Volvo EX60 review

When entering a new market, it’s always helpful to have a USP, and the new Volvo EX60 has a doozy: 503 miles. Yes, that’s the official range of this premium electric SUV if you order it with the biggest of its three battery options, meaning it can go farther between charges than any rival.

This is partly because the battery in question is… well… big. But it’s also down to the new underpinnings developed for the EX60 (and the electric Volvos that will follow it). These apparently bring a sizeable weight saving (although an exact kerb weight is still to be confirmed), which in turn improves efficiency.

Then again, Volvo really did need to pull out all the stops with this car. For starters, it’s the electric sister to the XC60 – the best-selling Volvo of all time. Plus, the rivals the EX60 faces could hardly be tougher, with the world’s best-selling electric vehicle (the Tesla Model Y) and our reigning Car of the Year (the BMW iX3) among them.

We won’t get to drive the EX60 until May, and it will be summer before UK deliveries start. But to see if it’s likely to be worth the wait, we recently joined Volvo’s engineers for a ride in a late prototype.

What’s new?

- March 2026: We travel to Sweden to experience the EX60 for the first time

- January 2026: EX60 wins What Car? Readers’ Choice Award, for the most exciting car coming in 2026

- January 2026: All-new EX60 is revealed as an electric alternative to the big-selling XC60

Performance & drive

What it’s like on the move, and how quiet it is

Strengths - Impressive ride comfort; Quiet cruiser; Class-leading range range

Weaknesses - BMW iX3 leans less in bends

How fast is it and which motor is best?

The prototype Volvo EX60 that we spent time in was a P10 model, which means it had dual electric motors (for four-wheel drive) and a combined output of 503bhp. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, and when our driver put his foot down, the acceleration certainly felt punchy.

That said, if you want to be pinned back in your seat even harder, there’s also a 671bhp, P12 model that can complete the same sprint in 3.9 seconds. To put that into context, our reigning Sports Car of the Year, the Porsche 911 T, needs 4.5 seconds, although the P12 still isn’t quite as rapid as the Tesla Model Y Performance.

A single motor, rear-wheel drive EX60 (called the P6) completes the launch line-up, and will serve as the entry point to the range. Even this manages 0-62mph in a hot hatch-bothering 5.9 seconds.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

P10 models like our test car will come fitted with adaptive suspension, but even when this is in its stiffest setting, the EX60 leans more through bends than the BMW iX3. That said, judging by how much speed our driver was able to carry, there’s no shortage of grip.

In addition, the EX60 doesn’t appear to be knocked off course by mid-corner bumps. And when you put it in the comfort setting, the suspension is good at isolating occupants from poor surfaces, yet still able to catch the body at the first attempt over undulations, instead of letting it pogo up and down.

The P12 model gets the same set-up, but the P6 will have conventional, non-adaptive suspension.

Later, there will be an EX60 Cross Country, with more rugged looks and height-adjustable air suspension.

Is it quiet?

Even over coarse surfaces, road noise is pretty well controlled, and there’s barely any wind noise when travelling in a straight line, right up to motorways speed.

What we could hear was wind whistle from around the frameless side windows through fast corners, although this might just have been because our car was a prototype and the seals weren’t to production standard.

What’s the range like, and how quickly can it charge?

While only the range-topping model offers that headline 503-mile official range, that doesn’t mean lesser EX60’s are weak in this area. Indeed, even the entry-level P6 can officially travel 385 miles in one hit.

As for charging, the P6 has a peak rate of 320kW, while the twin motor versions can accept up to 370kW. As a result, every EX60 can be topped up from 10-80% in less than 20 minutes, if you can find an 800V public charger. It’s just a shame that these are still quite rare in the UK.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cross Country model turned out to be both the most comfortable EX60 and the best to drive, thanks to the range of settings its air suspension allows.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

Modern Volvos tend to look classy and minimalist inside, and the EX60 is no exception. Buttons have been almost entirely banished from its dashboard, while the gear selector is a stalk behind the steering wheel to free up storage space on the centre console.

True, the interior of our prototype wasn’t fully representative of what customers will get; it featured a few rough mouldings and some untextured panels. However, given the standard of the brand’s recent offerings, we’d be surprised if the finished car wasn’t up with the very best premium SUVs for quality.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

In the EX60, you sit about as far above the road as you do in the conventionally powered Volvo XC60 (albeit slightly closer to the floor of the car, due to the drive battery being located beneath you). That means you look down on most other drivers and get a fine forward view.

By contrast, over-the-shoulder visibility is compromised by the way the window line kicks up towards the back of the EX60. But all trims get front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree, 3D-view camera to help with manoeuvring.

Volvo makes some of the best front seats in the business, and while we haven’t spent enough time in the EX60’s yet to judge their long-distance comfort, they offer a huge range of electric adjustment and feel supportive.

As in the BMW iX3, you look over the steering wheel (rather than through it) to see the digital instrument display. Smaller drivers might find that the top of the wheel obscures the lower part of the display, although the speedo is clearly visible because it’s in the top left corner.

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Volvo typically uses portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreens. However, for the EX60 it’s gone landscape, which brings the most commonly used functions closer to the driver.

It would still be easier to adjust the temperature on the move if there were separate physical switches, but the icons for the climate control are at least permanently on display at the bottom of the 15.04in screen.

In addition, Google Gemini AI is integrated into the system, with this allowing natural, conversational voice control of vehicle functions, and managing tasks like booking, planning, and content streaming.

“I’m one of those people who can’t see the bottom of the digital instrument display unless I set the steering wheel lower than I’d ideally have it.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

How much space does it have for people?

The Volvo EX60 is just 95mm longer than the XC60, but superior packaging – and the fact that electric motors are smaller than petrol engines – means it’s quite a bit roomier; a six-footer can stretch right out in the back, even when sitting behind a similar-sized driver.

Like most electric SUVs, the EX60 also features a completely flat rear floor, which makes life more comfortable for a central rear passenger. And the rear seats recline electrically to help their occupants have a kip on long trips.

How much room is there for luggage?

The boot has a 634-litre capacity, making it far bigger than those of the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX3. And while the Tesla Model Y officially gives you 854 litres, this is misleading because Tesla measures to the roof instead of the parcel shelf.

*measured to the roof

As a bonus, a deep underfloor storage area at the rear of the EX60’s boot helps to keep bags of shopping upright. And an additional space under the bonnet is ideal for storing the charging cables – although, unlike the Model Y’s front boot, it isn't big enough to take a suitcase.

“I appreciate the fact that there’s space beneath the boot floor for the parcel shelf, so you don’t have to leave it behind or stash it in the rear footwell when transporting bulkier loads.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Volvo EX60 is priced from £56,860, whereas the cheapest versions of the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX3 cost £60,565 and £62,755 respectively. However, while the EX60 and Q6 have similar-sized batteries in these entry-level forms, the iX3’s is much bigger.

Indeed, if you want an EX60 that can go farther than the iX3 on a charge, you need to go for the range-topping P12 model, which starts at £64,860.

It’s also worth noting that the Tesla Model Y is available from just £41,990. Or, if you want a battery that’s competitive with the entry-level EX60’s, you still need only spend £48,990 with the Model Y.

More positively, like all electric vehicles, the EX60 qualifies for a lowly 4% rate of company car tax.

What’s more, Volvo provides a long list of standard equipment; highlights of the cheaper, Pure trim include 20in alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, three-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, a powered tailgate, a 21-speaker Bose stereo, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Upgrading to an Ultra model, meanwhile, gives you 21in alloy wheels, high-definition headlights, an electrochromic glass roof (which allows you to adjust the level of shading) and an epic-sounding 28-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

Given that deliveries won’t start until the summer, we obviously don’t have any owner feedback on the dependability of the EX60. However, Volvo didn’t do brilliantly in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing 21st out of 30 brands.

True, Audi, Mercedes and Land Rover were all behind it, but BMW was sixth and Tesla seventh.

Every EX90 comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which is fairly standard among premium rivals. And as with all electric cars, the drive battery is covered by a separate eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

How safe is it?

The list of Volvo safety innovations over the years includes everything from the three-point seatbelt (in 1959) to curtain airbags and blindspot monitoring. And it's come up with another one for the EX60: the multi-adaptive safety belt.

Unlike conventional seatbelts, which can adjust the force that’s applied to suit small, medium and large occupants, this new design has 11 profiles (with the potential for Volvo to increase this over time via remote software updates), so further reduces the risk of injury in the event of an accident.

Both front seats get these multi-adaptive belts, although the seatbelt in the back make do with conventional pre-tensioners and load limiters.

The EX60 also debuts a new type of Pilot Assist Plus that, at speeds of up to 80mph, is said to steer and assist more accurately with lane changes than the driver aids in any previous Volvo.

“If there’s a better sounding audio system than the EX60’s optional Bowers & Wilkins one, I haven’t experienced it.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

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