The Volvo XC60 has just received a facelift which is set to see it receive a new appearance, upgraded technology within the cabin and a revision of the existing engine lineup.
Whilst Volvo is usually slow to make any changes to their entire lineup, there are always comprehensive facelifts that take place every now and then to rather improve and update their models to be relevant to consumers and most importantly not becoming obesolete when compared to the various emerging rivals in the global stage.
Significant design and safety upgrades for new XC60
No massive overhaul but just touch ups to modernise an already timeless design is what the Swedish does. The facelifted XC60 gains the now signature Thor Hammer Matrix LED headlights signature LED lights first seen in the all electric EX90. The lights share center stage with a new upgraded grille and redesigned front bumper, bonnet and front wings or enlarged air channels.
The side profile remains largely untouched but your wheels do gain a new set of designs to choose from as well as a couple of additions to the color pallet.
The rear of the vehicle has a noticeable change in terms of the lighting although more on the subtle side thanks to new rear LED lamps which now elongated toward the Volvo badge to almost form a lightbar and rear bumper have been updated with a stronger emphasis on the horizontal lines to give the car a more powerful, confident stance.
The interior of the vehicle is, you guessed it untouched
You still have a 11.2-inch screen infotainment screen that dominated the entire cabin on the dashboard but it now supports the next-generation AI assistant from Google, Google Gemini. The real change or rather upgrades taking place in the interior is more on the materials found or that can be optioned on your seats and around the cabin, for example the door panel design list grows to offer, more wood decor options whilst high quality eco-friendly material like Quilted Nordico or Navy Herringbone textiles join the options list.
The vehicle also benefits from a repositioning of the batteries beneath the vehicles skin which mean this freed up physical room for four total rear air vents (two positioned on the B-pillars and two at the back of the centre console) to improve passenger comfort. More cabin ammenities like ambient lighting, wireless charging pads, cable charging sockets, a sunroof, heated and cooled seats are still found in the cars cabin.
Like all new Volvo cars, the new XC60 and XC90 will benefit from regular over-the-air updates, meaning a car that is great from day one gets better as time goes on. Order books for the new XC60 and XC90, including the Black Edition, are open from today in selected markets, with production starting later this autumn.
The safest car in the world would never compromise on safety
The updated Volvo XC60 builds heavily on the brand’s safety reputation, using a completely overhauled Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform. These upgraded safety feature range amongst things like Steering Lane Change Assistance, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, Real-Time Collision Avoidance further backing the 5 star Global NCAP safety rating.
No diesel power
Leading and only available in the new XC60s range of powertrains will be a set of two electrified 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines. It is important to note that both engine options come with a all wheel drive system that is fed by a 8 speed automatic transmission, the engine set up will either be a HEV or a Plug in hybrid option.
The entry-level engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an integrated starter-generator. Altogether, the setup produces 183 kW and 350 Nm of torque. The flagship is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) which has received a massive battery upgrade to 41.2 kWh (up from 18.8 kWh), this system produces 340 kW and 709 Nm of torque and being a hybrid it means you can travel up to 160–200 km on pure electric range only.
When can you expect to see one on the roads
The Volvo is confirmed to touch down on local soil in the first quarter of 2027 and for now, there has been no official word out on pricing so we will have to wait a bit closer to launch timing to find out how much it will go for. The previous iterations of the XC60 in South Africa are priced starting from R1,058,400 for the entry-level B5 mild-hybrid, stretching up to R1,500,700 for the top-tier T8 PHEV Ultra.