Review: 2020 Volvo Xc60 T8 Twin Engine Awd Inscription


There’s a lot to dear virtually Volvo recently. From barely surviving inward Ford’s corporate shadow, they’ve at nowadays entered a novel era of renaissance—one where they’ve managed to come upwards up amongst winner afterward winner. While the build has a compelling hit of vehicles, at the gist of all this is the XC60. It’s globally their best-selling model, together with single-handedly a showcase of what they’ve accomplished thence far.

Thus, it’s alone plumbing equipment for Volvo Philippines to offering the XC60 amongst the brand’s plug-in hybrid electrical drive. Sitting atop the range, this “Twin Engine” inward Volvo speak, marries a 2.0-liter super- together with turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mounted upfront amongst an electrical motor at the back. The result? An unbeatable blend of luxury together with functioning that’s also extremely comfortable together with efficient (provided you lot receive got a compatible solid plug).



From the outside, it’s difficult to run into what makes this item XC60 special. With the exception of the charging port on the driver’s side forepart fender, requisite T8 badging at the back, together with wheels an incher larger, it tin survive false for the to a greater extent than conventional XC60 which Volvo Philippines also sells. Opting non to yell out its greenish credentials falls correct into its Scandinavian character. It’s all virtually quiet, refined luxury; never ostentatious or pretentious.

Open the door, peer inside, together with the same adjectives apply. The cabin isn’t shouty, but is beautifully set out. Slide behind the wheel, together with the Volvo tagline of, “designed exactly about you” becomes to a greater extent than obvious. The forepart seats are supremely comfortable—wide, supportive, together with offers all sorts of adjustment, including i that extends the cushions for longer limbed individuals. There’s plenty of leg together with headroom too, whether it’s on the showtime or minute rows. And inward typical Volvo fashion, there’s fifty-fifty a clever small-scale fry booster built into the minute row’s outboard seats. Despite the added electrical motor together with battery, the cargo agree is yet a respectable 468 liters—it’s downwards versus its principal competitors, but the parent seats tin survive folded downwards inward a 60/40 split.



While traditional luxury materials similar leather, sustainable driftwood inlays, together with metallic element accents build their way inside, past times far, the receive got hither is decidedly to a greater extent than high-tech. Central to all this is a 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen. It’s a flake smaller inward size compared to the i installed inward the ninety Series models, but it’s no less featured. Apple CarPlay together with Android Auto are standard, equally is offline GPS navigation (with information on local pedestrian crosswalks to boot). Unfortunately, this setup exposes 2 weaknesses. First, the hide is responsive, but a magnet for fingerprint smudges. Second, the physical well knob, spell easy-to-reach, feels cheap. Also, curiously, for those who remain up-to-date amongst intelligence via AM radio, the XC60 doesn’t come upwards equipped amongst it. For everyone else though, the 19-speaker Bowers together with Wilkins well organization only rocks.

Replacing the traditional analog gauges is a 12.3-inch screen. It’s configurable to some extent, together with is slowly plenty to understand. With all digital gauges, a large touchscreen infotainment screen, together with drive-by-wire gearlever, it’s peculiar that starting the XC60 isn’t a push-button affair. Instead, starting it requires twisting a knob located close the gear lever’s. It’s a prissy affect that promises a personal together with similar a shot connector betwixt automobile together with driver.



Sadly, this connector doesn’t fully materialize. Problems start when the Orrefors Crystal gear lever is used. The entire experience is unintuitive. For instance, to croak into reverse, the lever is tapped frontward twice; to croak dorsum to drive, it’s 2 taps back. It requires some vigilance together with a glance at the musical instrument cluster to build certain the correct gear’s selected.

This continues amongst how Volvo’s tuned the drive. It prefers to deliver a cocooning experience—one where it isolates its occupants (driver included) from the hustle-and-bustle of the exterior world. Whereas its competitors hope on delivering razor-sharp handling, the XC60 does the opposite. With that, it’s extremely pliant fifty-fifty over the roughest of Manila’s roads. In together with exactly about town, it’s cushy together with comfortable amongst almost zilch upsetting the ride. This sense of isolation is heightened past times the fact that it tin run completely on electrical power, but fifty-fifty if the gasoline engine switches on, the dissonance aeroplane goes upwards exactly a tad. The brakes likewise aren’t equally inspiring. Because they integrate loose energy regeneration, the pedal experience is inconsistent.



On the dependent plain of the powertrain, this is single-handedly the biggest together with greatest differentiator of the XC60 T8 Twin Engine over its competitors. Upfront, there’s a 303-horsepower, 400 Nm engine mated to the forepart axle, spell at the back, an 88-horsepower, 240 Nm of torque electrical motor driving the parent axle. Combined, it makes 390 horsepower together with 640 Nm of torque. The business office fueled past times liquid fossils is managed past times an 8-speed automatic which tin also decouple itself completely letting this SUV run on pure electrical mightiness cheers to a 11.4 kWh battery.

On paper, the functioning sounds explosive, together with to some aeroplane it is, but it doesn’t impart a corking bargain of emotion. Part of the number has to exercise amongst the XC60’s curb weight—all 2,103 kilograms of it, but the bigger number goes dorsum to Volvo’s deliberate direction to neuter the visceral rawness. Having said that, stomp on the throttle, together with there’s never whatever lack of grunt.



Provided the correct variety of mightiness socket’s installed, the XC60’s battery tin survive topped upwards inward equally picayune equally three hours (20-amps) or equally much equally 8 hours (6-amps). Volvo says its pure electrical hit is betwixt 47 to 54 kilometers. Theoretically, this way the gasoline engine never needs to plough on, except peradventure on long route trips. However, inward reality, that electric-only hit is unachievable. Due to Manila’s snarling traffic, this electrical hit goes downwards to exactly twenty kilometers. Still, it’s plenty for a one-way trip from Makati to Marikina. Even amongst the battery completely depleted, the XC60 tin shift to becoming a to a greater extent than conventional gasoline-electric hybrid. Sadly, it’s non equally optimized inward this vogue equally fuel efficiency drops to exactly 12.5 km/L.

Priced at P 5,795,000, the XC60 T8 Twin Engine is to a greater extent than expensive than the Audi Q5, BMW X3, or Mercedes-Benz GLC. Of course, equally the range-topping variant inward the XC60 range, it’s amend equipped than its peers together with offers expert bang-for-buck performance. While it’s edged out inward terms of outright sportiness, it does deliver unparalleled comfort together with does then inward stunning together with unbeatable fashion. Moreover, it has a technological border that non alone helps it repose mightiness together with economy, but also gives it an experience that’s much to a greater extent than relatable to the premium buyer. Despite its weaknesses, the XC60 is an master copy together with refreshing receive got inward a segment known for all that High German monotony together with sternness.



2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD Inscription
Ownership 2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD Inscription
Year Introduced 2018
Vehicle Classification Premium Compact SUV
Warranty 5 years / Unlimited Mileage
The Basic
Body Type 5-door SUV
Seating 5
Engine / Drive F/AWD
Under the Hood
Displacement (liters) 2.0
Aspiration Supercharged + Turbocharged
Fuel Delivery Direct Injection
Layout / # of Cylinders I4
BHP @ rpm 390 @ 6000 (Combined)
Nm @ rpm 400 @ 2,220-4,800 (Combined)
Fuel / Min. Octane Gasoline / 95
Transmission 8 AT
Cruise Control Yes, Adaptive w/ Low Speed Follow
Fuel Economy @ Ave. Speed 12.5 km/L @ xvi km/h
Dimensions together with Weights
Length (mm) 4,688
Width (mm) 1,902
Height (mm) 1,658
Wheelbase (mm) 2,865
Curb Weight (kg) 2,103
Suspension together with Tires
Front Suspension Independent, Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension Integral Axle amongst Transverse Composite Leaf Spring
Front Brakes Vented Disc
Rear Brakes Disc
Tires Michelin Latitude Sport three 235/55 R xix V (f & r)
Wheels Alloy
Safety Features
Airbags 7
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Yes, amongst EBD
Traction / Stability Control Yes
Parking Sensors Yes, Front & Rear, 360-degree camera
Front Seatbelts 3-pt ELR amongst pre-tensioner x 2
Rear Seatbelts 3-pt ELR x 3
ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor Yes, w/ Integrated Child Booster
Other Safety Features Hill Start Assist
Hill Descent Control
City Safety (Collision Avoidance & Mitigation)
Lane Keeping Assist

Blindspot Information System w/ Steer Assist
Cross Traffic Alert

Run-off Mitigation
Exterior Features
Headlights LED, Active
Fog Lamps Yes, Rear
Auto Lights Yes
Rain-sensing Wipers Yes
Interior Features
Steering Wheel Adjust Tilt/Telescopic
Steering Wheel Material Leather
Seating Adjustment (driver) Electric, 10-way, amongst memory
Seating Adjustment (front passenger) Electric, 10-way, amongst memory
Seating Surface Leather
Folding Rear Seat Yes, 60/40
On-Board Computer Yes
Convenience Features
Power Steering Yes
Power Door Locks Yes
Power Windows Yes
Power Mirrors Yes, amongst Fold
Proximity Key Yes
Climate Control Yes, Dual amongst Rear Vents
Audio System Stereo
USB
Bluetooth
GPS
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
# of Speakers 19, Bowers & Wilkins
Steering Controls Yes