Volvo XC60

The Volvo XC60 is the middle child of Volvo’s SUV lineup. With this second facelift for the second-generation avatar, the XC60’s formula remains the same - deliver luxury in a subtle and graceful manner. 

Having spent some time with it and its rivals, such as the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Audi Q5, the Volvo immediately stands out with a sense of sophistication in every aspect of the car. But is that enough for you to consider it over its flashy rivals? Let’s find out

The Volvo XC60 is the epitome of elegant car designs: no flash, no excess, just clean and thoughtful luxury. Despite the facelift bringing only minute updates, the Volvo XC60 remains as one of the most beautiful-looking cars this side of the Rs 1 crore mark.

The long and sleek nose continues to be adorned by chrome elements that now sit on a slightly revised grille and front bumper. The headlights, while familiar, have also been tweaked, but still retain that signature Thor’s hammer-like DRL detailing.

With its estate-like silhouette, the Volvo XC60 doesn’t look like a typical SUV. The design looks super clean and fluid with no unnecessary cuts and creases. It sits on 19-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, which suit the character of the car.

The estate-like looks are very apparent from the rear three-quarters in the way the extended tailgate almost protrudes outwards as if it is being stretched. The LED tail lights dominate the rear in what is otherwise a rather sober design. The Volvo badge sits right in the middle of the tailgate, while the XC60 and B5 variant badges can be found under the left and right tail light, respectively.

Even the colour options on offer with the 2025 Volvo XC60 are rather sophisticated. There are 7 monotone shades to choose from: Crystal White Pearl, Onyx Black, Denim Blue, Thunder Grey, Platinum Grey, and Bright Dusk. The 2025 update also gets the Mulberry Red shade, albeit limited to very few units.

Overall, the Volvo XC60 has a timeless design, and in a day and age where others are trying radical approaches to garner attention, the XC60’s understated grace makes it stand out without much effort.

Design and Quality

The interior of the 2025 Volvo XC60 remains as graceful as ever. The design hasn’t been hampered much, and Volvo has just refined what was already a very luxurious cabin to begin with. There are only two themes two choose from: an all-black theme and a dual tone theme with Blond seats and black dashboard. While the Blond theme adds a sense of space to the already spacious cabin, they might prove tough to maintain in our tropical and dusty environment.

As far as the quality is concerned, the XC60 scores full marks and then some. There’s heavy usage of sustainable and vegan leather alternatives that feel premium and upmarket. While everything feels nice to touch and use, the crystal gear knob stands out with its intricacy. Not only does it look absolutely stunning, but it also feels expensive to use with its heavy throw.

Front seats

The front seats of the Volvo XC60 are super comfortable, and getting in and out of them doesn’t require too much effort either. The side bolsters hold and support you well, and the adjustable underthigh extension is a great tool to improve comfort on long journeys. You can even adjust the lumbar (4-way) and side supports for better comfort. 

Of course, the front seats are powered and have a memory function as well. With tilt and telescopic steering adjustment, finding a comfortable and commanding driving position is fairly simple. 

Rear seats

If you plan to be chauffeur-driven, the Volvo XC60’s rear seats offer a good experience for two occupants. The space is generous with ample legroom and headroom even for taller adults. With the seat base angled upwards, you get good under-thigh support as well, which can be improved by stretching your legs out under the front seats. 

The XC60’s rear seats and their supports were designed with the maximum comfort of two people in mind. As a result, even though the cabin is wide enough to accommodate three, the bumps in the seat base and protruding backrest won’t let the middle passenger be comfortable. There’s also a huge central tunnel, which restricts the area where occupants can rest their feet. 

For amenities, there are rear AC vents with dedicated fan speed control and a central armrest. 

Storage and practicality

The Volvo XC60’s cabin is practical enough for four people. All four doors have storage for 1-litre bottles, the central console packs two cupholders under the retractable section with open storage ahead on the wireless phone charging pad. The central armrest and glovebox both pack a decent storage space for small items. The former is cooled as well.

Rear passengers get seat back pockets in the form of nets and two cupholders in the central armrest.

Charging options

There are two 12V sockets in the Volvo XC60. One inside the front central tunnel and one in the boot. It also gets four Type-C charging ports, two at the front and two at the back. There is a wireless phone charger as well.

Features

The features list of the Volvo XC60 won’t leave you wanting for more. 

The 11.2-inch touchscreen is a Google-based unit with built-in Google Maps and Assistant. With the former, you technically don’t need to, but if you want to, connecting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will have to be done via a cable. There is no wireless connectivity. But when it comes to using it, the screen is hard to fault. It is responsive, has a bright resolution with crisp graphics, and a fairly easy-to-navigate interface. 

Even the 9-inch driver’s display is easy to use. It is rather straightforward with no different layouts or themes to choose from. It shows you only critical information like your door ajar warning, fuel/temperature status, and trip details. It does, however, get the integration for map display, which makes navigation easier.

I enjoyed blasting music on the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system. The audio output is one of the best in the segment, and pair it with the massaging front seats, and it can put you in a state of blissful trance after a long day at work. The massaging function is only available on the front seats, however, and I wish Volvo extended this feature to the second row as well.

Other features in the XC60 work as they should, and won’t give you a reason to complain about.

If there’s a brand that’s synonymous with safety, it has to be Volvo. And that statement reflects well and truly in the 2025 XC60. All features, including Level-2 autonomous driving assistance features (ADAS), 360-degree camera, hill-hold assist, ISOFIX mounts, and 7 airbags, are offered as standard.

The 360-degree camera offers a good experience with no lag or frame drops and works well at night, too. But the parking sensors can be oversensitive, and keep going off as soon as someone/something comes even remotely close to the car. 

While this facelifted XC60 is yet to be tested, the pre-facelift got a good 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

The Volvo XC60 offers 483 litres of usable space with a low loading lip, wide opening, and split-folding rear seats. The boot is wide and tall enough to accommodate a full-size suitcase along with some small bags. For a family of four, it’ll easily haul their weekend’s worth of luggage with ease. There’s also a hatch in the middle that opens into the rear seats, and can be useful for storing long items like a golf bag.

If you don’t have rear passengers, the rear seats can be folded easily and offer you a flat floor. I liked the versatility that the parcel cover offered. In case you want to load the boot to the brim, you can do so by retreating the cover. Alternatively, if you want to conceal something, it has two levels at which you can place it to hide whatever it is that you want to hide.

The 2025 Volvo XC60 is powered by a 2-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system. It’s paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive as standard. There is no diesel engine on offer.

As you’d expect from a Volvo, this engine is a smooth and refined unit. It won’t give you any performance thrills, but the performance is comparable to what others offer in the segment, and is enough for all regular commutes and drives.

City Performance

The XC60 feels effortless and refined in the city. The engine is so smooth, and the overall insulation is to such an extent that it becomes tough to tell whether the engine is running or not. It crawls smoothly from a standstill and has no problems keeping pace with the traffic or even overtaking it whenever needed. 

The automatic transmission will feel butter smooth in your daily drives. It keeps you in the right gear and functions without any jerks. 

In terms of fuel efficiency, you can expect a figure of around 10 kmpl in the city.

Highway Performance

The Volvo XC60 has no problems hitting and cruising at triple-digit speeds. The performance is strong, even for an overtake at speeds of 100-120kmph, but it won’t ever feel exciting. That’s because the power delivery, despite the turbocharged nature of the engine, isn’t delivered all of a sudden and remains smooth as you build speed for a quick overtake.

The gearbox isn’t as quick as a dual-clutch transmission, but it shifts down a gear without much hesitation. It is reactive enough to not give you any issues for an overtake, but in case you don’t want any delays in downshifts, you can use the beautiful crystal gear lever to manually drop a gear. 

Drive it sensibly, and the XC60 can return a fuel efficiency of around 12-14kmpl on the highway.

Ride Quality

The Volvo XC60 will keep you comfortable over speedbreakers and potholes, provided that you take things easy. Regular potholes and speedbreakers are absorbed well, but the suspension isn’t able to take the edge off of the sharper bumps. You do feel them inside the cabin, but there’s never a sudden jerk that will make you uncomfortable.

I found that using the off-road mode makes the suspension a bit softer and more compliant over the imperfections. Highway stability is impressive, and you will feel confident doing triple-digit speeds for hours. 

Handling

Driving the XC60, despite its size, is fairly simple in the city. The steering is light and easy to use, so making a U-turn or a three-point turn doesn’t take a lot of effort. If you want, there’s a dynamic steering mode which increases the weight of the steering wheel too, for more confidence at higher speeds.

The XC60 handles like a safe and predictable SUV. You can carry speeds around a corner without any issues, but don’t expect it to be as dynamic as a BMW X3.

Volvo offers the 2025 XC60 in a single fully-loaded variant called B5 AWD.

The Volvo XC60 is a great SUV for someone who wants a luxurious indulgence without boasting about it in others’ faces. It delivers similar levels of space, comfort, features, technology and performance as its rivals, but goes about it in an understated, graceful and elegant way, which will only be truly appreciated by someone with impeccable taste. At this price, nobody does luxury in such a sophisticated fashion. 

Other Cars To Consider Instead Of The Volvo XC60

BMW X3

Reasons to consider

• Sportier styling inside-out

• Overall package feels more youthful 

• Option of a diesel engine

Reasons to ignore

• You prefer a more subtle and elegant design

• More expensive

• Cabin quality isn’t as premium

• No massaging seat function

Mercedes-Benz GLC

Reasons to consider

• More powerful petrol engine

• Subtle and premium-looking design

• Option of a diesel engine

Reasons to ignore

• No massaging seat function

Audi Q5

Reasons to consider

• More fun to drive

Reasons to ignore

• Less rear seat space

• No ADAS features

• Overall styling feels a bit dated