Volvo XC60 T8 Plug-in Hybrid AWD Ultra (2025 - )

The XC60 is the most successful car Volvo has ever made to date, selling more than 2.7 million units globally since its launch back in 2008. The second-generation car was introduced in 2017 and that underwent a revamp in 2021. But now the vehicle has been given another makeover with new design cues, an enhanced infotainment system and some interior upgrades.
Customers can choose from one petrol version called B5, along with two plug-in hybrid models named the T6 and T8 – all of which feature a 2.0-litre petrol engine, but delivering differing power outputs.
Additionally, the XC60, which is only sold with all-wheel drive, is offered in trims called Core, Plus, Plus Pro and Ultra with prices starting from £49,810.
We opted for the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid AWD in range-topping Ultra grade for our test drive that covered in excess of 400 miles.
 

Our plug-in hybrid XC60 was powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine working in tandem with electric motors and a 14.7kWh battery that can deliver 50 miles of EV-only driving range. With a total output of 455hp and 709Nm of torque, the family SUV is exceptionally quick out the starting gates with a 0-62mph time of just 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 112mph.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is smooth with ample power on tap to help make light work of overtaking slower moving vehicles. It’s balanced, grounded and confident when faced with twisting country lanes and any body movement is kept well in check even if tighter bends are attacked enthusiastically.

The steering is nicely weighted with ample driver feedback and can be set to soft or firm settings via the touchscreen menu. Additionally, there are drive modes that alter the characteristics and efficiency of the car. These are called Hybrid which uses both the battery and petrol engine to maximise efficiency; Power which delivers the greatest performance; Pure which offers EV-only driving if there is enough charge, along with AWD and Off-Road for tackling more challenging terrain and weather conditions.

The XC60 is agile in busier town centres and comfort levels also impress. The seats are powered, can be heated or cooled and even offer a massage function which is a treat on longer journeys. Additionally, the slightly elevated driving position results in excellent all-round visibility, which is a ‘must’ on any car that’s likely to feature on the school run with cars, cyclists and pedestrians darting out from all angles. Another plus point is the B setting on the gear lever which increases the strength of the regenerative braking, making stop-and-go city driving more enjoyable and capturing energy in the process too.

The Volvo XC60 is probably one of the most instantly recognisable cars on our roads today with the Thor’s Hammer front headlights and signature vertical tail lamps. The latest model features a larger grille with diagonal mesh pattern that houses the Volvo badging and there are also new-look air vents. 
Viewed from the side, the upright XC60 has flowing lines, rear privacy glass, black pillars and mirrors, plus 21-inch alloy wheels. Our test car was finished in a Mulberry Red shade, which is another new feature on the latest model.
From the rear you get those upright lights, along with a wide tailgate featuring the VOLVO name in chrome lettering as well as the model and powertrain.
Moving inside, the interior is typically Volvo so expect a calming cabin environment with no over-the-top flashy lights or gimmicks. It’s simplistic in its design and layout, but there is plenty of tech to explore along the way.
The new portrait touchscreen infotainment set-up has grown to 11.2-inch and reacts at double the speed of the outgoing model’s system, with 10 times faster graphics generation too.  
On-board tech is comprehensive with a 14-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, Bluetooth, a reversing camera, along with Google Services featuring Google Maps navigation and the excellent Google AI Assistant. Everything works really well and, while there are fewer physical controls than we would ideally like, the quick access icons at the bottom of the screen can be customised to favourite functions.
All the vital data is displayed on a 12.3-inch driver display and our car also featured a head-up display for added convenience.
 

The Volvo XC60 is a mid-sized family SUV that stretches 4,708mm in length, is 2,117mm wide (including mirrors), 1,656mm tall and has a 2,865mm wheelbase. These dimensions make it ideal for family adventures with ample room inside the cabin and a generously-sized boot too.
A couple of tall adults can sit comfortably up front and two more will sit behind them without any fuss. Add a third and it all gets a bit cosy, but a trio of children or young teens would be fine. The outer rear seats can be heated and light floods in through the panoramic sunroof.

The boot is accessed via a powered, wide-opening tailgate and it can swallow 483 litres of kit, increasing to 965 litres up to the window line. If you need more space and want to fill the car to the roof, the limits increase to 613 and 1,543 litres respectively.
Throughout the cabin, there are numerous extra storage options, including a deep central cubby, a glovebox, door bins with water bottle sections, a wireless charging pad, front and rear cup holders, seat back nets and USB-C ports to keep devices connected on the move.
With its tried and tested all-wheel drive system, the XC60 PHEV can tow a trailer or caravan weighing up to 2.25 tonnes, and the 14.7kWh useable battery can be boosted from zero to 100 per cent via a 6.4kW charger in three hours. 
 

The 2026 Volvo XC60 line-up starts from £49,810 for the petrol B5 version. If you’re looking to go down the plug-in hybrid route, the T6 costs from £56,760 – these are for the entry-level Core specification. You have to move up to Ultra to get the more powerful T8 PHEV version and that starts from £70,860. This was the car that we tested, although the new Mulberry Red paintwork shade added a further £795 to the final price-tag.
Officially, the WLTP-tested fuel efficiency figure is set at between 201.5 and 282.1mpg but, like all plug-in hybrid efficiency figures, it’s nigh on impossible to match. If the EV-only range of 50 miles is used to the max and the car’s battery regularly topped up, the day-to-day running costs can be kept quite low, especially as the average daily commute is less than 20 miles. But we were seeing high 40s after a week behind the wheel covering a mix of roads and varying traffic conditions.
The carbon emissions figure of 23g/km is good news financially, especially to business drivers who are rewarded generously for choosing to run a plug-in hybrid. That’s because it has a Benefit in Kind tax rating of just nine per cent, increasing to 10 per cent from April this year. The first-year road tax charge will be £110 but this will rise to the standard fee of £195 after 12 months and there will be an extra £425 to find from years two to six as the XC60 PHEV costs in excess of the government’s Expensive Car Supplement threshold of £40,000.
However, Volvo does have an enviable reputation for reliability and the XC60 comes with a comprehensive three-year, 60,000-mile warranty package that is increased to eight years or 100,000 miles for the battery.

It’s a fact that some of the Volvo XC60 PHEV’s closes rivals do deliver a more engaging and exhilarating performance, but this car excels when it comes to comfort and refinement. And it’s not exactly slow on pace with that 4.9-sceond 0-62mph sprint time. 

It’s a car that seems to calmly take everything in its stride and as one would expect from Volvo, the vehicle is packed to bursting with safety features and driver assistance aids.

It’s easy to see why this model is the most popular car Volvo has ever produced and I’m sure its loyal fanbase will be waiting eagerly to see what its recently-unveiled sibling, the all-electric EX60, has to offer too.