Volvo V60 (2010-2018) Review

The Volvo V60 won’t be right for you if you’re after a super-practical load-lugger. It’s the anti-Volvo-estate, with restricted space and a sporty rake to the rear window (which will shatter if you slam it against anything remotely box-shaped). Buy a Volkswagen Passat Estate if you need a car of this size to serve as a genuinely practical estate.

In other respects, it’s more interesting. More than any of its predecessors, this was a car that you could imagine people switching from an Audi or a BMW into. Particularly in facelift guise, it’s a car that’s nice to drive, with powerful and smooth engines, plus a good haul of luxury-level interior options.

Think of it as a modern Volvo and try to ignore the nagging voice in your head saying it should be the world’s best mid-size estate car. It’s not. But as a sporty wagon, it’s actually not half bad. Maybe the marketing people were onto something.

No question, the best engine is the 2.0-litre D4 turbodiesel. This was the first of the modern range of engines that now dominate Volvo’s range. It punches well above its weight and is a key part of the V60’s gradual ascendancy to near-premium status throughout its lifetime.

Volvo fiddled around with the model line endlessly during the V60’s lifetime, but one consistent aspect was the R-Design trim grade. That’s the one we’d go for, as it looks smart and has a stylish interior – including a brilliant set of seats. You can even have it in a vivid blue, so it looks not unlike a high-performance Polestar Volvo. In our eyes, an R-Design D4 in Rebel Blue really is ‘peak V60’.

Premium alternatives to the Volvo V60 include the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate. A semi-premium but similarly convincing (and much more commodious) alternative is the Volkswagen Passat Estate, and there are more mainstream options in the form of the Ford Mondeo Estate, Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer, Skoda Octavia Estate and Peugeot 508 SW.

Inevitably, many looking at an estate car will also be lured by an SUV. Options include the related Volvo XC60, as well as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

Volvo’s growing status as a premium maker wasn’t quite fully-formed with this V60, but the car does feel robust, with a good-quality finish. The dashboard, for example, might be bulbous in places, but all the plastics are of a high standard and there are hints of the outstanding interiors Volvo boasts in its latest cars.

The company’s pride in making great seats shows in how rich and nicely trimmed they are – particularly the R-Design chairs, which have a multi-material mix and beautifully intricate stitching. They look as good as they are to sit in.

Volvo offered a mix of centre console finishing trims when new, and it’s quite nice scrolling through the used car ads to see what options are available. All have a good quality appearance and range-topping versions look very plush indeed. You can even get a wood-effect finish; trust us, it’s a lot better than it sounds.

Every Volvo V60 uses either a five-inch or seven-inch central colour display: a consistent feature during the car’s eight-year life. Rivals certainly have more impressive infotainment systems, particularly the BMW 3 Series Touring. Its iDrive setup is leagues ahead of Volvo.

The 2013-on cars we’re concentrating on here use the improved Volvo Sensus system. This finally brought some semblance of logic to the menu settings, allowing drivers to navigate them without a furrowed brow or constant frustration. It is more logical and offers some reasonably advanced functionality, including Volvo On Call. This allows owners to monitor the V60 via an Apple or Android app.

It’s just a pity the system is so fiddly to use. It’s not a touchscreen, but it doesn’t have a standalone controller either. Instead, users have to use one of the four rotary knobs on the centre console, twisting through menus then pressing the middle one to confirm. It’s fiendishly frustrating and a reminder this is how things used to be done, not so long ago…

Space in the front of the Volvo V60 is good. The driving position is excellent, with well-positioned pedals giving an authoritative feel behind the wheel. Drivers can position the (rather large) steering wheel nice and close, for a set-up to while away the hours behind the wheel. Don’t forget those brilliant seats either, which further enhance comfort.

It’s a pity about Volvo’s daft key arrangement, though. It’s located on the left of the steering column, rather than the right – and it’s mounted on the dashboard itself, rather than the steering column. This means whatever is attached to the keyfob will jangle annoyingly against the dash. It’s a surprising design flaw that’s only overcome by not having anything attached to your car key.

Rear-seat space isn’t so good. The ‘sport wagon’ ethos means a sporty roofline that nibbles into headroom for taller people, while legroom isn’t great either. The driving position certainly encourages the driver to seek a spot-on setup, and this may almost eradicate space for whoever is sitting behind them.

Then we get to boot space. Beneath the retractable load cover, there’s a measly 430 litres. This is an estate car, yet it only offers 50 litres more than a Volkswagen Golf hatchback. OK, the opening is wide, and the load lip is low, so it’s practical to use. But the space on offer simply isn’t up to scratch.

Folding the seats opens up 1,241 litres of space, and that’s not particularly impressive either. At least the seats fold 40:20:40, which is practical, and when they’re folded down, the load space is completely flat. A neat practical touch is the lockable stowage space beneath the boot floor.

Isofix is standard on the rear seats. As an option, Volvo also offers integrated child booster cushions, with two-stage height adjustment to help juniors get a good view out. They are suitable for kids weighing from 15-36kg.

The line-up of engines available in the V60 is truly mind-boggling. The Swedish company went unnecessarily overboard in its attempt to offer a premium-like choice of petrol and diesel engines. It didn’t need to: our tip is to simply choose the D4 diesel and be done with it.

Introduced in autumn 2013, this smooth-running motor produces a healthy 181PS, and it is a beautifully smooth and well-oiled engine on the move. It’s at its best when paired with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, where it serves up a genuinely premium experience that’s easily a match for one of BMW’s excellent diesels. It makes the diesel-engined Mercedes-Benz C-Class seem rattly and uncouth – and 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds proves that it’s not all about refinement, either.

Volvo later launched further versions of this engine, a 120PS D2 and 150PS D3. They are also a good bet, if not quite as impressive as the excellent D4.

Later on in the V60’s life, a good range of petrol engines was introduced. Also a 2.0-litre motor, the 190PS T4 could hit 62mph in just over 7.0 seconds, yet still return decent fuel economy. The 1.5-litre T3 wasn’t bad either – and all of these engines are a big improvement over earlier T4 and T5 motors (you’ll spot these by their hefty VED tax bills).

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid is an interesting engine that, thanks to how cars were tested back then, is able to serve up official sub-50g/km CO2 emissions. But while its five-cylinder engine and powerful electric drivetrain offer swift performance, it’s a flawed proposition for everyday use. It feels like technology delivered before it was ready for production.

Refinement is excellent, particularly in models with the smooth-running D4 diesel engine. Volvo isolates road noise very well, and it’s only a bit of tyre roar in R-Design models (with their wider wheels) that disturbs. The rumble of bumps and thumps in the road is kept at bay, and wind noise isn’t excessive.

Not only is the Volvo V60 a very nice place to sit, it’s also a car that will soothe you for hours behind the wheel, delivering a very convincing premium-grade experience.

Volvo’s premium sound systems help enhance this experience further. Even the SE model features a high performance audio system, with eight speakers and a powerful amplifier. Upgraded sound systems offer even more punch, making good use of the car’s fine refinement with excellent clarity, even at motorway speeds.

Volvo treasures its reputation for safety: this is the company that invented the three-point seatbelt, then lifted the patent so every other carmaker could use it for free. It’s therefore no surprise that the V60 scored a five-star Euro NCAP safety score in 2012, with 94% for adult occupant protection, 82% for child occupant protection, 64% for pedestrian safety and an unheard-of 100% for safety assist features.

Every V60 gets electronic stability control and an electronic speed limiter as standard, along with seatbelt reminders for all five seats – and five seatbelt pretensioners and belt load limiters – plus front and side airbags, and head airbags that extend to the rear. Just in case we were in any doubt, Euro NCAP also tested the V60 Plug-In Hybrid, awarding it a similarly glowing set of scores.

Optional safety gadgets such as the integrated rear seat booster cushions are also worth searching for on the used market today. These sit flush with the seats when not in use, offering arguably the safest form of seating for growing children when in use – a step beyond even an Isofix cushion.

For a premium car, insurance costs are not too excessive. The D2 starts from group 20 (out of 50), while a T3 is in group 24 upwards. 

Our favoured 181PS D4 starts from group 26, which we think is reasonable for a car this able and upmarket. Plug-in hybrid versions fall into insurance groups from 42 upwards, so insurance costs will be significantly higher than the D4.

Free VED (road tax) on the V60 Plug-In Hybrid is a bonus, although it won’t make up for that insurance premium. Plus, there are eco versions of the D4 that are also sub-100g/km in terms of CO2 emissions, and therefore VED-free. 

Most models fall into the £20 to £30 tax band, which is hardly disastrous. Be careful if you’re buying either a petrol model or an older D5 five-cylinder, as tax is a fair bit pricier.

Volvo sold a quite ludicrous array of trim lines throughout the V60’s life. It’s truly baffling, trying to work out what’s what, so we suggest you save the effort and look out for R-Design versions instead. These have sporty trim and good looks, plus the best seats and nicest interior trim.

ES is the most basic grade, but you will prefer SE instead: it has bigger wheels, Bluetooth, a purifying climate control system, a better audio set-up and nicer upholstery. SE Lux brings leather upholstery and brighter headlights.

Volvo also sold various option packs. The Winter Pack has heated front seats and headlight washers, the Security Pack has laminated side glass (which has the added bonus of being quieter at speed), and the Driver Support Pack has a full suite of active safety assist gadgets These include autonomous emergency braking and a blind-spot warning system.