THE SMARTER UTILITY VEHICLE (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Jonathan Crouch reports on the further improved version of Volvo's second generation XC60 Plug-in Hybrid mid-sized SUV.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 61

Volvo's XC90 is at its most appealing in this T8 Plug-in hybrid form. This car got its third update for the 2027 model year, the main further change being to the much longer-ranging PHEV model we're going to look at here. If you need seven seats in a big PHEV-powered family SUV, there still aren't too many better options than this.

Backgroundword count: 124

Like many of its rivals, Volvo wants to be an EV brand. But many of its customers still want the company's PHEV tech. And that's particularly true when it comes to the marque's largest SUV, the XC90. The second-generation version of the design, first launched back in 2015, has always had a line-up headed by a version with this maker's T8 Plug-in hybrid drivetrain. And Volvo's continually sought to improve it, first with an update in 2019, then with a more far-reaching 2025 model year enhancement and most recently with the model year 2027 update we're going to look at here. This car now heads its segment in terms of EV range yet can still offer the seven-seat versatility that so many owners want.

Driving Experienceword count: 390

Not much was done to the engineering of this second generation XC90 as part of the 2025 update; now we know why. The Swedish engineers were working on a class-leading step forward in this regard - or at least that's what you get from the Plug-in Hybrid powertrain we look at here anyway. It gains a massive increase in battery size - from 18.8kWh to 41.2kWh (37.9kWh usable). This facilitates an equally enormous increase in EV drive range - from 44 miles to a class-leading 99 miles. As before, the huge battery feeds a rear electric motor, which is now more powerful (up from 145 to 175hp) working in tandem with a 243hp 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine to produce a 406hp total. It's all enough to deliver a set of stats that it's rather hard to get your head around. So, 62mph from rest in just 5.4s - the kind of storming performance you'd get in this segment from, say, a Porsche Cayenne S - matched with real world fuel and CO2 readings that could potentially equal those of a frugal supermini. That's assuming you select the most performance-orientated of the five driving settings that T8 owners are offered - the 'Power' mode that sees both petrol and electric units permanently working together. Alternatively, there are four other drive choices: a 'Hybrid' setting that sees the two engines cutting in and out as necessary: an 'AWD' mode that gives you permanent 4x4 traction off road: plus a 'Pure electric' setting that only uses the battery power. There's even a 'Save' option so that on a longer trip, you can hold that charge until you get to the city driving you might have to do at the end of the journey. As before, there's unruffled poise and exemplary refinement, plus you get supple standards of ride comfort from the multi-link rear suspension and top variants continue to have the desirable 'Active Four-C' adaptive damping and air suspension package. A 'Drive Mode Settings' driving dynamics system allows you to tailor throttle response, steering feel and shift timings from the standard 8-speed auto gearbox to suit the way you want to drive. If you do decide to push on a bit, grip and traction are actually quite impressive aided by the AWD system, while cornering body roll is also decently well controlled.

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