Volvo has made a lot of money by dominating the station wagon segment. Then that segment practically went away. It still exists thanks to Subaru, but the competition is narrow. But Volvo still dominates as is evident with this week’s tester the 2023 Volvo V60.
In the 1990s, Volvo was the dominating force in station wagons, so there’s a bit of a throwback to the V60 still. Don’t get me wrong, it has modern, handsome looks. In fact, the 2023 version has a refreshed exterior — featuring a new grille and front fascia. A quick glance at it on profile though reveals a tried-and-true station wagon, not a crossover. And that really resonated with me.
The V60 still has distinction as one of the remaining “vagns” on the road. And yet it feels refined and luxurious while also feeling thoroughly modern.
From a powertrain perspective, the V60 holds true to what Volvo has been mentioning and that’s a hybridized and electrified future for their entire product lineup. The V60 is offered in two version, one is a mild hybrid with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine while the other option is a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with an electric motor assist. My tester was the first choice, as a mild hybrid. It was properly powered at 247 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but that falls short of the more powerful supercharged and turbocharged engine which cranks out 455 horses and 523 pound-feet of torque.
I hope to get to drive this version as I think it might be one that ends up my top-10 list for the year as I enjoyed so much about the V60, but just found the mild hybrid engine to lack personality and athleticism. The all-wheel drive station wagon has an eight-speed automatic transmission that is seamless with its shifting.
Inside Volvo continues to offer steady, consistently upscale interiors. And this station wagon is no exception with a large, quiet, comfortable cabin. With room for three adults in the back seat, you can appreciate how large the cabin. Additionally, the spacious interior continues with 22.9 cubic feet of space behind the second row of seats with a total available cargo area of 60.5 cubic feet.
With a well-designed, refined interior and quality touchpoints, the fit and finish inside is impressive. It’s what you’ve grown to accept from a luxury brand like Volvo. However, the infotainment system is clunky and lacks any type of intuition. It can be confounding, although has plenty of technology available and integration with smart phones. The design and integration place the infotainment system near the bottom of the segment and detracts from an otherwise high-quality interior.
As a mild hybrid, the tamer v60 has an EPA rating of 23 mpg/city and 30 mpg/highway. I averaged nearly 27 mpg in a week’s worth of mostly suburban driving.
There are only two trims offered: B5 Plus and B5 Ultimate. My tester was the Ultimate with a base price of $54,100. This trim level has the following standard features: ventilated Nappa leather seats, Harman Kardon Premium Sound System, air purifier, park assist, pilot assist and special interior illumination. My tester had several other add-on features including 20-inch 7-spoke wheels, Bowers and Wilkins sound system, climate package and special paint color. As such, my tester had a final MSRP of $63,585.
With just a teeny bit more power (like that supercharged version) and a little better infotainment system, the 2023 Volvo V60 might be the “vagn” of choice for those who still love station vagns, er I mean wagons.
Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside
2023 Volvo V60 B5 Ultimate
Price/As tested price................................................ $54,100/$63,585
Mileage.......................................... 23 mpg/city; 30 mpg/hwy
Engine............................................. 2.0-liter turbocharged hybrid
Horsepower................................. 247180 hp/258 lbs./ft.
Transmission................................. 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels................ All-wheel drive
Final Assembly Point................ Ghent, Belgium