Volvo V60 2020 Review

Wagons like the new 2020 V60 T5 Inscription might have etched Volvo’s name into our automotive conscience, but SUVs are unmistakably the Swedish marque’s current driver of success.

Track the past 10 years of Volvo’s fortunes and it’s easy to see why. First the XC90 was unveiled in 2014, then the XC60 and, most recently, the carsales Car of the Year-winning XC40. Not only has this trio underlined a real return to form for the Geely-owned Volvo, but they have driven record sales in Australia and abroad.

That brings us back to Volvo’s modern-day wagon. Forget the clichés: the 2020 Volvo V60 plays to the same strengths as the car-maker’s SUV set with striking design inside and out, first-rate safety, efficient four-cylinder engines and surefooted all-wheel-drive dynamics.

Those familiar character traits are thanks in a large part to the V60’s underpinnings; like the larger S90/V90 passenger vehicles and the matching S60 sedan, the V60 sits on the same SPA platform as the Swede’s popular SUV offerings.

There are shared styling touches that adorn the V60, too -- the Thor’s ‘hammer’ LED headlights, bolder character lines and extended tail lights are all part of Volvo’s SUV recipe. Familiar themes also define the interior, like the minimalist portrait-oriented centre display and first-rate tech.

But the good news for wagon fans is the V60 undercuts the equivalent XC60 high-rider by about $10,000. It’s also considerably cheaper than direct European wagon rivals: the BMW 3 Series Touring, Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate.

And 4761 x 1432 x 1850mm (L, H, W) overall, riding on a 2872mm wheelbase, it delivers at the very least comparable space, riding on the longest wheelbase of the quartet.

All V60 models are powered by the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder save for the flagship T8 R-Design, which employs a petrol-electric hybrid and is priced from $86,990 (plus on-road costs). More the oily bits below.

Pricing for the 2020 Volvo V60 range starts at $56,990 (plus on-road costs) in Australia for the T5 Momentum, moving up to $62,990 for the T5 Inscription driven here. Essentially, the Volvo V60 T5 Inscription sits somewhere near the middle of the four-grade V60 line-up.

All V60 models get LED headlights and tail-lights, a 9.0-inch multimedia touch-screen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as DAB+ digital radio, keyless entry, auto-dimming rear-vision mirror, auto-dimming and folding wing mirrors, dual-zone climate control and real leather trim on the seats and steering wheel. Plus a power tailgate.

Sitting one up from the entry model, the V60 T5 Inscription gets 19-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive LED headlight function (moves with steering inputs), head-up display, four-zone climate control, ambient lighting, heated front seats with cushion extensions and a 230-volt power outlet in the rear console.

The entire Volvo portfolio was revisited in terms of aftersales pricing last year. As such, the V60 is offered with a three-year/45,000km servicing plan for $1595 spaced across 12-month/15,000km intervals.

Volvo recently announced it would upgrade to a five-year/unlimited kilometres warranty – matching the provisions offered by mainstream marques and that of Mercedes-Benz, which recently uprated its new car aftersales coverage.

The 2020 Volvo V60 T5 Inscription’s standard safety suite is impressive as you’d expect: AEB City Safety (pooling together pedestrian, vehicle, large animal and cyclist detection, intersection collision and oncoming mitigation with brake support and steering support), adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert plus Volvo’s side impact protection system.

In addition, the V60 offers full airbag coverage and driver assistance features. There are two ISOFIX attachment points in the outer pews of the rear bench, but sadly, the V60 doesn’t get the XC60’s brilliant built-in booster seats.

There’s an ultra-clear rear-view camera and a matching digital display to convey nearby objects (but no overhead camera) but the ‘natural’ outward view is clear and unobscured thanks to a large glasshouse.

The tuning of the respective safety functions is sound; during our 700km road test, there were no unintended braking events and each technology worked benignly in the background until it was required.

Very smart.

As with Volvo’s larger SUVs, the V60 line-up is four-cylinder only, sending drive to all-four wheels via automatic transmissions.

The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four offered in the V60 T5 Inscription brings 187kW/350Nm outputs, correlating with a nought to 100km/h time of 6.5sec. It must be said, that’s fairly respectable for a 1.8-tonne wagon.

The four-pot belies its relatively small capacity with linear, torque-laden performance. The full 350Nm is available from 1500-4800rpm, while peak power arrives at 5500rpm.

The on-road translation of those figures is smooth, refined power across the rev range. The 2.0-litre is well matched with its eight-speed automatic, too, meaning the combination rarely feels flustered or caught out.

When pushed, the T5 will offer enough herbs to round up a semi-trailer before the overtaking lane ends, and is happy to rev through to its circa 6500rpm cut-out. At this point, however, the engine takes on a coarser tone that can detract from the serene driving experience.

Ultimately, the T5 engine doesn’t feel as spritely as other four-pots in this segment – Audi and BMW’s petrol turbos both spring to mind. Nor is it as efficient as its 7.3L/100km claim might have you believe. We averaged 8.5L/100km in a mix of conditions.

Hankering for some Scandinavian design cues? Settling into the driver’s seat of the V60 ought to whet your appetite.

In short, the interior is one of the V60’s highlights, ably mixing clever, functional and pretty design with cavernous proportions and handy touches.

Volvo’s 9.0-inch portrait-style touch-screen, which controls everything from the climate control settings to infotainment and settings, is the key to the minimalist cabin design. Navigating the respective menus can require a couple of steps, but in truth you can almost commit regular processes to muscle memory with time at the wheel.

An immediate point of difference upon burrowing into the remarkably thin but still comfortable driver’s chair is the open glasshouse of the V60. There are no obscured rear windows or cumbersome A-pillars here, folks, just clear viewing. This is especially the case in direct comparison with the BMW 330i Touring, with its comparatively streamlined rear window and bulky A-pillars.

Materials adorning the V60’s key contact points are well finished and soft to touch, broken up by wood panelling and metallic elements across the dashboard. Unless you opt for a vegan option, the seats are genuine leather, offering supreme comfort and support.

We were also enamoured by the fitment of a 230-volt power outlet in the rear seat. Very handy, combining with two USB ports up front and a 12-volt outlet in the boot.

Speaking of boot, this is where the wagon argument gathers a bit more momentum. At 529 litres, the V60’s cargo area is bigger than the equivalent XC60 SUV (505 litres) and S60 sedan (442 litres).

It’s on a par too with its BMW, Benz and Audi counterparts. We were able to fit a designer pram and full suitcase side by side.

With the split-folding seat stowed, the V60’s cargo area extends to accommodate a full-size mountain bike without a hassle.

Subjectively speaking: how handsome is this Pebble Grey example? There’s a genuine sophisticated bent to the V60 that screams to the rest of the world ‘I’m quite comfortable with being a bit different’.

What’s more, the V60 trades the often bulky and cumbersome dynamics of SUVs for something more car-like. That said, the V60 is geared more towards outright comfort than performance – possibly signalled by the fact the T5 Inscription doesn’t have steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

For that reason, the Volvo V60 ultimately doesn’t really threaten the dynamic domain of a BMW 3 Series Touring, and nor does it intend to. The steering is lighter and slower and the body is more prone to roll through corners, without ever feeling ham-fisted or disconcerting.

When pushed, the Volvo V60 upholds reassuring dynamics, with a moderate grip threshold on Continental rubber and excellent safety net, brought about partially by its full-time all-wheel drive system.

Riding on 19-inch wheels and without adaptive or air suspension, our test car did a commendable job of isolating occupants from bumps in the road. There was a slight tendency for it to become floaty over pitter-patter obstacles, and it’s not the fastest to recover from large washouts, but at all times it felt controlled and composed.

Cabin noise is middle of the road for this segment; not terrible but certainly not benchmark, with a tendency to thud over harsh imperfection and resonate coarse-chip rumble ever so slightly.

As you’d expect, the V60 excels in being safe and pragmatic – typical virtues of any traditional Volvo.

Clever tech, excellent safety and family-friendly proportions are all redeeming features. And best of all, those traits are combined with one other -- it’s not another high-riding, bloody SUV…

How much does the 2020 Volvo V60 T5 Inscription cost?
Price: $62,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 187kW/350Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)