Volvo XC60

The new XC60 gets a tiered dashboard, clean, airy and streamlined featuring premium quality materials and details.

A dual-screen (instrument cluster, infotainment) dominated layout, both variants come in a Charcoal interior, with differentiating design schemes. 

Variant B5 Plus gets two (Charcoal Moritz upholstery with Metal Mesh decor, Maroon Brown Moritz upholstery with Linear Lime decor).

Whereas, variant Recharge T8 Ultimate gets one (Charcoal Open Grid Textile and Metal Mesh decor).

Paired to the dash is a matching and widely flat centre console, featuring gear shifters in synthetic leather (B5 Plus) and Orrefors Crystal (Recharge T8 Ultimate). 

Overall, it is well designed. All the buttons and other accessibilities are purposefully arranged, driver-centric and user-friendly.

The interior is in leatherette (B5 Plus) and Nappa leather with Open Grid Textile (Recharge T8 Ultimate) upholsteries, featuring variant-specific Charcoal schemes.

Variant B5 Plus gets two (Charcoal Moritz upholstery with Metal Mesh decor, Maroon Brown Moritz upholstery with Linear Lime decor). 

Meanwhile, variant Recharge T8 Ultimate gets one (Charcoal Open Grid Textile and Metal Mesh decor).

Fitted are electronic-powered seats (front - adjustable, lumbar, memory (driver side - B5 Plus)). The rear gets a bench seat (60:40 split-fold) with a centre armrest (fold-out).

Completing the cabin are mood lighting (door panels, centre console), Charcoal headliner, and Panoramic glass sunroof (electric - dark tint, UV protect, sunshade - Recharge T8 Ultimate).

A full-sized five-seater, the SUV offers plenty of interior mobility, meaning front and rear occupants get ample space. Sufficient head-, shoulder-, and leg-room. 

Numerous storage compartments. E.g., side door and seat back pockets, centre console partitioned and caverned spaces (armrest storage), driver-dash card holder, and an extensible hook-integrated glove box.

Mounted is a three-spoke sport steering wheel, wrapped in leather-free synthetic material with colour-matched stitching and Silver trims. Two tone (B5 Plus) and Charcoal (Recharge T8 Ultimate). 

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, Media, Voice Recognition, Vehicle settings), column adjustments (tilt, telescopic), paddle shifters (Recharge T8 Ultimate), and a heating function.

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Provided are four cup holders (two - front, rear), and four bottle holders (two - front, rear).

Several power outlets are available. E.g., USB charging ports, 12 V power sockets and a wireless charger. 

Weighing in at 1,842 KG (B5 Plus) and 2,151 KG (Recharge T8 Ultimate), the new XC60 stands at 4,708 MM long, 1,902 MM wide, 1,651 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,865 MM.

Sportily stocky, it radiates a horizontal outlook, adorned by angularly smooth and chiselled lines.

The rear-end of variant B5 Plus sees a body-coloured roof-edge spoiler, paired to a protruding-style bumper with integrated tailpipes. 

Thanks to the R-Design package, variant Recharge T8 Ultimate upgrades to a more aggressive looking bumper with hidden tailpipes.

Heightening the layout are chrome trimmings (B5 Plus), and gloss black trimmings (R-Design - Recharge T8 Ultimate).

Framed angularly-smooth, fitted are Pixel LED units, with ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL). 

Features are Adaptive High Beam (AHB), and automatic On/Off, levelling and cornering light functions.

Unique and highly-warped, the fairly large tail lamps are vertically-positioned and wrapped-around. Fitted are LED combination units.

Body-coloured (B5 Plus) and Black-capped (Recharge T8 Ultimate), the side mirrors are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with turn- and blind-spot indicators, and memory and auto-dimming functions.

Installed is a setup of ventilated disc brakes (front, rear). Drive is aided by an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

Variant B5 Plus rides on a set of 19-Inch five-V-spoke Black Diamond-cut alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R19 tyres. 

Variant Recharge T8 Ultimate surges on a set of 19-Inch five-double-spoke Black Diamond-cut alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R19 tyres.

Passive safety includes six airbags (driver-passenger, front side, front-rear curtain), Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) for front seats, seatbelts (anchor, reminder, pretensioner), ISOFIX (anchor, top tether), auto-dimming rear-view mirrors (exterior, interior), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), parking sensors (B5 Plus (four - front, rear) - Recharge T8 Ultimate (six - front, rear)), ready-to-drive notification, emergency stop assist, door ajar warning, impact beams (side, front), Run-Off Road Protection, tyre sealant kit, extra-thick tempered side windows (front, rear), and security alarm (immobiliser, anti-theft).

Entertainment is channelled via a 600 W, 14-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Sound Audio System (B5 Plus), and a 1,410 W, 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins High Fidelity Audio System (Recharge T8 Ultimate).

Harboured in the new XC60 are two powertrain setups (MHEV - Mild Hybrid, PHEV - Plug-In Hybrid). 

Variant B5 Plus embeds a 2.0-Litre four-cylinder direct injection turbo petrol engine (249 HP, 350 NM), mated to a 48-Volt Mild Hybrid system with an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) (11 HP, 30 NM). 

The combined output reads at 260 HP of max power and 380 NM of max torque.

Variant Recharge T8 Ultimate fuses a 2.0-Litre four-cylinder turbocharged with e-boost petrol engine (317 HP, 400 NM), mated to a rear-axle mounted electric motor (145 HP, 400 NM). 

The combined output reads at 462 HP of max power and 709 NM of max torque.

Fuel tank capacity is at 71-Litres, and the combined fuel consumption reads at 7.6 L/100 KM (B5 Plus) and 1.6 L/100 KM (Recharge T8 Ultimate).

Juicing up the e-motor (Recharge T8 Ultimate) is an 18.8 KWH battery, providing a total pure electric driving range of 81 KM. 

Upgraded are the on-board chargers (OBC) (Recharge T8 Ultimate). 

Two/three phase AC charging (6.4 KW) takes three hours for a 0% to 100% State of Charge (SoC). 

Single phase AC charging takes four hours (4.0 KW) and seven hours (2.4 KW) for a 0% to 100% SoC. 

Underpinned is Volvo’s Dynamic Chassis, featuring a suspension setup of double wishbone (front) and multi-link with transverse light-weight leaf spring (rear).

Ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time. The vehicle delivers a connected steering feel, with more linear and balanced weighing at all speeds. 

Overall, it is spacious and comfortable, and the ride quality is satisfactory. Safe and suitable for a daily driver.

The 2024 Volvo XC60 is a great day-to-day e-SUV. First, it offers a comfortably spacious cabin thanks to its fairly stocky build.

Second, its shell envelopes a premium and sophisticated interior, providing advanced connectivity, lounge-like comfort, and plenty of safety features.

Overall, its build quality is satisfactory, and with its commanding demeanour, the new XC60 is surely a Volvo for Malaysians to consider.