Overview & Reviews

Crossover SUVs, thanks to their combination of utility and carlike handling, have become the mainstream choice for many drivers. The Volvo XC60 is the Swedish manufacturer's latest entry. Seating five, the XC60 competes in the growing small luxury crossover segment.

Since it's a Volvo, you might assume that the XC60 has safety going for it, and you'd be right. There's even a trick City Safety system that automatically brakes the vehicle to prevent or mitigate low-speed collisions. But the XC60 is also a stylish and functional vehicle, and it handles unusually well for a crossover, let alone one with a Volvo badge on the front. It belongs on your short list if you're shopping for a vehicle of this sort.

Current Volvo XC60
The Volvo XC60 is a premium crossover SUV that's available in three trim levels: 3.2, T6 and T6 R-Design.

The 3.2 has a 3.2-liter inline-6 that generates 240 horsepower, while the T6 has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 engine rated at 300 hp. The R-Design bumps output to 325 hp. Front-wheel drive is standard on the 3.2, with all-wheel drive optional. The T6s come with all-wheel drive. All XC60s feature a six-speed automatic with manual shift control. The XC60 T6 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about 7 seconds flat, which is pretty quick for this segment.

Standard features on the 3.2 include alloy wheels, a power driver seat, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and iPod control. The T6 adds the turbocharged engine, leather upholstery and a power passenger seat. The T6 R-Design adds 20-inch wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, sport-tuned suspension and steering, a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass and special styling elements inside and out. Option highlights include heated front and rear seats, a power liftgate, parking sensors, keyless ignition/entry a navigation system, a back-up camera and Volvo's integrated child booster seats.

Safety features are plentiful and include stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and whiplash-reducing front seats. The standard City Safety feature allows the XC60 to automatically apply its brakes below certain speeds to prevent or lessen damage from collisions. A Collision Avoidance package is optional and adds a lane-departure warning system, a blind-spot warning system, adaptive cruise control and other driver aids.

In reviews, our editors have praised the XC60's stylish cabin with its avant-garde "floating" center stack, available real oak trim (metallic trim is standard) and high materials quality. The roomy and comfortably elevated rear seat has a convenient 40/20/40-split configuration. With all sections folded down, there are 67 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity. Parents should love the optional integrated rear booster seats.

On the road, the Volvo XC60 delivers performance that's easily on par with its European rivals. The base 3.2 engine is just adequate, but the energetic turbocharged straight-6 provides plenty of power with no perceptible lag and is the gem of the two. The handling is hampered somewhat by numb steering, but most will find the XC60 provides a strong sense of vehicle control.

Used Volvo XC60 Models
The Volvo XC60 debuted for the 2010 model year. Initially, there were just the 3.2 and T6 trim levels, the former having 235 hp and the latter with 281 hp. The following year brought increased output for both engines (to 240 and 300 hp, respectively) as well as the debut of the sporty "R-Design" variants of each, for a total of four trim levels. The 3.2 R-Design lasted just one year, however. The T6 R-Design's power output also went up to 325 hp for 2012.

User Reviews:

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  A Premium Crossover that wont break the bank - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By Blaupunkt - January 23 - 2:10 am

  THE GOOD: Competitive pricing, ample cargo space, reliability no issues, nice design, fast shifting 8-Speed Aisin automatic transmission, fit and finish, real leather seats, adaptive display easy to read speed and tachometer, relative quietness, panoramic sunroof, low maintenance cost, regular (87 Octane) fuel, satisfactory handling, little to no turbo lag, quick throttle response in sport mode. THE BAD: Fuel economy not on par with EPA (c/h/m 22/29/24 vs reality 20/24.5/21.3), no ventilated seats available, no sync button for dual zone climate control, short-life wipers, cumbersome and un-intuitive infotainment system, intrusive start/stop system, torque steer and frequent tire spinning with FWD (AWD offers much better handling especially at full throttle from standstill), two stage door opening when locked, some door panel and city safety device rattle. THE UGLY: Raspy and unrefined 4 cylinder engine (especially at higher RPMs where the engine sounds like a turbo-diesel), engine clatter at idle, ordinary ride quality not on par with a premium crossover, clunky transmission, odd lurches from a standstill and sometimes at parking lot speeds. THE VEREDICT: A good value proposition, well planned with the need of some fine tunning in a competitive market segment. Albeit, if you are looking for more refined vehicle manners in terms of engine note (6 cyl Acura RDX) and ride quality (Lexus NX, Mercedes GLC) or engaging driving experience (Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, Audi Q5) you will probably have to disburse thousands of dollars extra.

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  Its all good (but the rear view mirror) - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Volvo loyalist - December 27 - 4:03 am

  I purchased the XC60 to replace a 2002 Volvo S60. It took me no time to get used to a crossover. I get a lot of compliments on its unique looks and the build quality seems very high end . The attention to detail is excellent - e.g. double stitched leather. Overall I am very happy with the XC60.

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  Updated Review - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By david - December 25 - 8:02 pm

  Have a little over 11k miles now. bought bridgestone Blizzak tires just for winter and glad. Had huge snow and I used Volvo to make tracks night before I had to go to work as it snowed all night an kept it up all day. LOL no trouble car went right through and I was only one to make it to work period. Had to stay and worked day shift eve shift and mid shift, well that paid for my tires lol. Man those are good tires and not real noisy and on a trip they would go around corners fast and great, surprised me. If gas gets low car comes up with like 10 of the close gas stations in relation to my car, Nice. Not one issue of any kind so far. I like it a lot and AWD works fantastic and if want I can shift down with the shuttle shift and put in like second gear for bad areas of snow in my 200 plus yard driveway thats in woods and goes down hill over stream and back up hill it did fantastic with not one time did I hear a tire spin. So Im impressed i guess Switzerland knows a bit about snow. Saw a video where they race in it and in woodland setting, lol. They use a narrow type tire, I guess it gets down deeper in the snow for better traction. I have free oil change every 10k miles but I will get it done every 5k miles. Just me but I want it to get at least 350000 miles on it. I peeked in when the Volvo dealer was doing oil and man was spraying the unused oil funnel with some kind of clear looking stuff. Its so clean in there also. Never seen that before. I think he was cleaning the funnel? Well no issues at all here with my XC-60 AWD VOLVO MAJIC BLUE 5 CYL GAS.

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  Great Car... Horrible support from Volvo - 2015 Volvo XC60
  By doktor - December 8 - 11:52 am

  I purchase a 2015.5 XC-60 4 cylinder turbo charged vehicle in February. The vehicle is great... Unfortunately, Volvo support is awful. The XC-60 comes with a print manual of about 200 pages and there is an on-line manual of 400 pages. Sadly, the manuals are either wrong or incomplete for many of the features. No mention of multiple dashboards, no mention of setting mpg vs instant mpg, low pressure tire indicator directions are wrong, no mention of how to collapse the back seat.... I could go on. The arrogance: I called Volvo and the young woman told me Volvo never changes their manuals once they are printed. I asked:"even on line". No never, more than $40K: this is customer service?

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  Maintenance can be expensive - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By jbatl56 - November 29 - 6:16 am

  My 2010 XC60 has been a good vehicle since I bought it used 2 yrs ago. It is very comfortable and with the T6 its quick off the line. But now at 73,000 miles Im beginning to wonder if its not the beginning of the end. Brake vacuum pump needs replacing ($700), sunroof leaks during a hard rain ($500), tires cup regardless of brand apparently, leather is wearing worse than my moms 1989 Cadillac, the lift gate pistons needed replacement (caught under warranty), brakes wear quickly ($400) and I need a new motor mount ($500). I think thats a bit much for a Volvo with what many consider low mileage. But then again, its really not Swedish anymore, is it?

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  Well worth the money &everything is well designed! - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By Scott - November 14 - 10:48 am

  I shopped around for months. First of all, dont be afraid to internet shop outside of your geographic area. I bought mine 300+ miles away and got an extraordinary deal on exactly the car I wanted. Otherwise, I am very pleased with the car--everything is well thought out, intuitive, and the car is a true pleasure. I opted for the platinum/BLIS/heated seats etc. pkgs. and all of the added safety features are amazing. The workmanship, build quality and thoughtfulness of design shows here. Frankly, I havent had anything to criticize or second guess. I would suggest that u drive several models to find the right engine, AWD v. FWD etc before choosing. The combo I chose emphasizes a more cushy ride which is what I was seeking. Remember, that you have the option of getting 19 or 20 inch tires. I stuck with the 18s and no complaints although some may find this model not "sporty" enough. I did rent an AWD while in Canada for a week, and found that model to be faster and sportier. The choice is yours! Also, I chose the base engine and it is more than adequate and zippy.

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  Well worth the money &everything is well designed! - 2016 Volvo XC60
  By Scott - October 19 - 8:06 am

  I shopped around for months. First of all, dont be afraid to internet shop outside of your geographic area. I bought mine 300+ miles away and got an extraordinary deal on exactly the car I wanted. Otherwise, I am very pleased with the car--everything is well thought out, intuitive, and the car is a true pleasure. I opted for the platinum/BLIS/heated seats etc. pkgs. and all of the added safety features are amazing. The workmanship, build quality and thoughtfulness of design shows here. Frankly, I havent had anything to criticize or second guess. I would suggest that u drive several models to find the right engine, AWD v. FWD etc before choosing. The combo I chose emphasizes a more cushy ride which is what I was seeking. Remember, that you have the option of getting 19 or 20 inch tires. I stuck with the 18s and no complaints although some may find this model not "sporty" enough. I did rent an AWD while in Canada for a week, and found that model to be faster and sportier. The choice is yours! Also, I chose the base engine and it is more than adequate and zippy.

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  Satisfied Owner - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By rkurlander - October 6 - 4:30 am

  AWD, Premium, Sensus, Multimedia, Convenience, PCC. With 2,000 miles I give the Volvo XC60 an A-. Vehicle is very solid with excellent build quality. Performance with the 3.2 engine is good. There is no reason to spend extra for the turbo unless the "rush" is important. MPH is better than advertised with 20 city and 26.5 highway. Pirelli tires are excellent.

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  Id love it if my back werent killing me! - 2012 Volvo XC60
  By nelsoncm - October 1 - 9:07 am

  I was opting for something different from the series of wagons Id been in over the past 12 years. Saab, the maker of my past two wagons, was out of business, so I looked to the other Swede. The looks of the XC60 got me curious and all I had to do was put my foot to the floor on the test drive, and I was hooked on the performance of this car. Its solid feeling, gorgeous inside and out and the warranty was impressive. Plus I got $1000 off for staying with a Swede. But my back and leg are killing me every time I drive it and for a few hours after. Methinks its going to be a very expensive trade-in for either a Volvo or Audi wagon.

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  Great - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Farrell - September 20 - 4:03 pm

  No problems so far. Very comfortable to drive. Very smooth handling on my daily work commutes. Only complaint would be the gas mileage, currently around 18mpg, but still feels as if I am constantly refilling tank.