2024 VOLVO V60 RECHARGE COULD BE THE PERFECT FAMILY CAR. SADLY, NOBODY CARES

You may think that an SUV or a crossover is the perfect vehicle to carry your loved ones from point A to point B, but I'm here to tell you that a good-old fashioned station wagon is still the best family-friendly solution. There are several reasons for this which I'll be more than happy to run by you in my latest review of the 2024 Volvo V60 Recharge.

It's sad to see how the station wagon - a popular type of vehicle in other parts of the world - has taken a backseat to SUVs in the U.S. and Canada. Take a peak at Volvo's 60 Series (the S60 sedan and V60 wagon) sales figures, and you'll see it for yourself; less than 15,000 units were shipped on this continent last year. It's even more depressing when you consider that Volvo sold more than three times as many XC60 crossovers during the same period.

But you know what? I don't care. I'm still going to go ahead and recommend this before an XC60, and you're about to find out why.

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge First Impressions

While I'm quite familiar with the Volvo S60 sedan, the last time I drove the V60 station wagon was way back during its product launch in 2019. That's right, that's how long this car has been on sale in its current form, yet, it still looks adequately attractive, now doesn't it?

At this point, it's become cliché to associate Volvo cars with a beautiful Scandinavian design. It's expected given that the company is Swedish. Yes, I know that Volvo is now owned by Chinese giant Geely, but all the design, the engineering and the cold-weather testing is still done in Gothenburg.

Look, the V60 looks good because it has elegant, sporty proportions, a menacing front end adorned with the company's iconic Thor's Hammer LED headlights, and the brand's expected oversize taillights for, you know, improved safety. The package is then wrapped in a beautifully understated demeanor that's never too loud, but never too subtle.

All V60 Recharge models are now "Polestar Engineered", which gives them the stunning 19-inch wheels you're seeing in these photos. Behind those wheels, the signature Polestar Brembo brake calipers, in gold

Driving Impressions And Performance

Polestar Engineered basically means that the car was tuned by Polestar by way of improved chassis dynamics and brakes. It was also fitted with a set of Öhlins performance shock absorbers.

The Recharge plug-in hybrid drivetrain (internally called the T8) is also the V60's most potent. It combines a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors; one that acts as a generator to power the car's accessories, the other installed on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels. A 14.9-kWh liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery ensures full electric locomotion for up to 41 miles. The entire setup is then mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

What's particularly impressive about this drivetrain is the amount of combined output it puts down. When everything is working in sync, the all-wheel drive V60 is good for a combined 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, or 0 to 60 MPH in less than 4.5 seconds.

Volvo also did a great job of fixing the throttle delays of the early cars. While it still takes a little while until the whole drivetrain understands what you want from it, it's a lot quicker to react and, more importantly, considerably more coherent when everything operates in tandem.

Your best bet if you're going to perform with the V60 is to set the car to its Polestar Engineered mode. That'll quicken up response times when flooring that throttle.

Each time I drive the S and V60, I'm reminded by how great their chassis is. The automotive press is quick to put the German car brands on a podium when it comes to negotiating a corner quickly, but this V60 has nothing to envy its main European rivals.

Its chassis is rock solid, its suspension damping - while always on the stiff side - is calibrated for sportiness. Even its steering is quick to react and precise. In terms of driving dynamics, the S/V60 really is Volvo's best-kept secret. It's at least 50% more fun to drive than an SUV.

Performance Specifications

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge Energy Consumption, Range And Charging

Before driving this car, I had an opinion about plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). Since I live in a northern climate, these types of vehicle never actually drive in EV mode. In order to keep the battery and cabin warm, the internal combustion engine (ICE) constantly kicks in, defeating the purpose of getting a plug-in hybrid in the first place. I also find these types of vehicles uselessly complicated.

But the V60 Recharge convinced me that there may be hope for PHEVs. While I did have a ton of fun hooning it like a sports car, it also proved to be a formidable zero-emission urban companion for my dad duties. For starters, due to a smaller capacity battery than on a fully electric vehicle, it takes less time to fully charge the V6 Recharge on a home charger. Within about four hours on my home unit, I was good to go.

I was also surprised that, although outdoor temperatures hung below the freezing point, the V60 very seldom activated its ICE. It only did it during a cold start one morning to get the heater going, but it quickly shut it off again, allowing me to do everything I had to do in EV mode.

But I must warn you of the fact that when the V60 Recharge is running in full electric mode, it becomes rear-wheel drive due to that electric traction motor being out the rear. That caught me off guard during a light snowfall.

The car is also significantly slower that way since that rear motor only develops 143 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque. Still, it was enough to get myself, my wife, my son, and my dog around town.

The table below shows official and tested energy and fuel consumption data for the V60 Recharge. I invite you to compare these with those of the Volvo XC60, powered by the same drivetrain. You'll discover another reason to opt for a wagon instead of an SUV.

Energy Consumption Data

Interior Design And Comfort

The V60's interior is essentially the same as back in 2019, for better or for worse. While it's true that competing luxury brands now offer splashier cabins, the V60's spartan, yet elegant layout nevertheless remains competitive. Everything is put together with a sense of quality and longevity.

There are also some neat design details in this cabin. The signature glass shifter is an elegant piece, while the center-mounted start/stop button may appear to be an afterthought, but it's actually a nod to the center-mounted ignition switch in old Saabs.

The Bowers & Wilkens speaker grilles on the door cards and the dash-mounted tweeter not only look like fine pieces of audio equipment, but they generate one of the most satisfying acoustic experiences I've ever witnessed inside an automobile. Also, yellow seatbelts mean fast!

The V60 is a compact wagon, so it does at times feel tight in there, especially if you're of a larger format like yours truly. But it is a comfortable car thanks to seats that envelop you in an almost chiropractic way. Volvo has always excelled in seat comfort, and the V60 is no exception. At the rear, a baby's seat will fit no stress, while a tall adult might need to ask the person in front of them to move their seat forward due to limited legroom. Headroom, however, is never an issue thanks to the roof's shape.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

The V60 features a touch-operated, Android-based, portrait-style infotainment tablet. While it does appear to be the same basic Sensus system Volvo has been employing in its cars since 2015, it's made huge strides over the years thanks to software updates and the integration of the Android environment.

The interface itself will take some time getting used to due to the hidden menus and minimalist design. You'll need to pinch, swipe left, right, up, and down to truly unwrap everything this system hides underneath the hood. But once I got my head around it, I found it rather enjoyable to operate thanks to its quick-reacting nature and beautiful esthetics.

The home screen stacks all vital apps one above the other in a clean, non-offensive way. I also appreciate how Volvo kept the screen rather small, as if to tell you that this is really all you need in life. I like that. But I do find the touch-operated climate controls finicky. These should always rely on physical knobs.

It's the same story for the digital instrument cluster, which gives you the information you need and nothing more. It's possible to add the Google Maps navigation screen as a background, or simply leave that area blank, allowing you to focus solely on vital information.

Cargo And Storage Space

But the reason why wagons are so cool is because, as we've established, they handle and perform like a sports sedan, consume about the same amount of energy in the process, yet, offer as much, and in some cases, more cargo space than some crossovers. I kid you not folks, the V60 has a larger trunk than an XC60 (17.1 cu-ft) when its rear seat is in place. See the table below for reference.

How The 2024 Volvo V60 Compares To Its Competition

The beauty of the Volvo V60 Recharge is that it doesn't really have any competitors. It's sort of alone on its rock, at least here in North America. Yes, it's true that Audi sells the A6 Allroad, but that's an adventure wagon that rather competes against the V60 Cross Country. It's the same story for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain.

There's the Audi RS 6 Avant, but that's a much faster, more powerful, and more expensive luxury station wagon. It's also a generally larger car. But then, when you think about it, the Volvo V60 Recharge is also a performance wagon, just of smaller scale. However, no station wagon currently on sale in the U.S. and Canada can be fitted with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The V60 Recharge is a unique car.

One Of The Coolest Cars On Sale

Although sales of the 2024 Volvo V60 Recharge are among some of the lowest of any model sold on our market, kudos to Volvo for staying true to its values and still offering this car in its lineup. Volvo wouldn't be Volvo without the existence of a sexy-looking station wagon that could give a Ford Mustang GT a run for its money in a drag race.

Add to all that the benefits of plug-in hybrid and what you end up with is basically the perfect car for a young family with an above-average revenue. If you're reading this and can afford this car, then please, do us all a favor and help keep the nameplate alive.

2024-03-26T09:47:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd