Refreshing or Revolting: 2019 Volvo V60

After spending all of 2015 with a Volvo V60 long-termer, we came away seriously impressed by the Swedish wagon’s do-everything capability. It was fun to drive, comfortable, offered plenty of cargo room, and could even handle some light off-roading. It never sold in huge numbers, but the V60 was a great little wagon. Now, however, there’s a new V60 that’s been given a complete redesign and a brand new look. The question is, how does the V60’s new styling compare to the wagon it replaces?

Up front, the V60 borrows heavily from Volvo’s S90-based wagon, the V90. The headlights, grille, and even the T-shaped running lights all look very similar to the ones on the larger wagon, but the V60 differentiates itself with larger, more pronounced lower intakes that give it a bit of a catfish-like appearance. We can see a few subtle design cues carried over from the old V60, but you have to look very closely to see them.

In profile, the new V60 looks much more sculpted and stylish than the wagon it replaces. So while the old V60 made a great sleeper, the new one will probably get a lot more attention. The side view is also where you start to see more differences between the V60 and the V90. For example, the liftgate on the V90 is more steeply raked, while the V60 gets more pronounced hips. Out back, it’s clear the new wagon has evolved, but unlike other angles, the rear view retains a number of the older design cues.

Inside, the new V60 could not possibly look more different from the model it replaces. In place of the altar to buttons that was the old V60’s center console, Volvo added a huge touchscreen infotainment system like the ones it uses across the rest of its new lineup. Really, the entire cabin looks like it could have been pulled out of any of the recently redesigned Volvos. We love the new interiors, so that’s good news to us, but fans of the old wagon’s buttons may disagree.

At the moment, pricing is still unavailable, but look for that to be announced before the 2019 Volvo V60 goes on sale this fall. What do you think of Volvo’s new smaller wagon? Tell us on Facebook.

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