Volvo is not known to brag about horsepower. Not that Volvo has anything against horsepower—it wouldn’t have the Polestar performance brand if it did—it’s just that horsepower isn’t an area in which the Swedish firm tends to have much to brag about. Yet chief among the points Volvo has made time and again since introducing its all-new 2018 XC60 crossover is the impressive 400 horsepower produced by the XC60 T8’s complex plug-in-hybrid powertrain, the same setup found in the larger, seven-seat XC90 T8. That’s more horsepower than almost every crossover in its class, tying the standard Porsche Macan Turbo. Furthermore, its 472 lb-ft of torque exceeds that of the Macan Turbo with the Performance package by 30 lb-ft. Volvo won’t get to brag for long, with the upcoming 469-hp Mercedes-AMG GLC63 and 505-hp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio poised to raise the bar in the not-too-distant future. But until those monsters arrive, Volvo can ride its high-horsepower high horse right into the 400-horsepower club, where Swedes have rarely been seen until now.
Highs
Brisk acceleration, Zen-like cabin, interior finery.
Lows
Turbo lag, uneven powertrain response, not-so-sporty engine note.
Macan Turbo, You’re Safe
We came away from our first drive in a 316-hp XC60 T6 quite impressed, and so we were curious to see how Volvo would put the T8 powertrain’s additional 84 electric ponies to use in the smaller of its two SPA-based crossovers. Would the added power turn the XC60 into a fearsome sporting machine that could give the Macan Turbo some competition? Or would the XC60 T8 parrot the stoicism of the XC90 T8? For us, the answer would be found 1000 miles away and one mile above sea level in Denver, Colorado, where we drove the XC60 T8.
Once we got to the Mile High City, we didn’t need to travel even a full mile forward before determining that the Macan Turbo’s position is safe. From the moment we sat inside and scanned the finery of our Inscription-grade test example, we knew immediately that performance was no more a priority for this rig than in its less powerful siblings. Indeed, all XC60 T8 trim levels—Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription—have more or less the same standard and optional equipment as their T6 counterparts. The only visual cue that one has plopped into the driver’s seat of a T8 is the presence of a gleaming, Orrefors crystal gear selector—a gorgeous bit of sculpture, to be sure, but not the sort of item that says, “Welcome to the 400-horsepower club.”
Likewise, Volvo did little to sharpen the T8’s other performance attributes. The T8’s all-wheel-drive system differs from that found in XC60 T5 and T6 models in its use of an 87-hp AC motor to turn its rear wheels rather than a driveshaft. Up front, a 46-hp electric motor is sandwiched between the 313-hp, supercharged-and-turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and the eight-speed automatic transaxle. The T8’s 10.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is housed in the center tunnel where the driveshaft otherwise would be. Aside from an enlarged front center armrest and the omission of center air vents for rear-seat passengers, the fitment of the T8’s electrical components has little impact on the XC60’s cabin.
Quick But . . .
The electrical components do have an impact on acceleration, however. Mash the go pedal on a freeway on-ramp and the XC60 T8 will press you back into the company’s signature ergonomic seats more forcefully than any Volvo SUV in history. We estimate the T8 will tip the scales at 4800 pounds and that it can accelerate to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Even though the T8 outweighs the T6 by more than 500 pounds, it should still get to 60 mph about 0.7 second ahead of the T6. The Macan Turbo, for reference, shot from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds in our last test.
The best way to hustle the XC60 T8 onto the highway is with the driving mode set to Power, which increases the T8’s general alertness, keeping both the gasoline engine and electric motors engaged, quickening the steering, firming up the damping, and lowering the suspension (when equipped with optional air springs). The system defaults to a neutral Hybrid mode, but a knurled thumbwheel grants drivers access to Power mode, an AWD mode to ensure the rear axle’s additional thrust, an Off Road mode that locks the front and rear axles at speeds of less than 25 mph, a Pure mode that maximizes electric driving, and, finally, an Individual mode that can blend the powertrain, suspension, steering, instruments, regenerative brakes, and climate-control parameters to your liking.
Even with assistance from a supercharger and two electric motors, the XC60 T8’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder still exhibited turbo lag in each of the settings we tried (except for the battery-driven Pure mode, of course). The engine’s flaccid note also put a damper on our experience, although a faint supercharger whine occasionally can be heard. And the interplay of all those boosting devices isn’t always seamless, with surges particularly at full throttle in Power mode. At least the regenerative brakes operate nicely, initiating with a crisp bite and no untoward jerks.
Oh, That’s Right, It’s a Luxury Car
Four-hundred horsepower is indeed an impressive figure for a compact crossover, but even with that much grunt on tap, the T8 just isn’t that fun. It is, however, an excellent luxury vehicle, especially in Inscription form. Gliding along silently on electric power, the XC60 takes the Zen-like calmness of its interior to another level. With the gas engine engaged, power is robust and engine noise is generally unobtrusive. The auto stop/start function generally goes unnoticed. We would have liked paddle shifters or some way to manually select ratios on the Inscription, although customers so inclined will probably choose the R-Design model, which does come with paddle shifters.
The EPA says the XC60 T8 can travel 18 miles on electricity alone, interestingly one mile less than the heavier XC90. Volvo claims that the XC60 T8’s battery can be recharged in as little as three hours from a 240-volt source, double that for a standard 120-volt outlet.
Dollars and Sense
Prices start at $53,895 for the 2018 XC60 T8 Momentum, rising to $57,195 for the R-Design model, which gets dark exterior trim, aluminum-mesh accents inside, 19-inch wheels, sport seats, navigation, and more. A few bucks more buys the $57,695 Inscription model, replete with a leather-covered dashboard, real driftwood inlays, navigation, and 20-inch wheels. Each T8 price represents an $8000 upcharge over the corresponding T6 version, although many buyers could reclaim up to $5002 of that from the feds at tax time, with various state incentives potentially bringing costs down even lower. So long as the federal incentives remain in place, the T8 could represent a rather compelling deal, and we’re not alone in thinking so. Volvo says that about 15 percent of the orders taken so far for the XC60 are for the T8, a much higher take rate than for the XC90 T8.
Should customers apply that rebate money toward options, the $1100 Vision package is a good place to start, adding blind-spot and cross-traffic alerts, automatic mirror dimming, power-retractable outside mirrors, and a parking-assist function. The Inscription’s $3000 Luxury Seat package adds massaging, ventilated front seats swathed in nappa leather and equipped with power side bolsters and cushion extenders. The $1800 air springs allowed a bit too much body motion for our tastes, even in Power mode, but the payoff was an extracreamy ride and a hushed cabin, the latter helping make the 1100-watt, 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system seem almost worth the $3200 investment. Other extras include a Convenience package for $2000 or $2200, depending on trim level; it includes adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous Pilot Assist. An Advanced package full of tech goodies costs $1900, and there are many more stand-alone items, including R-Design models and 21-inch wheels with summer tires.
For what it’s worth, an XC60 T8 R-Design with those 21s and summer rubber could be the closest thing to a Porsche Macan competitor that Volvo will offer. But that is not this model’s intention—although 400 horsepower definitely is a fun talking point.
