Volvo XC60: 2018 Motor Trend SUV of the Year Finalist

We Like: Stylish design; plush interior; strong powertrains

We Don’t Like: Infotainment slow to boot up; sensitive brakes on T8

With three powerplants, Volvo offers three flavors of XC60s to choose from.

The T5 with a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 and steel suspension has plenty of power and performed best on abrupt bumps. “This is a great SUV to be the base model,” Miguel Cortina said. Erick Ayapana appreciated the price: “At $44,690 there’s a lot of value here.”

The T6 adds a supercharger. Ayapana called it the best powertrain here. On the winding course, Ed Loh said the XC60’s “balance and responsiveness shrunk the T6 down like a little ball into and out of corners.” Frank Markus applauded the weighting of the steering and the “added pleasure of zipping down an engaging twisty road while getting a high-speed, high-intensity Swedish massage” from the seats.

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The T8 plug-in hybrid can travel 18 miles on electricity, after which the handoff from EV mode to hybrid is seamless. But the regenerative brakes are overly sensitive and grabby. The Orrefors crystal shifter must be awkwardly bumped twice to get into forward or reverse gear.

Volvo prioritizes safety, but the seat belt cinched itself so tightly over a whoop-de-doo that it took our breath away. The Sensus infotainment system was slow to boot up—not great when you need the rearview camera.

The design of the second-generation XC60 is racier, with a raked windshield. Angus MacKenzie described the interior as “a textbook example of Scandinavian Zen—studied, airy, and sophisticated.” The XC60 is filled with lovely woods and leathers to soothe the soul. Regardless of which trim level you choose, you can’t go wrong.

	2018 Volvo XC60 T5 Momentum	2018 Volvo XC60 T6 Inscription	2018 Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT	Front-engine, AWD	Front-engine, AWD	Front-engine, AWD
ENGINE TYPE	Turbocharged I-4, alum block/head	Turbocharged + Supercharged I-4, alum block/head	Turbocharged + Supercharged I-4, alum block/head + front/rear elec motors
VALVETRAIN	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT	120.2 cu in/1,969 cc	120.2 cu in/1,969 cc	120.2 cu in/1,969 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO	10.8:1	10.3:1	10.3:1
POWER (SAE NET)	250 hp @ 5,500 rpm	316 hp @ 5,700 rpm	313 hp @ 5,700 rpm (gas)/46-hp (front elec)/87-hp (rear elec)/400 hp (comb)
TORQUE (SAE NET)	258 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm	295 lb-ft @ 2,200 rpm	295 lb-ft @ 2,200 rpm (gas)/111 lb-ft (front elec)/177 lb-ft (rear elec)/472 lb-ft (comb)
REDLINE	NA rpm	6,500 rpm	6,500 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER	16.4 lb/hp	13.6 lb/hp	11.8 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO	3.33:1/2.24:1/—	3.33:1/2.24:1/—	3.20:1/2.15:1/—
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, leaf springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, air springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, air springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO	16.6:1	16.6:1	16.6:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK	3.0	3.0	3.0
BRAKES, F; R	13.6-in vented disc; 12.6-in disc, ABS	13.6-in vented disc; 12.6-in disc, ABS	13.6-in vented disc; 12.6-in disc, ABS
WHEELS, F;R	8.0 x 18-in cast aluminum	8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum	8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum
TIRES, F;R	235/60R18 103V (M+S) Pirelli Scorpion Zero	255/45R20 105H (M+S) Continental CrossContact LX Sport	255/45R20 105H (M+S) Continental CrossContact LX Sport
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE	112.8 in	112.8 in	112.8 in
TRACK, F/R	65.1/65.2 in	64.9/65.1 in	64.9/65.1 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	184.6 x 74.9 x 64.8 in	184.6 x 74.9 x 62.8-66.6 in	184.6 x 74.9 x 62.8-66.6 in
GROUND CLEARANCE	8.5 in	8.5; 6.3-9.8; 6.3-9.8 in	8.5; 6.3-9.8; 6.3-9.8 in
APPRCH/DEPART ANGLE	23.1/25.5 deg	23.1/25.5 deg (at standard height)	23.1/25.5 deg (at standard height)
TURNING CIRCLE	37.4 ft	37.4 ft	37.4 ft
CURB WEIGHT	4,100 lb	4,297 lb	4,722 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R	55/45%	55/45%	54/46%
TOWING CAPACITY	3,500 lb	3,500 lb	3,500 lb
SEATING CAPACITY	5	5	5
HEADROOM, F/M/R	38.0/38.0/— in	38.0/38.0/— in	38.0/38.0/— in
LEGROOM, F/M/R	41.5/38.0/— in	41.5/38.0/— in	41.5/38.0/— in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/M/R	58.2/56.3/— in	58.2/56.3/— in	58.2/56.3/— in
CARGO VOLUME BEH 1st/2nd/3rd	50.6/22.4/— cu ft	50.6/22.4/— cu ft	49.3/21.1/— cu ft
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30	2.3 sec	2.2 sec	1.9 sec
0-40	3.6	3.5	2.9
0-50	5.2	4.7	4.0
0-60	7.3	6.6	5.4
0-70	9.5	8.5	7.0
0-80	12.5	10.8	8.8
0-90	—	14.4	11.6
0-100	—	—	—
PASSING, 45-65 MPH	4.0	3.5	2.8
QUARTER MILE	15.5 sec @ 86.1 mph	15.0 sec @ 89.9 mph	14.0 sec @ 97.1 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	130 ft	131 ft	131 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.83 g (avg)	0.83 g (avg)	0.80 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.2 sec @ 0.64 g (avg)	27.1 sec @ 0.64 g (avg)	27.2 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH	NA rpm	1,600 rpm	2,400 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE	$42,495	$49,695	$57,695
PRICE AS TESTED	$44,690	$63,290	$71,590
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain
BASIC WARRANTY	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE	4 yrs/Unlimited miles	4 yrs/Unlimited miles	4 yrs/Unlimited miles
FUEL CAPACITY	18.8 gal	18.8 gal	13.2 gal + 104 kWh Li-ion battery
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	18.5/31.0/22.6 mpg	17.9/29.6/21.8 mpg	28.3/29.0/28.6 mpg
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON	22/28/24 mpg	21/27/23 mpg	26/28/26 mpg**
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	153/120 kW-hrs/100 miles	160/125 kW-hrs/100 miles	130/120 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.80 lb/mile	0.83 lb/mile	0.72 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL	Unleaded premium	Unleaded premium	Unleaded premium

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