2026 Volvo XC60 T8 Places the Enjoyable Into PHEV

The 2026 XC60 is the Volvo that swims within the deepest a part of the mainstream. It’s Swedish Fish. Like lingonberry-flavored gummy sweet, its enchantment is almost common. Even extra so now that it is out there as a plug-in hybrid for 2026.

First, a fast formality. The official title of this crossover is the 2026 Volvo XC60 T8 AWD Plug-In Hybrid Ultra. This from an organization that used to have solely three-digit numbers to differentiate its fashions. That was higher.

There is, regardless of the gargling title, nonetheless one thing aggressively Volvo-ish about this machine. It’s a throwback to the virtues of automobiles just like the robust, rugged, rear-wheel-driven fashions Volvo used to provide: automobiles that appealed profoundly to folks with superior graduate levels. It’s good with out being showy, fast with out being racy, and complicated with out being obscure. Also, it is handsome.

Our knowledgeable editors check each automobile we evaluation. Read extra about how we check and evaluation automobiles right here.

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The Lowdown

European market mannequin proven

Power comes from a transverse-mounted turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four which powers the entrance wheels by way of an eight-speed automated transmission, with an electrical motor turning the rear axle. A starter-generator motor is mounted between the engine and the gearbox, which may cost the battery and add torque as required.

Thanks to the presence of an 18.8-kWh battery pack, the plug-in XC60 has a claimed electric-only vary of as much as 35 miles utilizing the one electrical motor. Sadly, replenishing the battery utilizing the onboard charger is a sluggish affair, with the utmost 3.7-kW charge that means it would take at the very least 5 hours to juice the pack totally from empty.

• Vehicle Tested: 2026 Volvo XC60 T8 AWD Plug-In Hybrid Ultra
• Base Price: $70,950
• Price as examined: $80,070
• Location: Santa Monica, California

More Specs

Engine: 1998cc turbocharged inline-four with electrical motor

Power: 455 hp (complete system peak)

Torque: 523 lb-ft (complete system peak)

Transmission: 8-speed automated, front-wheel drive, plus electrical rear motor

Weight: 4793 kilos

EPA MPG: 28 / 28 / 28 (metropolis / freeway / mixed)

0-60 MPH: 4.4 seconds (Car and Driver testing)

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How Does It Drive?

The XC60 T8 could be handled like an EV, nevertheless it doesn’t make an particularly compelling one. I drove about 20 miles on Southern California’s freeways after a climb throughout the Santa Monica Mountains purely on the battery. On the 143-hp electrical motor, the 4649-pound XC60 wasn’t blazingly fast. But it was okay. Good sufficient for a commute. I did not get to check charging instances.

But it’s the combustion facet of the T8’s powertrain that brings the thrill. Making a formidable 312 hp in its personal proper, the turbocharged 4 works along with the electrical motor to ship system peaks of 455 hp and a chunky 523 lb-ft of torque. Fully unleashed, it is an unlikely rocket ship, dispatching the 0–60-mph benchmark in simply 4.4 seconds and with the quarter-mile ripping off in 13.0 seconds useless at 109 mph. That’s muscle-car territory; solely two tenths behind the 0–60 of the present Ford Mustang GT with the six-speed guide.

But as you anticipate from a automobile containing important portions of each combustion and electrical energy, it is hefty too. In testing, the XC60 T8 punished the scales at 4793 kilos. That’s 144 kilos greater than Volvo’s listed determine. Despite the mass, the Volvo continues to be rated at an honest 28 mpg within the mixed cycle.

Although the hybrid system is cut up by axle, with the gasoline engine supplying greater than twice as a lot to the entrance than the electrical motor delivers to the rear, I did not get any sense that the all-wheel drive was imbalanced. The XC60 T8 is among the many most enjoyable mid-size SUVs to thrash.

The automobile I examined got here with energetic air suspension, an $1800 choice. As I did not drive the usual steel-suspension model, I can not inform if that price represents a worthwhile improve, however I can affirm the air system delivered glorious consolation alongside physique management. The T8’s steering was properly weighted and exact, the throttle modulation was seamless, and the transmission was responsive (if not keen) for guide operation. The Volvo is just not as aggressive or as driver-focused because the smaller Porsche Macan, nevertheless it nonetheless seems like one of many extra rewarding automobiles within the phase.

What’s It Like to Live With?

For me, there isn’t a higher SUV inside than within the XC60. For 2026, the touchscreen within the middle of the dashboard has grown to 11.2 inches (from 9.0 inches final 12 months). But past elevated photon intrusion, that is not the largest enchantment of the cabin’s svelte, restrained design that makes use of totally different supplies successfully. Also, the seats are nice, the controls work with satisfying precision, and it is fairly dang quiet at cruising speeds.

The XC60 is a two-row SUV, so not the perfect automobile for a household with younger youngsters. But there is a maturity to the XC60’s innards that can enchantment to individuals who have older youngsters (and fewer messy stuff.) It’s for individuals who wish to take adults out with them for a night with out explaining why they’re stepping on crayons or Lego bricks. Legroom in again is ok, and the 21.0 cubic toes of storage behind the rear seat is satisfactory.

The Ultra I drove was loaded with just about all the pieces, together with a head-up show, lane-keeping radar cruise management, a 360-degree digicam system, and an enhanced Harman/Kardon audio system. But even probably the most fundamental XC60 T8 Core has a panoramic glass roof, trendy picket trim, Volvo’s distinctive crystal gear selector, and the identical person interface.

Should I Buy One?

The XC60 T8’s niceness is mirrored by pricing, which places it up towards some very robust opponents. The most simple T8 Core prices $63,740, together with a $1295 vacation spot cost. The Ultra I drove raises that to $73,540—and there is a Polestar Engineered on the top quality, which pushes to $82,390. If the plug-in hybrid system is a deal breaker, then the common gasoline XC60 begins at $53,290, though with solely 247 hp.

But the plug-in model is clearly the very best XC60 and absolutely among the many easiest crossovers on the market. This is one time we would suggest looking for the additional.

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Highlights and Lowlights

We Love:

• Great-looking inside and outdoors.
• Performance and luxury.
• Useful all-electric vary, though far in need of being an EV.

We Don’t:

• Hefty weight.
• Hefty worth.
• Less helpful than a three-row for precise hauling.

Favorite Detail:

I’m digging the “Thor’s Hammer” headlights as a particular Volvo characteristic throughout the vary. They’re handsome with out being a movable mild present that challenges downtown Kuala Lumpur on a Saturday night time for spectacle.