Buying guide Volvo XC60: lots of choice and risk-free as a used car

Lex Kerssemakers worked for years at Volvo’s headquarters just outside Gothenburg and was at the cradle of the XC60. He convinced management to put this midsize SUV into production. A golden opportunity, because almost 1.1 million were sold between 2008 and 2017. That model was then still a purely Swedish affair. In 2010, Volvo Cars was taken over by the Chinese Geely group and the second generation XC60, which was released in 2017, shares various components with other models from the Geely stable.

The XC60 is on the same platform as Volvo’s S/V60, S/V90 and . Volvo has banned larger engines and since 2020 diesels have also been taboo in Sweden. However, Volvo has not planned a fully electric version either, because for that you have to go to the XC40. The XC60 is built in Sweden, but the T4/B4 versions come from China. There is a range of options: you can choose from four diesel and four petrol versions, front- or four-wheel drive, standard suspension or air suspension and there are hybrid variants that are more popular in the Netherlands than the completely fossil options. You only have a manual gearbox with the D3 diesel, the rest are automatics. In addition, there are countless versions, options and colors to customize your XC60.

Tough competition for the Volvo XC60

From day one, the XC60 has sold like a hot cake. More than 10,000 of them were sold in the Netherlands, not even counting the parallel imported cars. With these figures, it easily beats the tough competition from the BMW X3, Audi Q5, the Mercedes-Benz GLC and the Toyota RAV4. That is a very good achievement! The XC60 is a spacious, very comfortable car, has a low noise level and is almost naturally equipped with excellent seats. In terms of finish, the current version also scores much better than its predecessor.

At Bangarage in Amsterdam South-East, an XC60 T5 Momentum is ready for us, built in 2018 with 73,830 kilometers on the odometer. This copy has the third weakest petrol engine and the second lowest equipment level. But… you can’t call this XC60 stupid, because with 250 hp it is more than adequately motorized.

Volvo XC60 T5: 250 hp. This one is like new under the hood. Unfortunately, this copy has already been sold.

The model has been around for six years now and a successor is not long in coming, but the SUV still looks as fresh as it did in 2017, when it was presented. The interior is also impressive: beautiful materials, plastics and carpet. In addition, the 2022 model year has an improved Google Android system and new cameras and sensors. In practice, the system does not always work flawlessly. The earlier Volvo Sensus appears to be more reliable, but is rated as slow.

Serious mechanical problems are not (yet) an issue with Volvo’s XC60 from 2017 onwards. The engines are holding up well. The timing belts only need to be replaced at 160,000 kilometers or ten years.

There have been many recalls for Volvo XC60

Numerous recalls have been initiated, with the lift arms of the tailgate being the best-known problem. The tailgate lock also sometimes refuses to work and in some cases the central locking does not work. Other recalls are related to software updates. An example of this is the AEB, Auto Brake Assist. The eight-speed automatic transmission that all XC60s are equipped with sometimes prevents the car from starting smoothly. A software update usually helps, but the box should also have fresh automatic transmission fluid (ATF) every 60,000 kilometers. That is an important factor when it comes to smoothly changing gears and achieving a long service life.

Not an insignificant recall is the fuel pump fuse. It was initially undersized (15 amps). If it breaks, the car comes to a standstill. Volvo has remedied this with a heavier – 20 amp – fuse. Volvo makes improvements more often, such as the tank capacity (increased to 71 liters), the rubber strip between the rear door and fender that prevents the accumulation of dirt and the hybrids that have a larger range and a stronger electric motor.

AutoBild passed the 100,000 kilometer test well

AutoBild’s colleagues have covered 100,000 kilometers with an XC60 T8 Twin Engine (plug-in hybrid) in two years. They were very pleased with the comfort and finish, less so with the infotainment and fuel consumption. In addition, they found the range of fully electric driving to be below par. Thirty instead of the promised fifty kilometers, that is of course not possible. They also found the consumption (8.7 l/100 km) to be high. However, do not forget that Germans usually drive much faster than us (in the Netherlands, 100 km/h) and that this T8 invites you to drive smoothly. They also found some rust on the wishbones of their XC60. More serious were the seal of the exhaust manifold on the first cylinder and the broken monolith of the first catalytic converter. Regardless of these findings, which certainly qualify for a point deduction, the colleagues were very satisfied. The D5 also passed the 100,000 kilometer test excellently. Only a sticky AdBlue valve caused a ‘Check engine’ light to illuminate.

Many aluminum components in the suspension. If you choose a car with a high mileage, look at the axle boot and any play on the pivot points.

The test drive is an important part of the purchasing process. Check all systems, especially those that are MOT-related, such as lane departure and the systems that help prevent collisions, such as the aforementioned AEB. Of course you check the operation of the air conditioning and the multimedia system. You can also feel whether the brakes are vibration-free and whether the car has an imbalance in the wheels. After all, a crooked wheel ends up in papers. These are all things that the car cannot do anything about, but which can cost or save you euros.

Little risk with used XC60

Does purchasing an XC60 entail a lot of risk? Everything points to ‘no’ if you buy a well-maintained car. Such an XC60 quickly tells its own story. You can see in an instant whether the previous owner had compassion for it or whether a vacuum cleaner has never been run through it. Go for the best, preferably with a consistent maintenance history. There is quite a lot of choice.