I Took a Ride in the 2027 Volvo EX60. Has Volvo Realized Its True Potential?

• We took a ride in a preproduction Volvo EX60 at the company's test facility in Sweden.
• The EX60 is designed to fight EVs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. 
• It goes on sale later this year; expect a price somewhere in the $60,000-$70,000 range.

Strong bones 

The EX60 isn't just a smaller EX90 or larger EX30. It rides on a brand-new architecture, part of which is made from a slurry of recycled aluminum that's blasted into a mold. The result is a lightweight structure that's just as strong as a conventional setup. Anders Bell, Volvo's chief technology and engineering officer — who helped launch the Tesla Model Y, by the way — says the EX60's body is nearly as stiff as a Koenigsegg hypercar. What that means for prospective buyers is that the EX60 should ride and handle better than any Volvo EV yet. 

Volvo and Koenigsegg also share something else: a test facility. The Hällered Proving Ground in western Sweden is where Volvo does a lot of its preproduction validation and testing. It also occasionally rents the facility to Koenigsegg so the hypercar-maker can test things like ride quality, high-speed stability and vehicle dynamics on the 16 different tracks that make up the 1,730-acre facility. 

That's where I had the chance to ride shotgun in the new EX60. What became clear right away is that the EX60 feels more buttoned-down than other Volvos. That super-stiff body allowed Volvo to fine-tune the EX60's suspension, and the result is an SUV that handles better than I expected.

The Hällered proving grounds aren't all glass-smooth roads with freshly laid tarmac. There are potholes on roads designed to simulate those in the American Midwest, and there's a near-exact replica of Southern California's infamous 405 freeway. None of these rough and ragged surfaces were able to flummox the EX60. Only over a few major dips and crests did this SUV really start to wallow.

Compared to a Tesla Model Y (like the one in our One-Year Road Test fleet), the EX60 is more comfortable and manages its body motions with better composure. Standard active noise cancellation — the first time this tech is being used in a Volvo — keeps the cabin nice and quiet as well. The EX60 has adaptive dampers with three settings. The Soft and Normal modes will be supple enough to handle daily driving duties, but the Firm setting might be too, well, firm.

I rode in a midgrade EX60 P10 model, and while it didn't feel all that quick from the passenger seat, there was more than enough thrust when Volvo's engineer dug into the EV's throttle. The EX60 P12 will likely be the one to get if you value performance, what with its 670-horsepower dual-motor setup. The P12 is also the only EX60 estimated to crack 400 miles of driving range.

The EX60's interior is dominated by a large touchscreen. Thankfully, it responds quickly to inputs and the icons are more clearly defined than on Volvo's earlier multimedia systems. I'd still like physical buttons for things like the climate control, but my brief experience with this tech leaves a positive impression — this might be Volvo's best infotainment system yet. And happily, there's a physical volume knob and forward/back buttons to change audio tracks.

Pricing is the big unknown 

The last big question is the price. With tariffs still a moving target, it's hard to know exactly how much the EX60 will cost, especially considering its lengthy list of standard equipment. Volvo is hopeful the EX60 will only cost a few thousand dollars more than the current XC60 plug-in hybrid, which comes in just above $62,000. Volvo initially estimated the EX60 would be "very well equipped at $60,000," but something closer to $70,000 might be the reality when it goes on sale later this year.

I'll be able to tell you more about how the Volvo EX60 stops, steers and moves down the road in the coming months. But my first impression is a good one, and it's left me wanting more. I think this one's gonna be a hit.