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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  Myriad electronic problems - 2012 Volvo XC60
  By rglambsb - October 14 - 6:40 am

  weve had numerous intermittent problems with electronic systems in our 2012 XC60 T. It s now with the dealer for the third time, with no fix in sight. Here a partial list: BLIS system gives false readings most of the time. Problem duplicated by dealers. Nav system reruns message "system not available" . Blue tooth stopped working entirely gate opener either doesnt work or works only within a few feet of the receiver. Key opener either doesnt work at all or requires repeated pushing from about 8 feet. With car runnung, rear seat passenger gets out, and car flashes "key not found". if you put the key in the slot, the engine stops running, which is dangerous. Back up video stays...

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  Great car for the money - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By Volvo Xman - September 2 - 2:00 am

  The Volvo XC60 is a great vehicle for anyone wanting to purchase in the "realm" of the luxury market. Although the price tag is easier to stomach than Mercedes, Audi, and BMW many of the luxury features you want are delivered, such as plush leather, bluetooth, premium ride. At 100mph the XC60 shows off its stability. "Smooth ride". There is plenty of cargo space, leg and head room, but the electronics such as Navigation system and radio display could be updated. Still a great car.

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  Volvo XC60 T6 AWD - 2014 Volvo XC60
  By bullvo2 - August 15 - 1:43 am

  I have owned the XC60 for over 2 months -- 300 HP turbo 6-cyl, AWD model. It is super quick. The AWD worked beautifully in the snow. It handles very precisely, feels rock solid, and I like the ride quality. The car is very comfortable for tall people, with plenty of leg and head room even with the sunroof. Im 66" so finding a comfortable midsize car can be a challenge. I also liked the Acura RDX but found it was not as well set up for tall drivers.

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  A reliable car that I want to like more than I do - 2011 Volvo XC60
  By mihali129 - January 25 - 10:12 pm

  I leased this car beginning in 2011 and it seemed like a perfect match for me. I wanted an SUV as I need to get to work in even the worst weather conditions. This is my first Swedish car after years of driving German and Japanese makes. The ride itself is firm. The acceleration is excellent with the T6. The XC60s only driving quirk that bothers me is that it has a very peculiar tight turn radius. Thats fine if you want to make a U-turn in tight space but it actually takes care not to over-steer when parking. The seats are remarkably comfortable in front and back and that cargo space is good. The electronics and build quality of interior materials leave something to be desired.

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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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  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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  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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  Seriously, Not bad at all - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Tahoe - August 15 - 2:46 am

  My wife and I bought this car last week and we love it. It handles like a dream and so far the mileage is greater then we expected. 23.5 as of this morning. We are both over 6 feet tall, Im 64" and she is 62" and fit very comfortably. However, the back seat isnt going to much use unless you are under about 55". There is a ton of cargo room and the car is almost as fun to drive as our mini cooper. When on cruise control, this car climbs like a mountain goat. There is no hesitation or effort put forth by the engine and the turbo WILL put you back in your seat.

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  I want my S60 T6 back... - 2013 Volvo XC60
  By abmwfan - August 6 - 4:46 pm

  I traded my 2012 S60 T6 (with Polestar Mod) for a 2013 XC60 R-Design after seeing a beautiful Cosmic White XC-60 on the showroom floor. The S60 and XC60 share many components, especially the interior, and I thought I would get about the the same comfort and fun to drive in a more versatile vehicle. I was wrong. If, like me, you are smitten by Volvos beautiful R-Designs, make sure you spend time in those "special R-Design sport seats" to make sure you can get comfortable. Volvo just doesnt do sport seats right. For a company thats known for its superb seat comfort, that is a big disappointment. My S60 fit like a glove and was superbly comfortable. I want it back.

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  Get one before everyone else does! - 2010 Volvo XC60
  By Kampaku - July 2 - 3:06 am

  We live in a Chicago neighborhood, and we needed a car that could get us around in winter and fit in tight spaces, has enough cargo room to hold all the stuff that accompanies 2 young kids, and was enough fun to drive that my wife and I wouldnt mind hauling them around. The XC60 met all of those requirements, plus it isnt ubiquitous like Lexus RXs, Acura MDXs, and BMW X5s! There were a few features that I liked better in those cars and the Audi Q5, but weve been thrilled with the XC60 and would buy a 2nd one if had the the need & room.