From £43,3709

Strong hybrid system gives ageing Volvo a lot of fresh appeal

Volvo’s latest-generation plug-in hybrid powertrain is being rolled out across all of its larger models this year, but in the Volvo V60 mid-sized estate it finds something of a sweet spot: the marriage of a fairly affordable price to a versatile and accommodating cabin, improved drivability, strong performance and impressive electric-only range. You can opt for a Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge instead, of course, but it’ll be pricier and it won’t have quite the same performance or zero-emissions range. Right now, if you want to go only partly electric, the V60 T6 Recharge is probably all the Volvo you really need.

In many respects, it’s quite a lot more than that. Nobody really asked for a mid-sized, comfort-first, emissions-saving family holdall that could do 60mph quicker than a 1990s super-saloon, after all. Some may bemoan this car’s slight shortages of rear cabin and outright boot space relative to others in the class. It’s certainly no Skoda Superb. But what space the V60 does offer, it does so rather cleverly. And in combining a modern sporty design with a relaxing dynamic persona – and layering on the potential for transformative real-world electric running – this becomes one of 2022’s easier exec PHEVs to recommend.

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