The Volvo XC6O is one of a vanguard of cars that have shifted public perception of the Swedish manufacturer in recent years.

In the not-too-distant past, Volvo was the safe but boring, reasonably priced, estate-focused alternative to the premium German triumvirate of Audi, Mercedes and BMW. But with the advent of such models as the XC60, Volvo has totally revamped its look.

The XC60 is based on the same underpinnings as the luxurious XC90, the manufacturer’s flagship SUV, but the XC60 is shorter and cheaper, and seats five instead of seven. This renders it a direct competitor to such goliaths of the large SUV class as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Equipment, options and extras

Our favourite trim is the entry-level Core, which brings all the essentials and quite a bit more on top: cruise control, climate control, heated leather seats, and automatic lights and wipers.

The midrange Plus is still worth considering, though, as it brings a few more decent luxuries, like keyless drive, fully electric seats, four-zone climate control, a premium stereo, a more upmarket interior, and a raft of safety features.

We don’t recommend the top-spec Ultimate solely on the premium it entails, despite the fabulous selection of goodies it introduces, including air suspension, massaging front seats and adaptive LED headlights. The Ultimate encroaches into the territory of bigger and frankly better cars, like the XC90 and Land Rover Discovery.

Costs, insurance groups, mpg and CO2

The XC60 is priced competitively against its rivals the Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC and BMW X3, and its PCP finance offers are also extremely competitive for the class.

The B4 diesel engine pumps out a little less CO2 than the equivalent Land Rover Discovery Sport, and pretty much the same as the equivalent Q5 and X3. It’s the same with the petrol B5, but if you’re thinking about the XC60 as a company car remember that the T6 and T8 plugin hybrids will bring by far the lowest BIK tax bills. Just keep in mind that, unless you charge the battery often and do lots of miles on electric power, the economy won’t be spectacular. And if you’re looking for a large SUV that’s genuinely fun to drive, we have to recommend the Porsche Macan over the XC60.

Safety and security

Euro NCAP awarded the XC60 a full five stars for safety, noting that it features some of the most advanced safety kit in the large SUV class.

The XC60 comes with automatic emergency braking as standard, as well as a system that recognises not only cars but also cyclists, pedestrians—and even large animals. The Plus trim and above introduce adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving function which helps steer the car in its lane on the motorway, although you’ll need to keep your hands on the wheel. You can also specify these features as part of the Driver Assist pack on entry-level Core models.

Finally, every model comes with an alarm and immobiliser.

Reliability

The XC60 comes with a 3-year, 60,000-mile warranty, as well as a 3-year paintwork warranty and 12-year rust warranty. Recharge models also come with an 8-year, 100,000-mile policy for the battery pack, which is pretty standard across the premium large SUV category.

The Car Planet verdict

The Volvo XC60 looks and feels classy inside, and it’s capacious and generously equipped as well. However, its rival the Audi Q5 is a better all-rounder, and the BMW X3 and Porsche Macan are just more fun to drive.

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