2027 Volvo EX60 First Drive Review: No More Excuses

• What's new: The EX60 is Volvo's fully electric rival to the BMW iX3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Tesla Model Y and more.
• Why it matters: The EX60 looks good, drives well, and is expected to have up to 400 miles of range. It's also priced to compete, starting around $60,000. 
• Edmunds says: I drove the EX60 in Spain and am happy to say Volvo's latest EV is its best electric effort yet.

The base model is a good place to start

The EX60 shares almost nothing with any Volvo that's come before. Its underlying platform is as stiff as a supercar, and the SUV uses 800-volt architecture that allows it to charge at a max rate of 370 kW. Plus, the EX60's onboard software uses a super-fast Snapdragon central brain, so everything from the drivetrain to the infotainment tech responds quickly.

The EX60 P6 makes 369 hp, which will be more than enough for most buyers. Lay into the throttle and the power comes on smoothly. The P6 gives you more of a reassuring shove than a brutal kick to the kidneys, and frankly I like that. The world has more than enough unnecessarily quick EVs.

Once you're up to speed, the EX60 becomes a little Swedish cocoon. It's not as dead silent inside as EVs from Audi or BMW, but it's close. And honestly, it's nice to hear a little whoosh of air over the glass roof; unlike other brands, Volvo opted not to give the EX60 a synthetic propulsion sound. I'm a fan. 

Unfortunately, the steering and ride quality need work. The front end neatly follows your commands, but the steering is far too light in action. It takes almost zero effort to move the wheel off center. Luckily, steering weight is adjustable deep in the car's menus, and I suggest dialing it up to "firm" and never touching it again. This setting is still pretty light as far as steering effort goes, but "firm" provides some much-needed resistance. 

As for the ride, it's not bad, but it's neither as buttoned-down or as magic-carpety as some of the EX60's rivals. The suspension isn't adaptive, so there are no ways to adjust this on the go. The body of the car itself is always well controlled, but you'll feel every manhole cover, expansion joint and other road imperfection you drive over. I partially blame my test car's too-big 22-inch wheels and tires with thin sidewalls.

P10 adds power and poise

Stepping up to the P10 remedies all of that immediately. The P10 uses adaptive dampers and the added refinement is immediately noticeable. The P10 rides beautifully regardless of what the road surface looks like. If you want something that better resembles that magic-carpet feel, this is the one to have.

The P10 is significantly more powerful than the P6, its dual-motor setup putting out 503 hp. And while the P6 only has Eco and Normal drive modes, the P10 adds a Performance setting. This is where you'll get that kick-in-the-kidneys acceleration; Volvo estimates a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.4 seconds. I won't be surprised if it actually turns out to be a bit quicker when we get one for instrumented testing at home in California. 

That said, the best way to experience the EX60 is to hop into a P10, leave everything in its Normal setting and just cruise. The EX60's easygoing demeanor doesn't inspire you to tear up a back road, and that's OK. This EV is more than comfortable, quick and posh enough for your everyday life. 

Swedish surroundings 

The EX60's cabin is a delight. Ultra models get the aforementioned glass roof that's electrically dimmable, plus ventilated front seats and a 28-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, which is maybe one of the best I've heard in a modern car. A 21-speaker Bose setup comes standard on the Plus, and it probably still hits, but I haven't heard it with my own ears yet. 

Typically Scandinavian and minimalistic throughout, the EX60's interior lacks clutter. The dash is the right size and covered in a technical fabric that both reduces glare and is nice to touch. The door panels, center console and steering wheel are all covered in soft leather. The plastics you do find are all below your beltline and have a nice smooth finish to them — except for the bit where a typical glovebox would go, which I'd argue should have been covered in leather, but I digress. 

The actual glovebox for the EX60 is in the center of the cabin and is more like a large pullout drawer. Most EVs don't use this space well, but Volvo managed to make a bin large enough to hold water bottles, purses and maybe even a small daypack. Just above that, you'll find a wireless charger and two USB-C ports. The cupholders slide out from the center console, but the bit that holds your drinks can be tucked away for an open bin between you and your passenger. 

Hop in the back and there's plenty of legroom and headroom, even for my 6-foot-tall frame. Volvo also added flip-up booster seats to make mounting a car seat easier — a nice touch that comes standard if you upgrade from the base Plus trim to the Ultra. It's all very well thought out and very uniquely Volvo. I've (almost) always been a fan of Volvo's interiors, but the EX60 might be my favorite to date. 

Tech troubles are (nearly) no more

Cabin tech has often been Volvo's Achilles' heel, but not in the EX60 — mostly. The driver's display is nestled near the base of the dashboard and delivers key info like speed, state of charge, range and assistance info. It's easy to customize via the steering-squircle buttons, and it's the right size. No notes. 

In the middle of the dash, there's a 15-inch display that's bright, quick to respond, and slightly curved outward, making it easier to reach. There are oodles of menus that customize car functions like drive modes, regenerative braking settings, suspension stiffness, which seat headrest your audio comes out of (not kidding), and more, and it doesn't take long to get the hang of. The EX60 is also the first Volvo to feature a landscape screen in years, and that will make watching media while charging or viewing maps much easier. 

My lone gripe is that, yet again, all of the climate functions are buried in the screen — and I mean all of them, even how you position the vents. This is something we've been begging automakers to stop doing for years because it's something you just never get used to. Yes, Volvo built in shortcuts to either move the vents toward or away from your face. But it's not better than just being able to twist a dial by hand. At least you get a real volume knob and track forward/back controls under the central screen. 

Also, the EX60 has Google Gemini built in, so you can talk to your car and ask it silly questions or have it turn on the air conditioning — if you like that sort of thing. (I don't.)

The EX60 is a winner

I like this car. I think the EX60 is objectively and subjectively great. But far, far more important than that, I'm glad I no longer have to make excuses for one of Volvo's EVs. I don't have to lean on, "Well, at least it's good-looking," or limit my compliments to how comfortable the seats are. Fast charging, good range, solid tech, a lovely interior — the EX60 just works right out of the box. 

P6 Plus models start at $59,795, and springing for the Ultra bumps it to $66,395. All-wheel-drive P10s are priced from $62,145 and max out at $69,545 if you spring for the $800 22-inch wheels, which you shouldn't. Pricing for the higher-performance P12 is still TBD. 

The Volvo EX60 will be available at U.S. dealers by the summer. From my firsthand impressions in Spain, I think it'll be a hit.