Road Test: 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge Ultimate

Surprising Performance in a Compact Plug-In Hybrid SUV

Okay, a show of hands if “quick or fast” come to mind when Volvo SUV is mentioned. Volvo has flipped its usual script with the 2023 XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid, but it hasn’t sacrificed any of the benefits of owning a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), which is the perfect bridge between a gasoline and electric power.

New for the 2022 model year, the 2023 XC60 Recharge continues to deliver performance and all-electric and hybrid efficiency in a premium compact SUV.

Power and Range

The XC60 Recharge PHEV combines a turbocharged and supercharged inline 4-cylinder engine with 312 horsepower (hp) and an 18.8-kilowatt electric motor good for 143 hp, producing a total of 455 hp and 523 pound-feet of torque. The 8-speed automatic transmission drives all four wheels through electronic eAWD with driver-controlled drive modes.

Range and fuel economy are rated by the EPA 28 mpg city and highway combined for the hybrid engine. With a fully charged battery, the XC60 Recharge can go 36 miles on pure electricity (speed-limited to about 80 mph) and has a 63 MPGe rating. That’s a measurement of how far a car can travel, electrically, on the same amount of energy as is contained in one gallon of gasoline. In our week driving through Southern California, we averaged 32.8 mpg while getting as much as 40 miles when driving in the all-electric mode. To get these numbers, we charged the battery three times, used the Battery Save and Charge functions found on the touchscreen, and drove in electric when in town, then hybrid with battery save when on the freeway.

To maximize range and fuel economy it takes learning what works best for your driving style, but also the willingness to plug-in at home overnight and then working the drive modes on the touchscreen. A PHEV is the natural bridge between a gasoline and electric propulsion, but it only works when the car is plugged in whenever possible. If you can plug in your mobile phone at night before going to bed, you can also plug in your car.

On Road Experience

As noted earlier, the XC60 Recharge is quick, probably quicker than would be expected for a compact SUV. There are driver selectable drive modes–Hybrid, Power, Off-road, Constant AWD and Pure (Electric). Our only concern is that the drive modes are buried in the center touchscreen and not activated by a stand-alone switch or buttons. Removing eyes from the road is never a good thing.

In a few 0-60 mph runs, we consistently clocked around 4.6 seconds in the Power mode, which felt even faster. The supercharger smoothed turbo lag, resulting in linear acceleration all the way through until lifting. The automatic seamlessly went through the gears (a big thanks to Volvo for not having paddle shifters).

The XC60 Recharge Ultimate has standard four-wheel independent suspension, but can add (as ours did) an optional air suspension for $1,800. This combination resulted in well-composed handling for the 4,698-pound SUV. Steering was positive and direct, with little to no body roll unless pushed too hard around corners. The ride was supple, but not soft or floaty, and felt great on winding roads.

Opting for Pure when driving on mountain curves was smooth, peppy and unaffected by transmission shifts. When in Hybrid, the electric assist came on at the right time when a bit more oomph is needed.

The XC60 Recharge comes standard with eAWD and an Off-Road drive mode setting, but don’t confuse it with the likes of a Land Rover, Range Rover, Bronco or Jeep. The XC60 Recharge is happier on gravel or forest service roads, or when things get snowy on pavement.

If towing, the maximum weight is 3,500 pounds. Volvo offers a tow hitch, tow ball, four/seven pin wiring harness and a power-folding tow hitch that folds under the rear fascia.

Charging

There are three ways the XC60 Recharge battery is replenished.

A dual voltage charging cable is included that can fully charge with a common 120 volt household outlet in eight hours. With a 240 volt Level 2 charger (at a maximum of 3.6 kW), it takes five hours for a full charge. It is important to note cold weather can affect the charging time and all-electric driving range. Volvo includes two adaptor plugs for 15 amp and 20 amp charging.

When the hybrid engine is running, the battery can be charged by selecting the Charge mode.

When driving, every time the XC60 Recharge slows or stops, regenerative brakingconverts kinetic energy into electric energy, and stores it in the battery.

Selecting Hold in the center screen will preserve the battery charge for use in-town or urban areas.

Swedish Design

The XC60 Recharge stands alone in its exterior design, but not in an overly flashy way. A combination of sharp edges and smooth surfaces leads to an eye-appealing look. Volvo positions the XC60 as a luxury SUV, and it does quite well against tough competitors from Audi, Porsche, Lexus, Genesis, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz (our tests of those competitors is at the end of this article).

The correctly sized grille is bordered by LED headlamps with a distinctive lighting pattern of a horizontal elongated “T”. The XC60 Recharge Ultimate Black we were driving was especially attractive with blacked-out lower air vents, lower fascia grille and upper grille, which also has the Volvo badge incorporating the front-facing camera.

The body color wheel arches significantly raise the luxury quotient as having black, chunky brush guard trim would look pedestrian. The rear view mirrors are gloss black and have built-in turn signals. There’s also gloss black on the roof rack rails and the B and C pillars. The doors are nicely sculpted, aiding in air flow and aerodynamics. To take the XC60 Recharge to true luxury, the rear wiper should be tucked under the roof spoiler.

The 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with gloss black inserts are shod with Continental CrossContact LX Sport all-season 255/45 tires. 22-inch wheels are a $1,475 option. The rear gets vertical LED taillights that run from the built-in roof spoiler to the rear fender. The hands-free and remote-operated power lift gate has simple badging identifying the XC60, Recharge model and AWD. The rear fascia and bumper are body color, and the exhaust tips are tucked underneath. Very clean.

Welcoming Interior

Climbing inside, you enter a tasteful combination of hard and soft plastic materials, gloss black surfaces, real wood and brushed aluminum trim. The gear shifter is topped with a sculptured crystal glass head made by Orrefors. Classy.

The heated and ventilated power front seats have memory, with the driver also getting lumbar support. The padded center console has USB-C ports, two front and two rear. The center storage is not as deep and large as many SUVs we drive because the battery is in the center console, as opposed to being under the seats or in the rear cargo area. This was a smart decision by Volvo as storing away your gear in the rear is more important than extra console storage space.

The seats in our Ultimate trim were covered in black leather with tasteful contrasting top stitching. The headrests are thinner than most we see, which was a big plus for side and rear visibility. The roof is divided into a fixed moonroof over the rear seats and a power sunroof for the front passengers. A power sunshade covers them both.

The no-nonsense dash houses a 12.3-inch digital driver display screen, and a 9-inch vertically-oriented color touchscreen that houses the navigation and the rear view camera. Our XC60 Recharge Ultimate featured the optional Bowers & Wilkens sound system ($3,200) with a 1,400-watt, 12-channel amplifier and 19 speakers. The system has an open-air woofer and a tweeter that sits atop the center of the dash. Do you love music? You will love this system that includes FM and Sirius/XM (sorry, no AM band) as well as wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The steering wheel has controls for audio, smartphone integration with Bluetooth and the adaptive cruise control. There is no wireless phone charging.

The XC60’s 8.5 inches of ground clearance bumps you up to provide a clear outlook on the road. Even with the power sun and moonroof, there is ample headroom for two six-footers up front, and two in the rear. The XC60 Recharge is rated for five passengers, but with the center console housing the battery, it extends into the rear center foot area, meaning the center rear seat passenger’s feet will be a bit cramped. This is a compromise Volvo engineers had to make for the Recharge as this is the same platform for the gasoline-powered XC60.

The rear passengers (if only two are on board) get a center armrest with cup holders, power adjustable headrests, and HVAC vents smartly placed in the B pillars. If there are no passengers out back, drop the 60/40 split heated rear seat. The storage area then increases to 63.3 cubic feet and is ready to load cargo through the easy access large hatch opening operated by remote control and a kick-sensor.

Safety and Warranties

The 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge comes standard with dual front side-mounted, front and rear head and full-length side curtain airbags, 4-wheel ABS, vehicle stability management, traction control, hill start assist, a tire pressure monitoring system, anti-theft alarm and an engine immobilizer.

The standard advanced driver safety assistance system (ADAS) includes a 360-degree surround view camera, blind spot monitor and avoidance, automatic emergency braking, smart cruise control, and rear cross traffic alert and automatic braking.

The 2023 XC60 Recharge comes with these warranties:

Drivetrain – Four years/50,000 miles

Basic – Four years/60,000 miles
Hybrid Electric – Eight years/100,000 miles
Free Maintenance – Three years/36,000 miles
Roadside Assistance – Four years/Unlimited miles
Anti-perforation – 12 years/Unlimited miles

The 2023 XC60 Recharge has been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as a Top Safety Pick+, its highest award. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not tested the plug-in hybrid, but standard versions of the XC60 were given a top 5-Star safety rating.

Pricing

The 2023 XC60 Recharge comes in five trims. All pricing includes the mandatory $1,095 destination charge.

The XC60 Recharge Ultimate Dark (Clean Fleet Report drove) had a base price of $68,950. With the $1,095 destination charge and $6,645 in options, the total came to $74,890.

Here are the five trims:

XC60 Recharge Core Bright – $59,390

XC60 Recharge Plus Bright or Dark – $63,640

XC60 Recharge Ultimate Bright or Dark – $69,140

Observations: 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Theme

The 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge is an impressive vehicle. The seat comfort, front and rear, is superb, the ride is supple and never jarring, the fuel economy and all-electric range are more than good, and the performance gets-up-and-goes.

When shopping compact SUVs there may be a tendency to stop looking at some in the higher price range models. This would be a mistake as the way Volvo markets the XC60 Recharge, as a luxury SUV, so it should be compared with like vehicles. But it is more than that as, when looking for a SUV, performance and efficiency should be a consideration. In both areas the XC60 Recharge shines.

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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Volvo.

The Premium Compact SUV Competition:

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Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.