Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid review – Reliability & safety

"The Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid is one of the safest SUVs on sale, but owner satisfaction is mixed"

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.0 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Reliability & safety Rating

4.0 out of 5

The independent safety experts at Euro NCAP tested the non-hybrid Volvo XC60 in 2017, where it earned a maximum five-star rating.

The last time the XC60 appeared in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey was in 2022, when it came in 69th out of the top 75 cars. Volvo as a brand finished in a middling 16th place overall in the most recent 2024 edition. It ranks highly for the quality and design of its interiors and exteriors, as well as for comfort and legroom.

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid reliability

While Volvo didn’t perform badly in our 2024 Driver Power survey, reliability was slightly worse than average, with 26% of owners reporting a fault with their Volvo in the first year. Fully-electric spin-off brand Polestar came second overall in 2023 and didn’t feature at all in 2024, but a shockingly high 69% of owners reported an issue with their Polestar in the first year. With many of the same electronics shared between the companies, this doesn’t bode particularly well, and this was one of the worst areas for reliability in Volvos, too, although in the coming years the two brands are expected to move further apart in terms of collaboration.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The XC60 itself slipped to 69th out of the 75 models in our rankings in 2022 and hasn’t featured since. It received poor ratings for reliability and build quality, infotainment, and running costs, but the latest cars with the new Android-based infotainment will hopefully pick these scores back up again, while the plug-in hybrid model should also perform better for running costs.

Safety

When tested by Euro NCAP, the XC60 was proven to be a safe SUV, scoring 98% for adult occupant protection and 87% for child occupants. In the pedestrian and safety assist categories, it performed similarly well, with scores of 76% and 95% respectively.

All models come with lane-keeping assistance, so will automatically steer you back into your lane if you move over without indicating. Also standard are traffic-sign recognition, a speed limiter and a fatigue detection and warning system.

If you’re after a semi-autonomous experience, consider the Intellisafe Pro pack, which costs £1,500. The adaptive cruise control this pack brings will match your speed to the speed of the car in front, while the Pilot Assist system will help steer the car for you.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid review – an upmarket, understated plug-in SUV
Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid
In-depth reviews
30 Sep 2024

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid review – an upmarket, understated plug-in SUV

Most Popular

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe: details and first drive of the sleek executive four-door
BMW M235 Gran Coupe front quarter
News
26 Nov 2024

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe: details and first drive of the sleek executive four-door

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s Black Friday offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
29 Nov 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s Black Friday offers

New Audi Q5 Sportback lands with SUV stance and a swoopy roof
Audi SQ5 Sportback front quarter
News
26 Nov 2024

New Audi Q5 Sportback lands with SUV stance and a swoopy roof

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024