Skip advert
Advertisement

2019 Volvo XC60 review - engine, transmission and technical details

It’s a premium mid-sized SUV, so unsurprisingly popular, but is Volvo’s XC60 actually any good?

Evo rating
RRP
from £43,845
  • Solid, comfortable, safe and sophisticated, executed with a Swedish flair that now defines modern Volvos
  • Only really advisable as a cruiser; it just gets worse the sportier you spec it

Engine, transmission and technical details

As briefly mentioned above, all XC60 models utilise essentially the same 2-litre four-cylinder engine, in petrol and diesel forms. Both share a 1969cc displacement, and depending on their outputs feature a pretty wide spectrum of forced induction methods. Petrol engines are either single-turbocharged or turbo and supercharged, and produce 247bhp and 306bhp in B5 (petrol) and T6 forms. The T6 engine is also used in the T8 Twin-Engine plug-in hybrid variant, with a combined (not equivalent, mind) output of 394bhp, or 399bhp in T8 Polestar Engineered form. Both plug-in hybrid variants use the petrol engine to drive the front axle, with the rear driven exclusively by the 86bhp electric motor on the rear axle.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Diesel variants are somewhat more simple, with the sole D4 model producing 187bhp from a twin-turbocharged version of the diesel engine variant. It’s the mild-hybrid versions that add a new complication to the range, as B4 and B5 (diesel) variants combine a twin-turbocharged diesel with a mild-hybrid system that produce 195bhp and 235bhp respectively.

All engine variants in the XC60 include an eight-speed automatic transmission, operated by either a normal lever, or in some cases, a dubious crystal selector. All-wheel-drive models (bar the T8) utilise a front-wheel-drive-biased system, only sending power to the rear wheels when required.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Toyota’s new 400bhp four-cylinder aims squarely at Mercedes-AMG
Toyota GR Corolla
News

Toyota’s new 400bhp four-cylinder aims squarely at Mercedes-AMG

Toyota’s pushing on with the development of an all-new, high-performance four-cylinder power plant that could make its hot hatches hyper
10 Nov 2025
Bugatti Mistral review – behind the wheel of the £5m W16 swansong
Bugatti Mistral
Reviews

Bugatti Mistral review – behind the wheel of the £5m W16 swansong

When you’re invited to drive the 1578bhp, 282mph, convertible Bugatti Mistral, the one thing you don’t need is rain. But when it’s the final outing fo…
9 Nov 2025
Used Porsche Cayman GT4 (981, 2015 – 2016) review: a flat-six hero from £55k
Porsche Cayman GT4 981
Reviews

Used Porsche Cayman GT4 (981, 2015 – 2016) review: a flat-six hero from £55k

The appeal of one of our favourite sports cars hasn’t diminished a decade on from launch
10 Nov 2025