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Ten Second Review

The top Recharge T8 plug-in hybrid version of Volvo's XC60 mid-sized premium SUV combines turbocharging, supercharging and electrification for potentially astonishing efficiency returns, despite this Swedish crossover's huge power output. There's a significant price to pay for this technology and you'll need to tailor your motoring life to suit what this car can offer but if you can deal with these caveats, then this is a potentially very likeable package.

Background

Quite a few brands have only recently jumped aboard the plug-in hybrid bandwagon but Volvo has long planned for it. The company's current petrol and diesel cars are all based around a single 2.0-litre four cylinder engine block unveiled by Volvo's then R&D Chief Peter Mertens way back in 2011.

It was a configuration fundamentally designed around the requirements for plug-in tech and as a result, Volvo was quickly able to launch plug-in electrified versions of all its larger models, including the XC60 mid-sized SUV we feature here. Since then, plug-in variants of rival Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC rival SUVs have also hit the market. Can this XC60 Recharge Plug-in hybrid still appeal in that company? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Under the bonnet of the Recharge Plug-in hybrid AWD XC60 models, you'll find a 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine which is mated to an 87hp electric motor sited on the back axle. The main powerplant comes in three levels of output: 253hp for the base Recharge T6, 303hp for the Recharge T8 and 318hp for the top Recharge T8 'Polestar Engineered' version. In each case, the set-up is aided by a 25bhp starter motor/generator that pitches in from time to time to smooth any gaps in torque delivery between the two main power sources. It's all enough to deliver a set of stats that it's rather hard to get your head around. In the case of the standard T8 variant that most XC60 Plug-in hybrid customers choose, an enormous 407bhp combined power output offsets the extra weight of all these mechanicals, so 62mph from rest can still be dispatched in just 5.3 on the way to 140mph. Yet there's also the potential for the kind of fuel and CO2 readings that theoretically could equal those of a frugal supermini.

Which of those two extremes you reach in an XC60 T8 will depend on your choice between the five driving settings that owners of all XC60 Plug-in hybrid models are offered. Ultimate speed is delivered by a 'Power' mode that sees both petrol and electric units permanently working together. Alternatively, there are four other drive choices: a 'Hybrid' setting that sees the two engines cutting in and out as necessary: an 'AWD' mode that gives you permanent 4x4 traction: plus a 'Pure electric' setting that only uses the battery power and can take you up to 28 miles (more than most people's daily commuting distance) on a single charge. There's even a 'Save' option so that on a longer trip, you can hold that charge until you get to the city driving you might have to do at the end of the journey.

Design and Build

This Recharge Plug-in hybrid model looks pretty much identical to the more conventional petrol and diesel variants lower down the range. The eagle-eyed will spot special badging and an extra charging flap but that's about it. At first glance with this second generation XC60, much seems similar to its larger XC90 showroom stablemate. Move to the side though, and the differences between the two SUVs become more obvious. Though this car is only 9mm narrower than its bigger stablemate, dimensions that see it 261mm shorter and 118mm lower make it clearly a more compact and sportier proposition.

At the wheel, you sit lower than you would in an XC90 and the muscular-looking door creases, extended 'Thor's Hammer' headlights and revised grille give this model a sportier look. There's a longer bonnet than a rival Audi Q5 - and a longer roofline too. As you'd expect, there are plenty of cabin resemblances to the XC90, especially when it comes to the dashboard, seats and upholstery, plus the same 9.0-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital dial displays feature.

In the back, two adults should be very comfortable and there's also a really unique touch - concealed storage compartments under the rear seat bases which are just the right size to store electronic devices, like a tablet, out of sight. Out back, there's a 468-litre boot (down from 483 in the conventional model), extendable to 1,395-litres once you fold the rear bench (down from 1,410-litres).

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