10 brilliant used Volvos to buy today

Volvo used to be synonymous with the boxy estate car, but those days have since faded. Today, the brand has the vast majority of its chips on SUVs (as many car makers do). Its keen focus on practicality and safety is yet to waver, mind you.

Our full top 10 list contains estate cars, executive cars, family cars and more, though.

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

The Volvo C70 convertible differs from the stereotypical modern Volvo. It's a relaxed and sophisticated drop-top cruiser that comes with plenty of kit and a big boot. There are rivals that are sharper to drive – the Audi A3 Cabriolet, for instance – but the C70 remains a good, reasonably priced choice.

We found: 2011 Volvo C70 2.0 D3 SE Lux, 67,000 miles, £6995

Strengths

• Classy interior
• Fancy folding metal roof

Weaknesses

• Not the best to drive
• Steering is short of feel
• Running costs can be high

It can be easy to forget that the quirky, little Volvo C30 exists. This sleek coupé/hatchback is arguably a lot more vibrant than most Volvos are: it's even available with a punchy 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine, turning the C30 into something of a hot hatch.

Other versions get more modest engines, making it a viable first or second car for young drivers. It's certainly a bit different from the norm (your Ford Fiestas and Vauxhall Corsas, for example).

We found: 2013 Volvo C30 2.0 R-Design Sports Coupé, 53,129 miles, £6650

Strengths

• Sleek design
• Good build quality
• Efficient diesels

Weaknesses

• Not a lot of space
• A Ford Fiesta is more fun to drive
• Relatively sparse availability on used market

The Volvo V40 family car is one of the Swedish firm's most popular models, according to the huge number of views its review gets on this website. Perhaps that's not surprising: the V40 offers all the traditional qualities we expect from a Volvo but at very reasonable second-hand prices.

It also shares a mechanical basis with the tried-and-tested 2011-2018 Ford Focus, yet it adds an extra layer of interior quality to make it feel more premium. Sure, the V40 isn't the best in its class to drive, but that classy interior, as well as good levels of safety kit, means it has its strengths.

We found: 2019 Volvo V40 2.0 T2 R-Design Edition, 63,708 miles, £10,500

Strengths

• Smart, high-quality interior
• Lots of equipment
• Great safety standards

Weaknesses

• Fiddly infotainment
• Notchy gearshift
• Too much road noise

Competition is fierce within the Volvo S60's executive car circle. You have the likes of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. The S60 doesn't exactly trump any of those cars, but its level of luxury gives them a good run for their money, so it proves a worthy alternative to those usual suspects.

We found: 2021 Volvo S60 2.0 B5 MHEV R-Design, 27,100 miles, £21,500

Strengths

• Lots of safety kit
• Good driving position
• Classy interior

Weaknesses

• Overly firm ride
• Limited rear head room
• Only petrol engine options

The Volvo V60 may look a bit petite next to the larger V90, but it's still plenty practical. It's bigger on the inside than rivals such as the Audi A4 Avant, for instance. The V60 also has a generally comfy ride, secure handling and great interior quality.

We found: 2021 Volvo V60 2.0 B3 MHEV Momentum, 45,153 miles, £18,198

Strengths

• Excellent passenger and boot space
• Smart and airy interior
• Well-judged ride and handling balance

Weaknesses

• Hesitant automatic gearbox
• Some wind and road noise at speed
• Fiddly infotainment

The Volvo S90 is the Volvo V90's saloon sibling. This executive car has all the great qualities of the estate – interior space is vast, the ride is comfortable and the driving experience is refined. The difference is the boot is a bit smaller (but so is the price).

We found: 2021 Volvo S90 2.0h T8 Twin Engine 11.6kWh Inscription, 26,186 miles, £26,499

Strengths

• Good interior space
• Generous standard kit
• High-quality interior

Weaknesses

• Puts comfort before handling
• Touchscreen buttons
• Lethargic gearbox

The Volvo V90 is impressively spacious and practical (like Volvo estate cars of old) – for instance, we managed to fit eight carry-on-sized cases below each car's parcel shelf.

However, arguably unlike the brand's earlier estates, the V90 is a thoroughly stylish and luxurious machine. The Inscription trim is especially posh, thanks to its leather-wrapped dashboard, nappa leather seats and smart oak or ash wood veneers.

We found: 2020 Volvo V90 2.0h T6 Twin Engine 11.6kWh Inscription, 26,242 miles, £28,975

Strengths

• Spacious rear room
• Generous standard kit
• High-quality interior

Weaknesses

• Mediocre handling on standard suspension
• Distracting infotainment system
• Lethargic gearbox

Being smaller than the XC90 but larger than the XC40, the Volvo XC60 is the Volvo SUV that Goldilocks is likely to pick. Sure, we don't rate it quite as highly as those other XC products, but the XC60 possesses most of those cars strong suits, namely a classy interior and comfy ride.

As you can imagine, used prices thereabouts split the difference between that of the XC40 and XC90.

We found: 2020 Volvo XC60 2.0h T6 Twin Engine 11.6kWh Inscription Expression, 52,975 miles, £25,498

Strengths

• High-quality interior
• Superb driving position
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Not as quiet as its rivals
• Shallow boot
• Uninspiring handling

The Volvo XC90 is the largest SUV the brand makes and it's available with seven seats. It's super luxurious, too, and while there's no electric version as of yet, there is a great plug-in hybrid option.

The XC90 is a pricier buy than many other Volvos on this list, but you are getting a lot of car for your cash.

We found: 2020 Volvo XC90 2.0h T8 Twin Engine 11.6kWh R-Design, 56,500 miles, £29,510

Strengths

• Classy interior
• Seven-seat versatility
• Well equipped

Weaknesses

• Ride slightly unsettled
• Road and suspension noise
• Reliability average

The Volvo XC40 mixes generous passenger space and a practical boot with a very classy interior, a remarkably smooth ride and top-notch safety. It's available with a wide variety of engines, too, including petrols, diesels and hybrids. You can even have it as an electric car.

Used prices are very reasonable and, aided by its seven-year-plus production run and immense popularity, the XC40 is a common sight on used car forecourts.

We found: 2021 Volvo XC40 1.5 T3 Momentum, 40,000 miles, £18,799

Strengths

• Stylish interior
• Comprehensive safety kit
• Supple ride on most versions

Weaknesses

• Fiddly infotainment
• Lacks flexible rear-seat arrangement
• Some reliability reports were a little mixed

We hope you've enjoyed reading. Please click the follow button for more from What Car?