Volvo S60 saloon - MPG, running costs & CO2

The B5 petrol is tricky to recommend, as it's quite thirsty without offering enough driving thrills to make up for it. The Volvo S60 Recharge T8 model offers a greater buying incentive to those for whom low CO2 emissions bring tax savings. In real world use, fuel economy might not be any more impressive than diesel-powered rivals.

Volvo S60 plug-in hybrid MPG & CO2

The Volvo S60 B5 has a WLTP fuel-efficiency figure of up to 42.1mpg, and we found this possible to achieve on our test drive, so long as you drive quite gently. Still, it's not really a number that's likely to impress private or business drivers, and the latter will find its 152g/km CO2 emissions and high BiK rating off-putting.

Volvo quotes official fuel consumption figures of 141-403mpg for the T8 - an incredibly wide range of possible figures - but it's important to put them into context.

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They’re measured according to the WLTP (World harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure), and take into account a full battery charge during the test cycle. With a claimed all-electric range of up to 55 miles, much of the fuel consumption test cycle was completed without the petrol engine in operation, which leads to that impressive figure.

However, if your average journey doesn't approximate the stop-start conditions of the test, you might not even come close to achieving such high fuel economy. Volvo’s figures for North American market variants of the S60 T8 state up to 82mpg as measured according to the country's MPGe standard. City, highway and combined figures for the US appear to show that those who cover high mileages away from congested urban areas will face fuel economy more akin to a normal petrol-powered car.

Nevertheless, whatever fuel consumption you experience, Volvo's claimed CO2 emissions figure of 17-46g/km still stands. It’s lower than any conventional petrol car you can buy and similar to its BMW and Mercedes rivals. Company car drivers will face a low rate of Benefit-in-Kind (BiK).

The 55-mile claimed electric range is helped by a regenerative braking system that recovers energy that would otherwise be lost during deceleration. You can fully charge the 10.4kWh battery in four hours with a 10A connection to a domestic mains socket.

VED (road tax) is discounted by £10 a year compared to the standard rate because the B5 has mild-hybrid technology that means it can be classed as electrified. Both engines cost over £40,000, so your annual bill will include an additional surcharge and will cost nearly £500 per year until the sixth time you renew.

Insurance

The B5 petrol sits in group 34 out of 50, while the Recharge T8 plug-in hybrid sits in group 38. That’s similar to the BMW 3 Series, as 330i and 330e M Sport models sit in groups 34 and 35 respectively.

Servicing

You can expect your S60 Recharge T8 to need a scheduled service every year. Volvo offers a subscription service – Care by Volvo – that covers most facets of Volvo ownership, including routine maintenance. Alternatively, a service contract can be drawn up to suit your annual mileage.

The ‘Volvo Service Promise’ provides a service advisor to answer any questions, a complimentary car health check and free software updates, as well as roadside cover on condition the car is maintained by an official Volvo workshop.

Warranty

Volvo's three-year/60,000-mile warranty matches that provided by Volkswagen and Audi, but BMW and Mercedes both provide a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty.