Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid long-term test
Our deputy editor wanted a comfortable family SUV which could help to slash his running costs. Can the latest Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid fit the bill?...
The car Volvo XC60 T8 Plug-in Hybrid AWD Ultra Run By Darren Moss, Deputy Editor
Why it’s here To show that Volvo can match the best premium rivals for quality while also costing less
Needs to Provide comfortable and economical family transport while also functioning as a mobile office
Mileage 1792 List price £70,860 Best price £70,860 Price as tested £73,205 Official MPG 282.1mpg Test MPG 44.6mpg
11 May 2026 – Putting a ring on it
I’m sure many people can empathise with the mixture of excitement and nerves which accompanies the days before a wedding proposal. In my case, I’d planned to take my then-girlfriend away for a couple of days in the Lake District and, on reaching a scenic overlook, pop the question.
I’d found the AirBnB, brought the ring and sorted childcare, and then got around to planning the route there. And crikey, it’s a long way.
You see, we’d decided to head up to a static caravan in Norfolk for a few days of relaxation before going to the Lake District, and the journey from there to the AirBnB I’d booked would be 281 miles. But it provided the perfect test for the Volvo XC60’s long-distance comfort.
Fortunately, my XC60 is well suited for the task, because being a top-spec Ultra, it gets air suspension in place of the standard car’s springs. The resulting ride isn’t quite as pillow-soft as the Audi Q5 equipped with the same setup, but it rounded off the lumps, bumps and potholes of our A-road route with ease. By the time we stopped for a bacon sandwich some 80 miles into the trip, I felt perfectly relaxed and fresh.
Back on the road, my girlfriend found the controls for the XC60’s massaging seats. To activate these you first need to rotate the electric lumbar support around the side of the seat, and then use the infotainment touchscreen to select the level of intensity you want. Even on their strongest setting, the effect isn’t as strong as in the used Land Rover Discovery I ran previously, but the movement did keep me from feeling tired as we journeyed towards the Lakes.
Neither myself or my girlfriend pack lightly, preferring to take anything we might need on holiday rather than the essentials. And to that end, the XC60’s boot was rather full. Like most plug-in hybrids, the batteries for my XC60 are stored under the boot floor, so your available space is limited compared with the standard car. Still, even with our suitcases, bags and duvet loaded in, everything fit under the tonneau cover.
As for the ring, I squirreled it away in the driver’s side door pocket, ready for the right moment. When it came, I was slightly less nervous than I might have been, because the XC60 had made the trip so very easy. And, thankfully, she said yes.
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