Volvo V60 PHEV 2013 Review - International

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Not so much
>> Diesel engine is not as refined as German diesels
>> Similar boot space in a sedan would be unacceptable
>> Not enough time in the car

Volvo's highly regarded V60 wagon is a known quantity. It's a handsome vehicle that performs well and delivers all the safety, durability and comfort any owner could want. But now Volvo is bringing to market a V60 variant that does all that — while taking the manufacturer down a new technology path for the 21st Century.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) embraces both diesel and hybrid technology for an exceptionally frugal car that requires almost no compromises on the part of the owner. Toyota really introduced hybrid-drive technology to the mainstream market, GM took that further with the range-extending Volt and now that volume-selling plug-in hybrid risks being trumped by the Volvo.

Volvo markets the V60 PHEV with a 'D6' badge on the tailgate, to remind those behind that this is not a car to be trifled with at the traffic lights. According to the manufacturer, its performance compares with the T6 (turbocharged petrol six-cylinder) model. The diesel that (intermittently) powers the V60 Hybrid develops 215hp — plus 440Nm, importantly — and the electric motor at the rear of the car musters another 70hp.

In combination, the power of the two drive units will see off some pretty quick cars. But should the owner be more eco-sensitive, the car can be far more economical to drive than practically any other car on the road. Impressively, the car achieves both feats without the driver feeling something's missing.

A couple of laps around Volvo's billiard-table-like proving ground track tells little about the car's ride quality, but handling, steering and roadholding meet the standard we've come to expect from Volvo's mid-size wagon (and its sibling, the S60 sedan). The hybrid V60 offered the same sort of dynamic traits as its conventional siblings. In other words, it turned in well and tracked consistently through the corners.

In respect of design and packaging, it's very much like any other V60. There's significantly reduced volume in the luggage compartment, but what remains is useful, because the floor has been raised 60mm, although the length and width are the same as the standard car. So despite the drop from 430 litres to just 305, it's still handy space.

The reason for the reduced luggage capacity is the positioning of the batteries in the driveshaft tunnel and where the conventional car's fuel tank would be located. For the hybrid, the fuel tank is now smaller — down from 72 litres to 45 — and some of the space freed up by that is now occupied by batteries.

All of this sounds like robbing Peter to pay Paul, from a packaging perspective, but Volvo's Fredrick Hofling explained that the car will still achieve a range of over 1000km on a tank of fuel — a 45-litre tank, not a 72-litre tank, remember — and the combined-cycle test for the New European Drive Cycle standard yielded a result of just 1.9L/100km. The NEDC test is a very similar standard to our own ADR 81/02.

The V60 hybrid is naturally very quiet in 'Pure' (electric only) mode, but is noisier once the diesel engine cranks over, especially from a cold start. It does settle down as it warms up and, given the car's frugal running, its performance is quite startling.

The electric motor in the rear balances out and practically eliminates any semblance of turbo lag from the diesel once the driver drops the hammer. And the diesel itself starts rapidly and responsively when called upon — as in emergencies or should the driver just want to have some fun. If there's any specific misgiving about the diesel engine's role in the V60 hybrid, it's the oiler's gruffness, as mentioned, especially when it's cold.

But this is one hybrid that doesn't need the internal-combustion engine to be operating constantly, which does result in drivers noticing the diesel engine's NVH even more when it is running. Most owners are likely to find they can take the kids to school and run some errands at the shops, before returning home — without the diesel necessarily cranking over at all. It's an achievement of note, to develop a vehicle that's quite so driveable, without sacrificing fuel efficiency.

Even using half throttle or more in Pure mode, the diesel wouldn't burst into life. Try that in a Toyota hybrid. The car on electric power only is still comfortably quick accelerating up to speed. The diesel is there for all-out grunt, but it will be rarely needed by most drivers.

To achieve that level of driveability the Volvo is not as principled or as pure as a car such as GM's Volt. Unlike that car, the V60 hybrid's internal combustion engine does drive the car mechanically, but the engine takes auto-stop/start to a new level, stopping itself while the car is still on the move, courtesy of the rear-mounted electric motor.

Volvo engineers have developed an electric pump to continue lubricating the six-speed automatic transmission while the engine is not running, but the electric motor in the rear is driving the rear wheels in 'Pure' mode. It's sensible, and the transition from electric to diesel, vice-versa or both of the above is utterly seamless in terms of power delivery. You can certainly hear the diesel fire up, but you won't really feel any distinct change in power delivery through the right foot.

Assuming the V60 is a car that appeals to buyers anyway — and there's no doubt that it should — the hybrid is the cherry on top. It's an elegant solution, in contrast with other hybrids that frequently feel overcomplicated, slow and not as frugal as they promised.

The only hurdle remaining is the price of the V60 PHEV, landed in Australia. We're told by Volvo Australia it will certainly come in under $100,000, but other than that no one's quite sure what it will set you back.

If you're the kind of person to work out the sums based on running costs amortising the purchase price over a given lease period, this may not be the car for you. If, on the other hand, you are fascinated by technology but like driving and you are worried about the environment, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will certainly be worth a look.