Skip advert
Advertisement

2019 Volvo XC60 review - design

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

Design

Contrary to many rivals, Volvo’s on a bit of a design roll at the moment, and the XC60 is no exception, with a cool, clean aesthetic that looks expensive yet not intimidating. The clean surfaces are driven by a subtle curvature lacking in the bigger XC90. Its shared platform with the 90 also drives the 60’s chunky, almost cartoonish proportions, with a relatively long bonnet and large wheels in proportion to the overall footprint.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Pretty much all models look good though, and whether on small wheels and with simple body styling, or the biggest 22-inch wheel option and sporty body styling, it always looks right. Compared to the dull German competition, this is a revelation, and the XC60 has no problem living up to the strong price points of the higher-end models.

Those top-spec Polestar Engineered variants pick up a bespoke wheel design, gold brake calipers, black design elements and a unique grille. Although the effect is subtle, it’s just about distinctive enough to make it feel special, even if that’s not something that can be said for the driving experience.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The golden age of sports cars revisited – car pictures of the week
six-cylinder sports cars
Features

The golden age of sports cars revisited – car pictures of the week

Stand-out used sports cars gather for a battle of models that spans two decades. Their charms are almost impossible to find in new cars today
11 Oct 2025
Best British cars – the cars for Great Britain to be proud of
Best British cars
Best cars

Best British cars – the cars for Great Britain to be proud of

Britain still makes great cars, from luxury land yachts to scintillating sports cars to visceral supercars
13 Oct 2025
Porsche Taycan GTS review – the sweet spot in the range renders a Turbo pointless
Porsche Taycan GTS
Reviews

Porsche Taycan GTS review – the sweet spot in the range renders a Turbo pointless

The Taycan GTS is superb in both saloon and Sport Turismo forms – it's the driver's choice for EVs right now
10 Oct 2025