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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  Great llittle SUV....I stress little - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By bhelgesen - February 25 - 1:48 am

  Overall, this car is a pleasure to drive. With the T6 and AWD it can be a blast. This is my wifes car and she drives it like a soccer mom but when I run out in it, it becomes an animal and is worthy of any road or traffic condition. We came out of two minivans so maybe my expectations were low. For what its worth, we put our 18 yr old in a 10 year old s40 for safety.

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  My last Volvo - 2015 Volvo XC60
  By john delaney - February 17 - 11:32 am

  While this car drives well its given me a ton of problems, generating a lot of repair costs and frustration. While under warranty I had lots of little problems, and the check engine light came on so regularly I ended up having to buy a code checker to avoid constant trips to the dealership or somewhere like autozone to have it read. One of the reasons it kept going off was the gas tank was visible machined poorly, so no matter how well I attached the cap the check engine light for emissions would come on. It also burned through oil on a few occasions. I took it to the dealership immediately, but they couldnt ever find anything wrong. Other problems were generally small issues like sensors or spark plugs going bad. These were an inconvenience, but they werent major and were covered by the warranty so I didnt care too much at the time . At about 55,000 miles the car suddenly started emitting a very high pitched squeal. I made plans to take it to the dealership the next morning. In the morning the check engine light was on, and it also started revving uncontrollably when stopped at stop lights. Eventually they informed me the bearings in both cam shafts went bad, and the thermostat needed replaced. This was about a $3000 repair cost, and they said it would take about a week because they had to order the parts. It took the dealer 7 WEEKS to repair my car. They seemed incapable of ordering the right parts or ordering all the parts they need. They did not keep me informed at all, and I constantly had to call and check in. Half the time they werent able to provide me a time estimate at all, and they other half of the time they said it would only be another couple days. I spoke to Volvo corporate, left messages for the manager, etc, all to no avail. Finally they called and said it would be ready the next day, only for them to discover something else wrong with the car. When they finally finished all the repairs I picked up the car, and immediately noticed how heavy the steering felt. I thought it was just because Id been driving a different loaner vehicle for the past 7 weeks (Honestly it had been so long I kept reaching for the wrong controls in my car once I got it back). However, after a couple more days it became clear something is now wrong with the power steering. Now I have to decide whether to take it back to the same dealership and see if they will fix it for no/reduced cost since it was likely the result of something they did, or take it to a different dealership which might provide better service. Either way this is definitely my last Volvo ever. We were thinking about an XC90 for my wife, but now there is no way well even consider it. About the only thing positive I have to say about the car is that it averaged about 28-30mpg for me, but the savings isnt worth the other costs and frustrations.

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By volvo_owner1 - February 3 - 11:15 am

  What I like best about this car (after all the serious stuff like safety and reliability) is the Adaptive Cruise Control. How did I ever live without this feature? Ive owned my Volvo for a year and am extremely happy with the vehicle

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  Skip the Tech Package - 2012 Volvo XC60
  By mms34cougar - January 19 - 4:48 pm

  I love this car! It is fast (even with 87 octane gas), my back has never felt better (the seats are firmer than non R-Design seats), the premium sound is great, and with the Red R-Design we get compliments on the looks at least once a week. The tech package is amazing when it is not broken. We have had it in the shop 4x with a complete replacement & sensors that stop working. Also, if you travel in snowy climates the parking distance, blind spot, collision & adaptive cruise can stop working due to ice build-up on your grill, bumper, and side window cameras. We get combined City (30%) /Hwy (70%) Mileage of 21.7 over the past 6 months.

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  I love my XC 60 - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Rob - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I was in love with the Volvo XC 60 since I first saw it at a secret test shoot in Reno a few years ago. From that moment, I wanted one (and I already owned the Volvo XC 90). I finally bought it a few months and and I absolutely love it. If I have any complaints---they are: 1. Gas Mileage is subpar (the car REALLY gets about 14 MPG in the city, and 21ish on the highway (and I have the smallest engine). 2. Theres a bad blind spot looking out the back window. Other than thats, its fantastic. And...dont buy their navigation system (I didnt). Buy a Garmin NUVI 3790(which is better)and have your autosound dealer install it and save $$. Other than that, I love this car and so will you

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  No Regrets! - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By ayang90 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  It was between the Audi Q5 and XC60 and I went for the XC60. Have about 3500 mi. on the car and I have no regrets with my decision. Its fun to drive and I havent had any problems so far. Fits three kids comfortably in the back with the integrated booster and serves as an adequate backup family hauler when not using our mini-van.

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  Great Car - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By nhdriver - January 2 - 1:53 pm

  Took overseas delivery option and drove the car 800 miles in 5 days all over Sweden. We averaged 22 miles per gal. driving on highways, backroads, and city. The ride was smooth and very comfortable. The BLIS feature and the distance sensoring cruise control were great for unfamiliar roads and drivers. Love the push button lock and folding side view mirrors. The navigation control takes some getting used to, but it worked great in taking us around road construction in real time. Cant wait for it to be delivered state side.

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  I had such high hopes.... - 2017 Volvo XC60
  By Nicole - December 15 - 12:43 am

  1500 miles driven so far...encountered three issues (all were "reset" by turning the car on and off again.) First, the power lock on the driver side door decided not to function one day, but hasnt repeated yet. During a heavy rain, the auto folding mirrors would not fold back out after turning the car on and off several times. It later reset after being parked for an hour and I was told by the dealer to push the left and right mirror command buttons at the same time which should cause the mirrors to fold out if they are stuck. Best of all, I believe the parking break malfunctioned, triggering the check engine light to come on and the car to be undriveable. After I safely rolled into a parking lot and turned the care off and on it appears to be fixed for the time being. Ill be making my first trip to the service department before I make my second car payment! There are some good things: Acceleration is great for a 4 cylinder and size of the car; Tons of cargo space + panoramic sun roof made for some luxury car camping; Very comfortable (and great gas mileage at about 30 mpg) on a 8 hour road trip; Bluetooth integration is fairly seamless (wishing the car had apple play) and the navigation system has a very nice feature where the next turn displays in the instrument panel so you dont have to keep looking back at the screen. There are many things I really love about this car, but the reliability issues have me feeling pretty disappointed. Im glad I leased.

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  Great All-Around SUV for the family - 2013 Volvo XC60
  By dcraider - November 7 - 2:15 pm

  The XC60 was a great compromise for value and features including, of course, safety for my new family. The cargo handling is great as we have a dog, and car really achieves both form and safety pretty seamless and gives us the feeling of both comfort and zippy performance on the highway. This car really kicks and has smooth power throughout all stages of driving (highway, local, cruising, etc.). We looked at most of the other SUVs and chose this one on value (which is hard to say given they all are upwards of +mid-30s when well equipped.

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  Our XC60 Nightmare - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By nzgazza - October 30 - 10:58 pm

  We live in NZ and bought a new XC60 T6 12 months ago. It now has done 6,500km, and has been off the road for a total of 4 weeks. The issues -Engine oil leak - new gasket was fitted -Since the oil leak repair we have topped -up the engine oil. (still an issue?) -False seat belt alarms (not yet resolved) - City Stop activating twice with no obstacles in the way, terrifying my wife and two boys. -The car failed the WOF due to a leak from the power steering, a new steering rack was fitted -A new faulty steering pipe had to be replaced - A fastener was also required the same job We contacted Volvo Sweden who didnt want to know. Our first and last Volvo, worst car we have ever owned