Battery size: 80 - 112 kWh
Max charge rate: 370 kW
Range: 385 - 503 miles
Introduction - Volvo EX60
Okay, so I’m excited to talk about how this drives, but let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
The EX60 is a mid-sized SUV with rivals like the new Mercedes GLC and our Electrifying.com Car of the Year 2026 - the BMW iX3 - in its sights. Like the iX3, the Volvo EX60 is new from the ground up. New platform, new tech, new infotainment software… And it’s showcasing what Volvo can do with its new generation of electric cars and battery tech.
I don’t know what you think of the way it looks, but as a fan of Scandinavian design, I really like its simple, pared-back style. Volvo is particularly good at making its cars feel unmistakable, despite the sheer amount of competition. In a world full of SUVs that can blur into one another, I think Volvo stands out for having a clear design look you won’t confuse with any other brand.
I think it's a lovely evolution of Volvo’s very classy SUV design, with the familiar Thor's Hammer headlights, and the new slimline Wing Grid door handles (I absolutely love these, as you can see in the video… I got a bit carried away) and those cool stepped rear lights. Let us know what you think about it by leaving a comment on the YouTube vid.
And if this standard version isn't rugged enough for you - as you can see in the photograph above - there will be also be an EX60 Cross Country version arriving down the line.
From launch, the EX60 will be offered with a couple of variants - the entry-level EX60 P6 gets rear-wheel drive and a WLTP range of up to 385 miles, while the P10 AWD brings more power and the benefits of all-wheel drive for an official range of up to 410 miles.
The range-topping version is the Volvo EX60 P12 AWD. You’ve probably worked out that this is also an all-wheel drive model with an abundance of power, while a bigger battery means a BMW iX3-rivalling WLTP range of 503 miles.
Range, battery and charging
Range is clearly one of the EX60’s big plus points, and there are three battery options. The P6 comes with an 80 kWh usable battery, delivering up to 385 miles WLTP. Peak DC rapid charging is up to 320 kW thanks to an 800V charging system, which is a bit like industrial-strength wiring that allows for ultra-rapid charging – unlike the 400V system that many EVs get.
The P10 steps up to a 91kWh usable battery, pushing range to 410 miles WLTP, and charging is also boosted to 370kW, while the flagship EX60 P12 gets a huge 112kWh usable battery, unlocking the headline figure of up to 503 miles WLTP – also with that 370kW peak charging.
Every Volvo EX60 gets a lithium-ion NMC battery, and you can read more about that in our battery tech explainer.
As for real-world range? Well, I managed 3.8 miles/kWh in the P6 over a very varied route in quite warm weather in Sweden, while the P10 managed 3.7 miles/kWh. In town stuff, I was getting 4.3 mile/kWh, which is pretty impressive for such a big car, and it suggests a real-world range of around 300 miles for the P6 and 350 miles for the P10.
We’ll have to spend more time with it in the UK to get more exact real-world range figures, and don’t worry – we’ll be testing it against the BMW iX3 to see which one’s best!
That top charging rate doesn’t quite hit the 400kW peak charge rate that the BMW iX3 offers but, this is still one of the fastest-charging EVs on sale and it’s capable of adding around 210 miles of range in just 10 minutes or a 10- to 80% charge takes as little as 19 minutes. Provided you’ve got ideal conditions and a powerful enough charger, that is!
Unfortunately, charging speeds are always affected by conditions – the temperature, the state of the charger, how many cars are sharing the charge points, the temperature of your battery… You also need to input your intended charging stop into the car’s nav to preheat the battery, which is important if you want the best charging speeds. That’s pretty easy to do, although I do prefer having the option of being able to manually tell the car to pre-heat the battery, rather than having to do it via the nav.
Anyway, it’s always worth treating these claimed charging figures as the best case scenario, but it’s safe to say that the EX60 has very impressive range and charging.
Practicality and boot space
I love the huge pano roof in the EX60! Isn’t it lovely? It really improves the sense of light and airiness in the rear seats, where you also get loads of leg- and headroom, a centre rear armrest, charging ports and climate control. And the carpets are nicer than the carpets in my house, so it’s all very lovely!
The boot’s 630 litres is impressive – that’s bigger than the Skoda Enyaq, Audi Q6 e-tron SUV and BMW iX3, so Volvo’s doing well with that. I also really like the clever underfloor storage, which is divided up so that you can keep your muddy wellies in the plastic underfloor area but still keep your cables separate down there and leave the main boot area free for the dog. Perfect.
There’s also a 58-litre frunk (86 litres if you don’t want the warning triangle in there), which is another useful place for you to keep your cables or other paraphernalia. Overall, this is one of the most practical cars in its class. And I don’t say that lightly, as there are some seriously practical cars up against the Volvo EX60.
- Dimensions (L/W/H): 4.80m / 1.91m / 1.64m
- Max towing capacity: 2,000 - 2,400kg
Interior, design and technology
I’m not going to lie – I’m obsessed with Scandinavian design, and I’d like Volvo to design my living room, to be honest. But the EX60 is definitely one of the nicest interiors in this class. I really prefer the EX60 to the Audi Q6 e-tron and Mercedes GLC, which feels a bit fussier compared to the simple, fresh-feeling interior in the Volvo.
I love the volume button, too, which is like a little glass jewel. And you can open the central glovebox without using the touchscreen – which is one of the things that annoys me on the Volvo EX30 and the Tesla Model Y. Little details like the Swedish flag labels on the seats and frameless rear-view mirror give it a minimal stylish feel, while the seats are brilliant, supportive, with plenty of adjustment with very comfortable head rests - some of the best seats in the industry, if you ask me. Is the BMW iX3 nicer inside? It's different in its approach and has more going on in terms of screen and buttons, but I do also love the iX3’s cabin, so I’m going to hold off on that verdict until I can try both of them back-to-back.
Like the BMW there's no shortage of clever tech. The EX60 gets ‘multi-adaptive seatbelts’, which uses sensors inside the vehicle to work out your body shape and how you’re sitting. For a child it will respond differently to the pressure it will apply, compared to how it will respond for a woman or for a large man. And the seatbelts even get smarter over time through software updates, as the system is constantly learning from day to day driving. Clever stuff, from the brand that invented the seatbelt many decades ago.
There’s also an ‘Nvidia Drive’ platform, which essentially means that you’re getting the very latest in processing power to make the car’s software as slick and quick as possible. There’s Google maps and other apps built in, as is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and natural AI voice commands that learn how you speak.
The EX60’s semi-autonomous driver assistance systems are, as you’d expect, the very latest technology as well. In fact, the EX60 will be the first Volvo to get Navi Pilot Assist, which is advanced enough that the car can steer itself without the driver’s hands being on the wheel… In countries where that’s legal. Which doesn’t include the UK. Over here, you’ll have to keep your hands on the wheel and remain in control and alert at the wheel, at all times – even when you are enjoying the car’s ability to autonomously stay in lane on the motorway, and keep a safe distance from the car in front even in stop-start traffic.
Motors, performance and handling
I’ve been driving the new EX60 on roads around Sweden, and honestly, it feels like a really significant step forwards for Volvo. Not because it’s wildly sporty or trying to reinvent what an electric SUV should feel like, but because it’s just so beautifully resolved.
Performance ranges from perfectly brisk to, frankly, slightly ridiculous - how much power does a family SUV really need? The entry-level P6 gets 374hp and gets from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds, which feels more than enough for most people. The P10 AWD model gets 510hp and manages the same sprint in 4.6 seconds, while the range-topping P12 drops below four seconds with 680hp. Personally, I think the P10 is the sweet spot. The power delivery is smooth, immediate and punchy when you need it, but never overwhelming or aggressive.
What really stands out for me though is the platform underneath. This is the first Volvo to use the company’s new Superset architecture and it genuinely feels different to previous Volvos I’ve driven. The whole car feels more settled and more planted. The structure feels incredibly stiff, but not in a harsh or uncomfortable way. Over broken roads and bumps it just stays calm and composed without the little fidgety movements you often get in heavier electric SUVs - even riding on the large 21-inch wheels that my test car had.
A big part of that finesse comes from the way Volvo has integrated the battery into the structure of the car itself. The cells form part of the body, which helps the EX60 feel incredibly confident through corners while also giving it a very refined ride quality.
It’s also remarkably quiet. Even at motorway speeds there’s very little road or wind noise filtering into the cabin, which adds to the whole relaxed character of the car.
This P10 model also gets an active chassis system with sensors monitoring the road up to 500 times a second, so that the dampers are constantly adapting depending on what’s happening underneath you. The result is a really clever balance between comfort and control. It never feels floaty, but it also doesn’t crash over rough surfaces.
And actually, that’s probably the best way to describe how the EX60 drives overall. Compared with rivals like the electric Mercedes GLC and the new BMW iX3, this feels much more laid-back. It doesn’t make a fuss and it just feels very Swedish. Relaxed, effortless and easy to live with. Well, I’m sure not all Swedes are easy to live with, but you get my drift.
One of the biggest improvements for me is the driver assistance systems. I haven’t always loved Volvo’s ADAS systems in previous cars, but the systems in the EX60 are much smoother and more intuitive, almost as though the car is predicting what you’re about to do rather than reacting after the fact. It all feels much more natural and confidence-inspiring.
There’s also a nicely judged one-pedal driving system with adjustable brake regen settings including an automatic mode that works particularly well in everyday driving.
Overall, the EX60 feels like a car that has matured enormously underneath the surface. The clever technology is there, but what impresses the most is how seamlessly it all works together.
You’ll also be able to get the Volvo EX60 Cross Country, if you’re after a slightly more rugged variant. It gets all-wheel drive models, and adds 20mm to the ride height for better ground clearance, plus some rugged styling tweaks.
Oh, and if you want to tow with your EX60, maximum braked towing capacity is 2,000kg for the P6, or 2,400kg for the all-wheel drive models.
- Power: 374 - 680hp
- 0-62mph: 5.9 - 3.9sec
- Powertrain: RWD/AWD
Pricing and on sale date
The Volvoe EX60 kicks off at £56,860 for the entry-level EX60 P6 with its 385 miles of range, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the entry-level iX3 only costs around £2000 more - even for the all-wheel drive iX3 xDrive50 with 500 miles of range. So, with that in mind I can’t help but feel that the iX3 has got the edge when it comes to value for money.
Even so, with the EX60 P10 AWD starting at £59,860 and the P12 from £64,860, it’s still very competitive with rivals – and looks like good value next to alternatives like the Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron.
You also get a 10 year warranty on the high voltage battery in the Volvo, as opposed to eight years for the BMW iX3 and most other posh electric SUVs that the Volvo competes with.
As ever, it’ll all come down to monthly PCP and leasing rates, in the end, and the EX60 looks competitive on that front. It’s far from the cheapest car in this class on PCP or leasing, but it is competitive with all those rivals we’ve mentioned.
The EX60 range will start with Plus and Ultra trims, and Volvo says that a Core trim line will arrive later on. It's available to order now, with P6 and P10 models being delivered from the summer and P12 versions arriving with customers later in the year.
Verdict
The EX60 makes a very strong first impression. It looks great, the interior is beautiful, and the tech feels like a clear step forward, particularly Volvo’s clever rethink of the seatbelt, which is exactly the kind of innovation you want in a family car. The infotainment also appears far more intuitive than before, although I’ll reserve final judgement until I’ve tried it out properly. In terms of space and day-to-day usability, this feels like one of the most practical cars in its class.
But BMW’s iX3 looms large, offering more range for the money and making this a tougher decision than Volvo might like. Ultimately, monthly finance and how the EX60 feels on the road will be key - and I’ll be putting that to the test very soon.
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