If the XC60 were a sport shoe, it’d be a cross-trainer. It’s not set up for pure sprints or for rock-climbing, but its talents range wide and far between those poles. We give it a 7, The XC60 shares its 2.0-liter turbo-4 across the lineup, as well as with the bigger XC90. Base versions, which we haven’t driven, offer a front-drive, 250-horsepower version of the drivetrain, coupled to an 8-speed automatic, with an all-wheel-drive option. It’s less powerful and somewhat lighter than other versions, but still has to move nearly two tons of crossover SUV.
How fast is the Volvo XC60?
The quicker versions can accelerate to 60 mph in under seven seconds.
Most drivers will get that performance from the T6, which takes the same drivetrain, and supercharges it. Torque builds easily off the line, and the T6 combination spins out 316 hp, good for 0-60 mph times in the sub-seven-second range. It goes about its business quietly, and comes off as unburdened, even when it’s full of passengers.
Is the Volvo XC60 4WD?
The T6 model and more powerful versions all come standard with all-wheel drive.
The Recharge plug-in hybrid, or T8, couples that latter engine with an 11.6-kwh battery and an 87-hp electric motor that powers the rear wheels. That’s enough for 19 miles of electric driving, and with 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, it’s one of the quicker XC60s.
The quickest XC60 is Polestar Engineered, both a description and a trim name. It takes the 400-hp engine and applies some mild tuning to net out at 415 hp—but revised coding extracts better acceleration, which means it’s capable of 0-60 mph runs in the five-second range.
All XC60s have an independent suspension and electric power steering. Base models have a conventional steel suspension, but air springs can be fitted to all other versions. The air springs create a supremely well-damped ride with three drive modes that toggle from Eco to Comfort to Dynamic programming to alter steering feel, shift patterns, and ride damping. Comfort matches the XC60’s mood best, but by no means is Dynamic brittle or harsh. An off-road mode increases ground clearance slightly and slows throttle and steering to better navigate difficult terrain.
Polestar versions up the wheel size to 21-inchers, with 22s available, and install 22-way adjustable shocks and bigger brakes. It’s a high-performance vehicle, from an unlikely source, in an unlikely body style—and it’s exceedingly rare.
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