Outselling the Volvo XC40 and Volvo XC90, the Volvo XC60 is the company’s most successful model. For model year 2026 it has been given a bit of an update and refresh.
We went down to the Western Cape to get up close and personal with the new car and take it for the briefest of drives.
So, what does this mean to you? Well, there are design updates on the inside and the outside in the form of a new front grill, darker rear lights, and new wheel designs from 18-inch up to 22-inch. Two new colours – Forest Lake and Aurora Silver – make an appearance, while Mulberry Red, previously seen on the EX90 and XC90, is now offered on the Volvo XC60 for the first time.
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Volvo XC60 offers new tech
There is a refreshed cabin with enhanced sound insulation. A 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system on offer and a new 11.2-inch Google-powered infotainment system. This features something called Snapdragon Cockpit Platform that is now 10 times faster before.
There are also new premium materials for greater comfort. It features optimised space and a new Volvo Car UX (user experience interface). Other enhancements include redesigned cup holders, an improved wireless phone charger, and additional storage, all integrated with a spacious and flexible boot.
Nothing has changed under the bonnet. The Volvo XC60 will continue to be offered in mild-hybrid B5 models and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) T8 models.
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Two hybrids powetrains
The B5 derivative, available on the Core and Plus trims, is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a 48-volt battery and an integrated starter generator (ISG), which helps ever so slightly to reduce fuel consumption. The Volvo XC60 B5 derivative offers a combined output of 183kW of power and 350Nm of torque.
It has a claimed 0 to 100km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds. The car is also said to return a fuel consumption number of 7.6 litres per 100km, while channelling the power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Volvo XC60 T8 PHEV features a substantially more powerful 340kW/709Nm setup that sees a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine combined with an electric motor. The 0 to 100 km/h time is now down to a mere 4.8 seconds, while the 19-kWh battery provides a range of up to 81km on pure electric power.
Like B5, the T8 PHEV comes with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Electric range found wanting
The model The Citizen Motoring drove was the XC60 T8 PHEV Plus. What I can add is that the ride is as smooth as you would expect, while the interior oozes quality. The power on tap puts a smile on your face when you stomp the accelerator and drive the car in a very un-Volvo kind of way.
If I must nitpick at something, the only smudge on this shiny Scandinavian offering is that a claimed electric only range of 81km. In a Chinese world where 180km is on offer, this doesn’t get you far before the car starts using that turbocharged petrol engine to drive the wheels. And in my opinion in South Africa, that could be most days, and then the claim of 1.8-litres per 100km is never on the cards.
Charging is also a little behind the times as the Volvo XC60 does not offer high speed DC charging capability, and that only leaves you with much slower home type AC charging. But I guess with a small 19-kWh battery onboard and a 7-kWh wall charger at home, this is all you would need most days.
Cut-throat premium segment
The Volvo XC60 rivals other premium players in the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. But you can’t help thinking that the likes of the all-new, more modern, BMW X3 will get a piece of intended Volvo business, There could also be a few Chinese premium offerings that might also tempt buyers away. It’s a tough business out there.
“The new XC60 delivers clear, practical improvements in design, technology, and comfort, building on what has already made this model a global success,” commented Grant Locke, managing director of Volvo Car South Africa.
“As Volvo’s best-selling model, with over 1.5 million units sold, the XC60 has proven its appeal with customers. These updates refine that proven recipe, ensuring drivers enjoy enhanced performance, smarter technology, and a safer, more comfortable driving experience without compromising the qualities that made the XC60 a benchmark in its segment.”
Volvo XC60 pricing
- XC60 B5 Core – R1 058 400
- XC60 B5 Plus – R1 116 300
- XC60 T8 PHEV Plus – R1 460 800
- XC60 T8 PHEV Ultra – R1 500 700
*Pricing includes five-year/100 000km warranty and five-year/100 000km service plan, plus eight-year/160 000km on hybrid battery for PHEV models.
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