2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid Review

Typically known as the boxy and ever-practical automotive brand, Volvo has really taken the green movement in its stride with an ever-expanding range of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles – even its regular products are powered by mild-hybrid engines now. Wedged neatly in the middle of the Volvo EV and PHEV range is the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV, which promises low emissions in addition to all the other qualities of the wonderful XC60. Is the PHEV drivetrain worth the extra cash? Let’s find out.

While plug-in hybrids are quite popular in Europe, Australians so far in 2022 have chosen fully electric cars over PHEVs 35 times over (11,311 sales versus just 322). Yet Volvo is very committed to the plug-in hybrid drivetrain, supporting its combination of low emissions driving (if charged) ability to offer big performance. Rivals to the Volvo XC60 are the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, Lexus NX and Genesis GV70 – though only the X3, GLC and NX are available as plug-in hybrids locally.

Price & Equipment: 8/10

While the entry-level model year 2022 Volvo XC60 starts at $72,990 plus on-road costs, we tested the top-spec 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV, which is priced from $97,990 plus on-road costs (around $110,000 drive away). (Our test car was a 2022 model year car, and the 2023 model year equivalent has been renamed to the Ultimate T8 Plug-In Hybrid.)

The XC60 Recharge PHEV is equipped with 21-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, heated and auto-folding exterior mirrors, automatic all-LED lighting, auto wipers, dual-zone climate control with an air purifier, leather upholstery, electric front seats with four-way power lumbar and driver and passenger memory, heated front seats, a heads-up display, a 9.0-inch touchscreen running a Google infotainment system, wired Apple CarPlay, Google Maps satellite navigation, digital radio, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, a 13-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system, wireless phone charging, and a power ‘kick to open’ tailgate.

Being a Volvo, the safety kit on the XC60 is extensive and includes seven airbags, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality and lane trace assist, tyre pressure monitoring, high- and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist, pedestrian and large animal detection, forward collision alert, blind-spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, rear automatic braking, speed sign recognition, driver attention monitoring, auto-dimming exterior and interior mirrors, front and rear parking sensors with a 360-degree camera and an alarm.

When comparing the Recharge PHEV to the top spec petrol XC60 – the B6 R-Design for 2022 or the Ultimate B6 Dark for 2023 – there is a $12,000 price difference in favour of the petrol. For the extra spend, you get the 13-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system with a subwoofer, rear privacy glass and a panoramic sunroof. But interestingly enough, you also miss out on the petrol’s quad-zone climate control, a spare wheel (a tyre-repair kit is included) and front fog lights.

The standard colour available on the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge is ‘Black Stone’ whereas ‘Denim Blue’, ‘Thunder Grey’, ‘Bright Dust’, ‘Silver Dawn’, ‘Fusion Red’, ‘Platinum Grey’, ‘Onyx Black’ and our test car’s ‘Crystal White Pearl’ all come at a $1,950 premium. Other options available include $3,700 22-inch diamond cut alloys, $3,000 Nappa leather upholstery, a $400 Climate Pack with a heated steering wheel and heated washer jets, a $500 advanced air cleaner and $1,050 massaging front seats.

Direct rivals to the XC60 Recharge are the $89,900 plus on-road costs Lexus NX450h+ F Sport, $107,000 +ORC BMW X3 xDrive30e and the $94,124 +ORC Mercedes-Benz GLC300e. You must spend an extra $11,500 on options for the BMW and $8,123 for the Mercedes-Benz to match the Volvo’s equipment, and while the NX450h+’s drive away price only just eclipses the Volvo’s starting price, the Volvo offers a lot more performance, though less all-electric driving range. For these reasons, we think that the XC60 Recharge looks like good value – though it’s still not cheap, by any means.

Engine & Performance: 9/10

Powering the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV is a 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder petrol engine that is also paired with a twin-electric motor set up that draws its power from an 18.8kWh battery pack that’s located under the rear floor. Total system outputs are a huge 335kW of power and 709Nm of torque, which is more than 100kW more than the next most powerful in the class: the 235kW Mercedes-Benz GLC300e. The sprint from 0-100km/h is done in just 4.8 seconds, yet the XC60 Recharge is also capable of up to a claimed 75km of all-electric driving – almost 30km more than competitors.

The engine is very quiet and the excellent sound deadening means that you rarely know when the XC60 is even using the petrol engine. The switch between petrol power and electric power is smooth and is barely noticed in the cabin. This drivetrain has more than enough power and shove for anyone even coming from performance oriented SUVs.

The only transmission on offer is an eight-speed torque converter automatic, which is very smooth and completely intuitive. There are surprisingly no paddle-shifters behind the XC60’s steering wheel, but this was no issue for us as leaving the transmission to its own devices is how you get the best out of it. Drivers can also put the transmission in to B mode, which turns up the regenerative braking for greater efficiency.

The 18.8kWh battery can charge to full capacity in 4-6 hours using a 3.7kW charger, which is the maximum rate it can charge at. Volvo claims a fully charged electric motor can get 75km of range and we saw a real-world range of 67km, which we were very happy with. Volvo claims an average fuel consumption figure of 1.6L/100km depending on if it’s charged or not (as is the case with all plug-in hybrids), we saw an average figure of 1.3L/100km over our time with the car as we kept it charged up mostly. If you leave it uncharged, it will use around 6.5L/100km, which isn’t too bad considering the performance on offer. The petrol engine uses a minimum of 95RON premium unleaded fuel and has a 71-litre fuel tank.

Ride & Handling: 8/10

As is typical for modern Volvos, the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV is very comfortable thanks to its standard with air suspension, which lowers when the car is switched off for an almost wagon-like look when parked. The ride quality of the XC60 is very good – it floats over bumps without being too loose, and the body control is quite good. The 21-inch wheels do make going over smaller bumps such as potholes a little jarring, but on speed bumps and highways, the Volvo does an excellent job.

The handling ability of the XC60 is what we would call fine, though it’s clearly not designed to be a sports car. It feels its 2,146kg in the bends and the steering doesn’t offer too much feedback. Unlike what the 0-100 sprint time would suggest, the XC60 Recharge is not designed to be sporty or to get the best lap times. But it handles corners confidently and safely and will give its drivers enough fun behind the wheel, but a BMW X3 is a more dynamic all-round package – if that matters to you, of course. We personally prefer the all-round comfort of the XC60.

Adding more to the comfort feel of the XC60 is excellent road noise suppression, as well as some of the best seats on the automotive market today. The multiple levels of adjustment in the XC60’s front seats make it impossible to find a bad driving position and give it all-day levels of comfort.

The XC60’s safety features do an excellent job of keeping occupants safe. The adaptive cruise control – paired with Volvo’s Pilot Assist lane trace assist system – does a great job of partially driving the car itself, the forward collision alert isn’t too sensitive but works well if needed and the lane departure warning isn’t too intrusive either. In saying that, we aren’t the biggest fans of the reverse camera as it automatically selects the 360-degree camera and the picture quality is skewed so that objects appear further away than they actually are.

Interior & Practicality: 9/10

Sitting in the XC60 Recharge is a relaxing and almost therapeutic experience. The materials used throughout the cabin are excellent and the layout is still modern, even though it remains relatively unchanged since this generation XC60’s birth in 2017. Lots of lovely soft touch materials line almost all of the cabin – even the materials used lower down in the doors are soft touch – while the quality of the leather (even without ticking the full Nappa box) is fantastic.

Again, being a Volvo, the XC60’s cabin is very practical. The centre console is large with big cup holders, there are large lined door bins, a central armrest with a lot of storage underneath and even a large glovebox as well. There’s plenty of space to hide belongings, while charging your devices is also well taken care of with a wireless phone charger in the centre console, a 12V socket at the front of the centre console and two USB-C ports under the armrest.

Centre of the XC60’s dashboard is a 9.0-inch portrait touchscreen that features a new Google operating system, which is called Android Automotive (not to be confused with Android Auto, which features in almost every other new car). It’s quite similar to a tablet – the screen quality is great, it’s easy to use and it’s quite responsive as well. The screen integrates Google Maps, Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, digital radio and other features seamlessly.

The Google tech is all fairly easy to use and for the first four years of ownership, unlimited data is included – though it’s less useful if the car doesn’t have reception. The 13-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system is one of the best we have experienced – there is fantastic depth with deep bass and great mid-range.

Sitting in the back of the XC60 is not too bad. It can be slightly cramped with three adults, which is likely due to the unusually high transmission tunnel of the plug-in hybrid XC60, but the seats themselves are quite comfortable. Rear amenities include map pockets, air-vents on the B-pillar, two USB-C ports, inbuilt rear child booster seats, deep door bins and a centre armrest with cupholders.

The kick-to-open rear tailgate is easy to operate and opens up to reveal 505-litres of cargo space with the rear seat in place. Folding the seats opens the space up even further (to around 1,500L in total – there’s no Australian figures available) to fit longer items and the space is very usable as the boot is wide and deep. There is a little bag that stores the charging cable which can be hung on one of the bad hooks. There is also a 12-volt socket, cargo tie down points and a button to raise and lower the air-suspension at the rear to load heavier items, though no spare wheel.

Service & Warranty: 8.5/10

The 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge comes with the brand’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as standard. This is the same length of warranty offered by Mercedes-Benz on the GLC, whereas BMW only offers a lacklustre three-year unlimited kilometre warranty on the X3. Volvo also gives its cars an amazing eight years of roadside assistance.

Servicing the XC60 Recharge occurs every 12-months or 15,000km which is the same interval that BMW uses on the X3 though the Mercedes-Benz GLC only needs servicing every 12-months or 25,000km. Volvo does not quote service pricing for its cars, though a three-year/45,000km service pack is available for $1,750 ($580 per service) or a five-year/75,000km pack for $3,000 ($600 per service)

2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV DiscoverAuto Rating: 8.4/10

Regardless of the drivetrain chosen, the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge PHEV is an excellent choice for those who want a premium mid-size SUV and where the Recharge adds value is in both its low emissions capability (if charged) and with its stonking performance. Yes, as with most plug-in hybrids we do wish the electric range was slightly more but the Volvo does offer a great mixture of electric driving and petrol performance. Drivetrain aside, the rest of the XC60 story is very positive: the driving experience feels premium, the interior is excellent and it’s packed full of standard equipment.

Having said that, the Recharge is a tougher pill to swallow as it’s priced a full $12,000 more than the next-level-down XC60, which shares largely the same amount of equipment, though obviously it can’t drive on pure electric power and its performance is less. We think the Recharge is a great option, but for those who can’t charge or can’t reach to the $110,000-ish drive away cost, even the entry-level XC60 is excellent buying. The 2022 Volvo XC60 is an absolutely superb car, and one that’s very worth your consideration if a premium mid-size SUV is what you’re after.