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"
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.
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.
