Used 2020 Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid
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2020 Volvo XC60 Review
byTravis Langness
Reviews Editor
Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.Pros
- Elegant interior and exterior styling
- Spacious second-row seating
- Many standard safety technology features
- Plug-in range allows for short EV-only trips
Cons
- T8 Hybrid has touchy brakes that are hard to modulate
- Too many controls are dependent on a frustrating touchscreen interface
What's new
- New high-performance Polestar Engineered variant
- T8 hybrid model gets small increase in EV range
- 12.3-inch digital dash display is now standard
- Part of the second XC60 generation introduced for 2018
We'll get this out of the way first: If you're looking for a well-rounded luxury SUV, the 2020 Volvo XC60 should be one of the first to check out. The hybrid powertrain available for the XC60, however, is a weakness rather than a strength. Sure, it's powerful and it has a respectable electric range, but handling, braking and drivability are better in the non-hybrid models.
For power, you have a choice of three main powertrains in the XC60. The first two are fairly standard: a 250-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and a turbocharged and supercharged version of the same engine that produces 316 hp. Then you have the XC60 T8. It's a sporty plug-in hybrid that makes 400 hp and gets the best fuel economy of the bunch. Thanks to an update for 2020, the hybrid now gets approximately 20 miles of electric range and a combined rating from the EPA of 27 mpg. That's 3-4 mpg higher than other XC60s, but there's a significant price increase worth noting that'll take a long time to pay off at the pump.
A particularly appealing bit of Volvo's vehicle strategy is not just the range of available powertrains, but the fact that you can have them all in pretty much any trim level you choose — and that includes the hybrid. That means the hybrid powertrain isn't connected to the most expensive set of features and options as it is with some other luxury automakers.
Even a base-level XC60 now gets all sorts of appealing features, such as the large 9-inch touchscreen display, a panoramic sunroof, forward collision mitigation, and lane departure warning with lane keeping assist. There are all the available luxury options you'd expect to see, too, such as LED headlights, wood and leather interior trim, and massaging front seats.
Unfortunately for the Volvo, it isn't the sportiest SUV in its segment or the quietest. And the T8 hybrid, despite its promises of maximum power and fuel economy, is a bit of a disappointment because of its cost and drivability issues. But overall, we're quite fond of the 2020 Volvo XC60 and think it's a luxury SUV worth your consideration.
Which XC60 does Edmunds recommend?
While we prefer the T6's powertrain to the hybrid T8, we can't blame shoppers who want a bit of plug-in range and higher overall fuel economy. And regardless of powertrain, we recommend the Inscription trim level simply for its abundant features. Buyers who are looking for a sportier experience could check out the R-Design trim. The Advanced package is a nice addition too, providing most of Volvo's optional safety features in one simple package.
2020 Volvo XC60 models
The 2020 Volvo XC60 is available in four trim levels that offer varied levels of luxury and sport-focused amenities: Momentum, R-Design, Inscription and Polestar Engineered. With the exception of the Polestar Engineered (which only comes as the high-output hybrid model), each trim level is available with any powertrain — T5, T6 or T8 eAWD Plug-in Hybrid. An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission available. All T5 models come standard with front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive is optional), while all other XC60s come standard with all-wheel drive.