8/13/25 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results.
When you think of Volvo, what car do you picture? The long-serving 240? Or maybe the ultraboxy V70 wagon? The model that really deserves that headspace, though, is the XC60, Volvo's mainstay compact SUV, as it has now taken the crown to become the brand's all-time bestseller. The current XC60 has been around since the 2018 model year, and it has a few more years to go until Volvo switches to an all-EV lineup in 2030 (or, maybe later...). As such, it receives a few tweaks this year.
Every model update must start with a new grille, and the 2026 XC60 gets exactly that, with a texture borrowed from the brand's EVs. On the latest Black Edition, the grille is finished in gloss black, as are the Volvo badge and the 21-inch wheels. Darkened taillights are new for all XC60s. The Black Edition also offers a choice of dark-gray leather options, while other models offer two new vegan materials: Nordico faux leather and Herringbone Weave cloth. The car we drove had the quilted Nordico upholstery in the Driftwood (beige) colorway. Interior materials are well chosen, and nothing looks or feels cheap. The overall vibe is modern without being as overly techy as Volvo's latest EV offerings.
Nothing dates a car faster than its infotainment system, and the XC60's 9.0-inch display was starting to give off yesteryear vibes. So, Volvo has installed a new 11.2-inch screen. The larger screen doesn't quite fit into the same spot in the dash, so it's mounted as a freestanding unit, a solution that works fine. Moreover, the layout requires less swiping and tapping, with a home screen that shows a large navigation map but also carves out space for audio and phone controls. Below that sits a band of additional controls, including a button to call up the surround-view camera. Climate-control functions are found along the bottom. We're happy to see that unlike some newer Volvos, the XC60 retains its volume knob and physical buttons for audio. The Google-based system includes Google Assistant, and Google Maps provides the navigation.
The new screen sprouts from a dash that is largely the same. However, there are blingy new speaker grilles on the forward part of the door panels, and they are visually integrated with the metal trim that surrounds the curved wood dash inserts, imparting an upscale appearance. The instrumentation screen continues as before, offering a choice of two display layouts: with or without a map between the virtual gauges. The arrangement of the center console is revised and now includes a wireless charging pad, although we found it exceedingly slow (even after slipping our phone out of its case). Also, the charger must be enabled via the touchscreen.
Mechanically, the XC60 continues with no changes. The base setup is a 247-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder aided by a 48-volt hybrid system. It sends 266 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The step-up powertrain is a 455-hp plug-in hybrid, again with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive; that's the version we drove.
In addition to its heaping helping of extra horsepower, the PHEV can operate purely as an EV for an EPA-estimated 35 miles (30 miles at highway speeds in our experience). Unfortunately, once that 15-kW battery is depleted, refilling it takes three to five hours thanks to the Volvo's slow 3.7-kW onboard charger.
Drivers can let the system do its thing in the default Hybrid mode or can choose Pure mode for EV operation. Alternately, they can opt to conserve battery power for later. When you're not feather-footing it, the XC60 T8 is plenty quick, and it's very responsive whether merging onto the highway or passing on two-lane roads. When we tested an XC60 with this powertrain at our test track, it managed a 60-mph time of 4.4 seconds. And the 5-to-60-mph time was just 4.6 seconds, which tells you that throttle lag is not a problem.
This is no Porsche Macan, however. Even riding on an air-spring chassis with adaptive dampers, the XC60 T8 isn't as buttoned-down as the sportiest SUVs from the German brands. Body control is more relaxed, and the steering is muted, even if it's decently weighted. We measured a modest 0.83 g on the skidpad. Note, however, that there is a more hardcore Polestar Engineered model, which uses the same powertrain but has revised chassis tuning.
An electric Volvo compact SUV, the EX60, is due out soon. But for now, the XC60 is Volvo's solo player in this compact-SUV space. That's not so bad. The XC60's T8 powertrain has plenty of punch, as well as a modicum of EV capability, and its interior is more approachable than the EX90 EV's. Volvo's XC60 is well positioned to grow its sales lead over better-known Volvos, even if this Mr. Popularity never achieves the earlier models' iconic status.
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