This week we are reviewing the Volvo XC60 Polestar Engineered. Our vehicle was assembled at the Chengdu plant in China and has an MSRP of CAD 91525.00.
Fun Factor: 10
Can it Family: 10
Fuel-Friendly: 9
HWY-warrior: 8
Karaoke-Friendly: 10
Baby-Friendly: 8
City Cruising: 9
After testing all three of Volvo's 60 body line infused with the Polestar engineered, we hoped that the V60 would be the best between the S60 and the XC60. While the V60 had the longest EV range of all 3 during our test, the XC60 offered the best overall performance, luxury, and practicality package. While all 3 vehicles come with the same 2.0L turbocharged, supercharged and electric engine producing a total of 415 hp and 494 lb-ft of torque. This engine combo felt most effective in the XC60. Even around corners, the XC60 felt more reassuring compared to the V60, even with a massive disadvantage in size. What may have significantly helped the XC60 were the massive optional 22-inch Pirelli P Zero wheels it was rocking. In no way, these wheels affected ride quality; the suspension evens out any imperfection on our less than stellar roads here in Montreal. Since we tested the S60 and V60 quite in-depth, we wanted to do a different type of test with the XC60. Since the XC60 is a plugin hybrid, we wanted to see how far it could go on one charge and drive it as much as possible as an electric vehicle.
Seating is excellent; Volvo are renowned for their comfortable and well-bolstered seats. In this case, it doesn't translate into a sofa-like experience; Volvo found the middle ground where you can have hugging seats that will follow you in all driving environments. Similar to other Polestar Engineer vehicles, the distinctive golden seat belts elevate the minimalist interior. The rear seats were comfortable for our children; only the central tunnel took away some of the middle passenger's legroom. However, not as much since the rear bench is positioned higher than in the V60. The rear seats fold in a 40/20/40 fashion, giving you flexibility on the number of passengers and cargo space required. The trunk is quite massive, and we were able to fit a Thule chariot to continue the Swedish heritage within the vehicle.
If you wish to know more about what you can expect as a fuel economy, please visit our V60 and S60 reviews. We wanted to see the T8 Twin engine's operating costs while running the electric motor and, on the flip side, the fuel consumption. During our 400km test, the vehicle's average fuel economy was 2.3L/100km; this resulted in 7.145 litres at the fuel pump for a whole week's usage. The electric use we observed per 100km was 22.5 kWh; this resulted in an approximative consumption of 90kWh before any efficiency losses you may see at the plug. As a result, the little time we did drive with the gasoline engine came to cost the same as our total electric operating costs for the whole week. With a fully charged XC60, you can expect 35km even if we could easily reach 40km in the city. On the HWY, we observed between 29-31km of electrical range.
The XC60 is great on the HWY, starting with the adaptive cruise control that nicely hugs the road; it also decelerates nicely and softly when traffic slows down. We never felt that the vehicle was not attentive to the traffic around us. While in EV mode, the cabin quietness is relaxing, shielding you from any exterior noises; thus, we always arrived with a fresh and relaxed mind at our destination even while being stuck in traffic.
The Bowers and Wilkins Premium Sound System might very well be the best sound system in the industry. While this system is optional on different Volvo products, it comes standard in the XC60 Polestar Engineered variant. As we have pointed out before, the sound is so crisp; it would fulfill any audiophile's dreams. It has 15 high-end speakers with a total output of 1100W. The Sensus infotainment system did not disappoint in the XC60; in our opinion, it's one of the easiest infotainments to use as it functions similarly to a smartphone. We would like to see two improvements; Apple Car Play and Android Auto connected remotely without using a USB cable and wireless charging. We would expect additional technology as this vehicle nears 6 figures. It may not take long if we look at the technology currently implemented in the Polestar 2.
Installation of car seats is effortless as the ISOFIX ports are hidden behind a latch door that can be operated by lifting the latch. The ISOFIX ports themselves are easily accessible, and attaching the car seat is straight forward. The only hiccup we saw was that when connecting the child seat using the anchor hook, it needs to go over the headrest as space under the headrest is too small. As for smaller kids getting into the back seats, they will not have any issues opening the door handle.
Finally, the city is where the XC60 shines with its dual motors; the hybrid system will be most efficient. Especially while driving in stop and go traffic, it is able to recuperate most of the lost energy back into the battery. While shifting your gear lever from D to the B gear, it harnesses the electric engine braking power. Parking was quite simple as steering becomes light at slow speeds additionally. The 360-degree camera effectively makes sure you see everything around the vehicle. If you need a helping hand, the XC60 will do the parking for you, even in the tightest parking spots.
Why would we buy the Volvo XC60 Polestar Engineered, or what we liked about it? As a package, this has been one of our favourite vehicles as it mixes luxury and sportiness and offers alternative propulsion and helps reduce overall operating costs. The clean lines of the interior design; the driving experience is relaxing.
Why would we not buy the Volvo XC60 Polestar Engineered, or what we did not like about it? We would like to see an increased performance when it comes to range; it would be nice to see a real-life range of around 50km, wireless charging, and wireless connectivity not available; without any incentives, the vehicle's price is quite steep.
Volvo has lent us this vehicle one week as a press vehicle. We have no affiliation with Volvo Canada. The above is a recollection of our personal opinion of the car referred above.
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