Volvo V60 estate - MPG, running costs & CO2

​Volvo made waves by announcing it would only launch electrified (mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric) models from 2019 and that the Swedish brand is targeting 50% EV sales by 2025. There’s a very good chance you’re looking at the last Volvo to be launched with a conventional diesel engine, and in late 2021 it was removed from the line-up altogether.

That's a bit of a shame for drivers with a high annual mileage and often head out on the motorway, where extra fuel efficiency starts to pay dividends. We suspect the last batch of diesel V60s may hold their value rather well on the used market.

Volvo V60 MPG & CO2

Despite their power differences, the B3 and B4 and the now discontinued B5 petrol models with front-wheel drive and the same automatic gearbox all share a top fuel economy figure of just over 40mpg and CO2 emissions from 142 to 156g/km. The B6 was worse, mostly owing to its four-wheel drive, returning up to 36.2mpg and emitting 175g/km, and every petrol V60 sits in a high BiK band. The raised height and four-wheel drive of the V60 Cross Country B5 (P) limits its fuel economy to 38.1mpg with 169g/km of CO2.

If you want to run a petrol V60 company car, the T6 Recharge and T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid have the lowest CO2 emissions of just 18 to 25g/km, and therefore the lowest BiK bands, but they also cost quite a bit more to buy. Thanks to a battery pack and electric motors, both have a zero-emission driving range of up to 54 miles, resulting in an official fuel-efficiency figure of more than 250mpg.

The entry-level V60 diesel B4 (D) was fitted with a 2.0-litre engine which returned up to 55.3mpg with CO2 emissions from around 135g/km, depending on trim level, but it’s no longer available. The V60 is popular with company-car drivers and these figures result in the B4 (D) sitting in a middling Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band.

Every non-hybrid Volvo V60 will cost the standard rate each year to tax, but spending more than £40,000 (including options) will incur a surcharge in years two to six, making the V60 rather expensive to tax in that period, at just shy of £500 each year. Hybrid versions cost £10 a year less to tax.

Insurance groups

In entry-level B3 form, the V60 falls into insurance group 26, the same group as the B4 (D) diesel engine when it was available. The Recharge T6 plug-in hybrid sits in group 31.

Warranty

Volvo offers a fairly typical three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, which matches the Volkswagen Passat, but BMW and Mercedes do slightly better by removing the mileage limit. It’s worth mentioning that Volvo announced a free windscreen and tyre repair service in early 2022 for Volvos of any age, which demonstrates Volvo’s ongoing commitment to keep their customers safe.

Servicing

Volvo models typically need servicing once a year, and fall under the Volvo Service Promise, a set of guarantees that include a personal service advisor to assist with any questions, a car health check and free software upgrades. Cars serviced by Volvo are also given complimentary annual roadside cover. Volvo has also launched Care by Volvo – a subscription service with a flat monthly fee that includes the car itself and costs like servicing, making payments as simple as a mobile phone contract.