60 Inscription we saw 10.0L/100km - not terrific, but not terrible either.
On test in our V60 Inscription we saw 10.0L/100km - not terrific, but not terrible either.
But there’s a great evener in the T8 R-Design, which uses a claimed 2.0L/100km - now, that’s because it has an electric motor that can allow you to drive without petrol for up to 50 kilometres.
What's it like to drive? 8/10
It’s hard to find much to complain about in the Volvo V60 - if you approach it like a Volvo driver would.
If you’re after a luxurious family conveyance with comfort, this could be it.
If you’re an enthusiast who wants a sports wagon, then maybe it’s not quite the right car for you. But if you’re after a luxurious family conveyance with comfort and plushness on its side, then this could be just the thing for you.
At the time of writing we’ve only managed to get into the V60 Inscription, which is indeed the plushest of the pack. And despite not having tricky air suspension or even adaptive dampers, it manages to offer the luxurious ride you’d expect in most situations, even though its riding on big 19-inch alloy wheels.
It manages to offer the luxurious ride you’d expect in most situations.
I would say that the ride will almost certainly be even better in a Momentum grade version, which has 17s as standard, and for those who spend a lot of time on bad road surfaces or areas where pockmarks or potholes are prevalent, that could be a consideration.
That said, the 19-inch Continental tyres on the V60 Inscription - in combination with the car’s deftly tuned chassis and its handy all-wheel-drive system - means that there’s no issue with traction or body roll in the bends. It hangs on very well indeed.
Its steering doesn’t offer the level of enjoyment that some others in the segment do (like the BMW 3 Series), but it is easy to steer around town and at speed, with a light, accurate action and predictable response.
Although the Inscription variant doesn’t get the zestier T5 engine tune, the engine response is measured and still eager enough for everyday duties, without being overly urgent. If you plant your right foot it’ll apparently get you from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds, though the seat of the pants feel wasn’t quite that spectacular. The transmission is smart, shifting smoothly and cleverly and never really setting a foot wrong in terms of gear selection.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Basic Warranty
5 years / unlimited km
warranty
ANCAP Safety Rating
What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating? 9/10
Volvo’s V60 scored the maximum five star Euro NCAP crash test rating when tested in 2018. They haven’t been put through the ANCAP ringer yet, but a maximum five-star score is as good as a given, based on the equipment fitted to the entire model range.
360-degree surround view is standard on all but Momentum grades.
There are six airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain), plus there are dual ISOFIX child seat anchor points and three top-tether restraints, too.
What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered? 7/10
Servicing is due every 12 months or 15,000km, and Volvo offers two different levels of pre-purchase servicing for customers to choose: SmartCare, which offers the basic maintenance cover, and SmartCare Plus, which includes consumables like brake pads/discs, wiper blades/inserts and wheel alignments.
And customers get the choice of a three-year/45,000km plan, a four-year/60,000km plan, or a five-year/75,000km plan.
Verdict
The new-generation Volvo V60 is a luxurious family wagon for those who don’t want an SUV. It’s a conscientious objector’s car, for someone who wants to think outside the box - while also, in a weird way, thinking inside the box, too.
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
