Volvo XC60 Recharge hybrid - Practicality & boot space

While we haven’t been hugely generous with our scoring of the Volvo XC60 Recharge’s Engine hybrid’s practicality, that’s not an indication it’s pokey inside, but more a reflection that rivals are slightly more spacious and practical.

Volvo XC60 Recharge hybrid interior space & storage

Volvo is known for making comfortable seats and the XC60’s are no exception. They somehow manage to be both soft and supportive and while the R-Design model gets bigger side bolsters, these don’t impact on comfort in any negative way. The driving position is also spot-on, while the two large sliding compartment covers on the central console hide cupholders and somewhere to store wallets and phones.

Parents with small children should be aware the XC60 Recharge’s rear doors don’t open as wide as they might, making access for child seats trickier than it needs to be. This won’t be much of a problem if your children are older and their seats tend to be left in the car, but if you’ve a baby whose seat gets lifted in and out with them in it on a regular basis, check you’re happy with the access on offer.

Boot space

At 505 litres, the XC60 Recharge’s boot is large enough, but it’s down roughly 10% on rivals. The rear seats don’t slide, either, so there’s no option to increase luggage space if you have short-legged passengers. For background colour, the Audi Q5 offers this feature and moving its back seats forwards increases its cargo capacity from 550 to 610 litres.

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Also slightly disappointing is the fact the XC60’s seats split 60:40 rather than individually, limiting its versatility slightly. There’s no under-floor storage in the boot either, as the charging cable and assorted mechanical gubbins rest here. These may be minor niggles, but practicality counts when it comes to SUVs and these small shortcomings are absent from some of the XC60’s rivals.

Towing

Although some hybrids aren’t recommended for towing, both the T6 and T8 versions of the XC60 Recharge can officially tow a braked trailer weighing 2,100kg.