Sure, the future may be electric, but the reality is that the majority of drivers and countries like ours aren’t quite ready to give up petrol – or diesel – in its entirety. We know that long road trips, lackluster charging infrastructure once you leave the metros, and finances alone make fully electric cars impractical and out of reach. But there’s still hope, in the form of the plug-in hybrid.
When it comes to Volvo, you can find all that goodness under its “Recharge” umbrella. Mind you, not every Recharge-badged vehicle is a full EV, most are hybrids or plug-in hybrids as in the case of this XC60 Recharge we’re reviewing today.
When it comes to looks, Volvo’s strategy has been a clever one. The aesthetic of their vehicles hasn’t much changed across the line and regardless for which drive-trim you settle for. Up front, the Thor’s daytime running lights and bodywork adorn the XC60 and leaves it as timeliness as ever. There’s chrome trims in all the right parts in our test model, giving it that touch of executive and premium look. It comes in a Crystal White, which is ever so handsome.
Inside, it features the Android Automotive OS-based platform with Google’s star features baked in for convenience. Google Maps has been greatly improved for the platform. Other apps such as Spotify and Google Play have been optimised too. The rest of the dashboard is familiar if you’ve been in a recent Volvo. And its not a bad thing. You get a choice of Nappa leather, clean instrumentals, open-pore wood, and real metal trim. There’s also a panoramic moonroof which makes the cabin a much more comfortable place to be in.
The XC60 Recharge is quite the treat to drive, but not as easy to live with like other performance-inclined SUVs out there. The suspension is on the firm side, but gives you that confidence. It sports 21-inch alloys that add to a smooth experience on well maintained roads. We drove it to Welkom, and the roads aren’t quite the best kept in the world, and, unfortunately that came through as clear as day. The optional four-corner air suspension is worth adding, as it makes you fall more in love with the XC60.
For technicalities, the XC60 Recharge combines a four-cylinder 2.0l turbocharged petrol engine with two electric motors. You’ll find one driving the rear wheels, and the other in the front by the transmission. 0 – 100km/h comes in 4.8 seconds, thanks to 340 kW and 709 Nm of torque. And that’s more than enough to propel the XC60 at a confident pace, but more than anything, its how instant it feels. At a full charge, the electric range comes in at about 70km. The downside of this plug-in experience, is that it takes about 5 hours to completely charge the on-board battery. There’s no DC fast charging support, unfortunately.
The upside certainly has to be Volvo’s transition between petrol and electric power. It’s extremely smooth and the gearbox is award winning in both ways. Driving modes are only accessible through a menu, within a menu on the infotainment console. I wish it was easier to access this.
There’s quite a lot to like about plug-in hybrids, and the Volvo XC60 Recharge strikes a compelling balance. Pricing for this 2025 XC60 Recharge starts at R1 314 000.
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