2026 Volvo XC60 T8 : Gently Touched-Up and Updated

While still in the shadow of its German rivals, the Volvo XC60 is nonetheless very important to Swedish carmaker Volvo: since its introduction to the market, 2.7 million units have been sold, surpassing the sales figures of the famous Volvo 240 that put Volvo on the map. The XC60's Scandinavian styling and “Zen” attitude set it apart from its sometimes flashier, other times sportier counterparts, and it has remained rather conservative in its styling and technical evolutions since the introduction of its second generation in 2017.

For 2026, the XC60 gets a few minor tweaks, such as the same design as the new XC90, new body colours and new wheel designs. In terms of technologies, a larger screen has been added to the dashboard, and the instrument cluster has been updated.

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The Car Guide travelled to Volvo's home base in Gothenburg, Sweden, to test-drive the XC60 2026 in its T8 plug-in hybrid variant.

Staying the Course Under the Hood

The XC60 retains essentially all its nuts and bolts under the hood. Its 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine serves as a base for a choice of two powertrain options: the B5 mild hybrid developing 247 hp, and T8 plug-in hybrid deploying 455 hp. The latter, which powered our tester, adds an electric motor and an 18.8 kWh high-voltage battery. The battery enables it to travel between 50 and 55 kilometres without using gas - a sufficient range figure for the moment, but one that lies at the lower end of the segment, where plug-in hybrids are becoming increasingly competent in this respect.

Thanks to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain delivers power to the pavement in a surprisingly linear fashion, in keeping with the automaker's philosophy of smoothness at the wheel. It's worth noting that the XC60 T8 benefits from all the extra horsepower it employs, weighing in at around 230 kg more than the equally equipped B5 variant.

With a smooth ride provided by a suspension that dampens road imperfections brilliantly, the XC60 clearly prioritizes comfort over dynamics in spirited driving. However, the Polestar Engineered variant, which gives the T8-powered XC60 an Ohlins suspension package, can spice up the experience considerably, but does so with certain compromises to the XC60's ride comfort.

Quiet, Stylish and Highly Digital

If exterior design improvements are slim for this 2026 refresh, those applied to the interior are also limited. Apart from the new infotainment system screen and a few minor alterations to the instrument cluster and wireless charging pad, the interior remains essentially unchanged. The new 11.2-inch screen has been grafted onto the existing dashboard, which housed the 9-inch unit on the outgoing model. As for the interface, Volvo is now integrating Google functions in the hope of resolving some of the complaints about the old system's intuitiveness. Despite some notable improvements, we have to underline that there are still some unnecessarily complex menus to use for simple, essential controls such as ventilation. That said, the system allows the driver and passengers to use the “Hey Google” voice command to activate and deactivate certain vehicle functions without taking their eyes off the road, should the interface become too irritating.

During our test drive, we also put to the Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system to the test, which seems to have matured with time (and probably many over-the-air updates). Without being impeccable, it proved more permissive and less intrusive than before, offering more natural accelerations and braking during hands-free driving.

Our Verdict

The Volvo XC60 could benefit from a deeper aesthetic update the next time around. Also, a few kilometres could be added to the electric range on its T8 model to better compete with the German rivals. As for the infotainment system, we're confident that the last few creases can be ironed out via wireless updates. In any case, the XC60 remains a powerful, stylish and comfort-focused product, whose quiet cabin is a haven for families seeking simple, uncluttered luxury.

In Canada, the Volvo XC60 2026 price range starts at $57,600 for the B5 model and $64,950 for the T8 model.