Volvo XC60 / XC90 hybrid test drives

[Virage11]

Here are some thoughts from a weekend with the XC60 T8. I'll start with the best positive and go down to the worst bits!

- I love the look of the exterior: refined, sophisticated, classy, practical
- The technology inside is great: both the look and feel plus the actual tech itself. The screens all look very smart and are quite easy to use, and have a lot of functionality.
- The quality of interior fittings is generally also very good. The seats were well finished and comfortable. The dash materials are high end. The only let down for me was the doors and door trims. Some on here have criticised the F-Pace for the same reason and to me, the Volvo was more "plasticy"

- The car was refined and comfortable to drive slowly. The steering at slow and cruising speeds was better than I thought it might considering the car.
- In a straight line there was reasonable pace. Less responsive than I was expecting given the electrics but plenty quick enough...although did not way feel like 400bhp's worth of combined output...more like 300 maybe.
- Turn the speed up, everything unravels pretty quickly. The handling doesn't work...too much weight, too much roll, too little steering feel - all of which to be honest were fairly expected. As Luke said above, the bigger problem is the delivery - feels like it should be more responsive, quicker, sound better.
- Not convinced by the reliability of the hybrid system. I was driving 3 miles from home to a firework display on Saturday evening. We were in eco mode and had arrived close to the venue to park in a golf club car park. The drive to the golf club is a fairly narrow two-lane 150 yard long hill...we get say 50 yards up the hill and the car stops announcing "charging fault please stop safely". At that point, I had stopped and didn't have much choice about it...petrol engine had gone on holiday despite 80 miles of petrol in the tank showing. Given we were on a hill and had no power, managed to reverse slightly to allow cars passed but I was blocking a good chunk of drive way with everyone arriving for the fireworks. This has been by first engine failure of any description since the days of TVRs! Very embarrassing. Fortunately, after speaking to Volvo assistance who were not very helpful, the petrol engine decided to start after 45 minutes of rest...and I got into the car park!
- The car I drove listed at about £60,000. Despite how stylish the car looks, it still didn't feel £60k's worth. I can totally understand the reviews so far which have said that, ignoring tax benefits for the T8, it is a pointless car given the drive train and relative cost compared to diesel variants. If I hadn't have had the issues, I would have said that if you want a comfortable, stylish cruiser then it is a great option at more like £45k. Apart from straight line pace, my wife's current Lexus NX which was less than £35k new after discount, didn't feel a significantly poorer option for that kind of car.

[Deleted User 1874]

Totally agree Luke and can't wait to get away from ICE cars for everyday driving, especially diesels!

[Deleted User 1874]

Thanks for the review. Interesting that it felt slower than you expected for a 400 hp car. Weight would be a factor there and perhaps lack of response from the gearbox? Have you tried the Tesla X yet? LOL.

[Col Lamb]

Many thanks for the review, I shall not even bother going to look at one.

I fail to see the point of a seriously flawed car irrespective of who makes it.

I have driven two ICE/hybrids, a Mini Countryman which was not nice, love the car but the drive system was dire, and a Beamer i3 which works but I have doubts on its long term use for me hopefully mark II will rectify the limitations.

So a question for those who have tested more hybrids than I ......... Is there one that works?

[Virage11]

Many thanks for the review, I shall not even bother going to look at one.

I fail to see the point of a seriously flawed car irrespective of who makes it.

I have driven two ICE/hybrids, a Mini Countryman which was not nice, love the car but the drive system was dire, and a Beamer i3 which works but I have doubts on its long term use for me hopefully mark II will rectify the limitations.

So a question for those who have tested more hybrids than I ......... Is there one that works?

Our Lexus works in the sense that it has never had any issues in 2 years. It also has no issues in seamlessly switching between petrol and electric. It is also very comfortable and practical and my wife, a slow driver, loves it.

HOWEVER two main issues. 1) it is pretty slow and dull to drive (if that is important to you - which given we are on a Porsche forum - let's assume it is!) and 2) the real-world economy isn't great as the petrol engine kicks in (albeit quietly and seamlessly) as soon as you use the throttle, go up a hill, use air con in earnest, use heaters in earnest etc.

It works for my wife and see doesn't car about the above too much given she doesn't like fast driving, only uses it for short journeys typically and I pay for the fuel!

[LLL]

@Virage11 - Great review, thanks! I agree with everything and mimics my own findings after having tested the car. Mine didn't brake down though . The drivetrains and chassis has always been Volvos biggest challenge. This hybrid integration is just overpriced and the only reason to get a XC60 would be with a base spec to end up with a reasonable priced car. For the money asked for the XC60 hybrid there are much better alternatives. Macan for instance

@Col - I've tested a few hybrids. Not the new Mini though so can't comment on that one. The one that I had high expectations on (and even had one on order as some in here might remember) is of course the Panamera 4 E-hybrid. After having test-driving that car it does not make sense at all for me and I would pick any of the petrol Panameras any day. Probably the 4S or just the 4 would be the smart choices. The hybrid is way heavier than the 4, smaller boot space and the integration between e-motor and petrol engine just didn't feel right. To some extent not very "Porsche like" and I can't imagine anyone at Porsche is proud of their hybrid solutions. This is probably why the Mission-E get a lot of funds and next gen Macan will be full electric. The sad part is that it will probably take 5 years until production is up to speed with Porsche EV's and until then only small numbers of cars will be leaving the Zuffenhausen EV production plant.

Everyone I know owning a hybrid says the same thing. They really like the E-drive in city and to/from work. And each time the petrol engine starts up they get very annoyed. Also I haven't heard any of the hybrid owners who doesn't say that the next car will be full electric. So probably the good part of hybrids is that people realize how nice it is with the EV drive compared to when the ICE-engine/gearbox kicks-in. Then it should be noted that these hybrids often only have very small e-motors so just imagine when the car get the full effect from the e-motor instead of the main part of the horsepower from the ICE (which is the case for most hybrids).

Since the fully electric cars are not that far away I would either stick with a petrol engine for now and move directly to a full EV with solid range in about 3 years when also the charging infrastructure/charging speed for other cars than Tesla will be on the market.

[Deleted User 1874]

After considering hybrids and especially the new Volvos, I came to the conclusion that a full EV is the way to go or just stick with a conventional ICE. I may still have seriously considered the XC60 or XC90 hybrids, but only because they don't offer a really powerful ICE version to tempt me. Not a great reason to buy a hybrid! Luckily the Tesla Model X fitted well with our SUV requirements, but it's literally the only EV in the game if you need a big SUV. I'm looking forward to Porsche entering the EV market, but can't see it happening very quickly. They have until around 2022 to get their act together for my next family wagon!

[Wing Commander]

...This is probably why the Mission-E get a lot of funds and next gen Macan will be full electric. The sad part is that it will probably take 5 years until production is up to speed with Porsche EV's and until then only small numbers of cars will be leaving the Zuffenhausen EV production plant.

Luke, I read that the Mission E should be available from late 2019. Is your feeling that the early ones will go to the usual Porsche VIP suspects, that is those who seem to get the GT cars? So that maybe 'normal' customers will have a much longer wait...?

[Wing Commander]

I know my messages can sound a bit harsh from time to time and my apologies for that. But you have to bare with me that english it not my mother tongue

Luke, I am confident that your command of English is better than any of us could manage in Swedish!

[LLL]

Luke, I read that the Mission E should be available from late 2019. Is your feeling that the early ones will go to the usual Porsche VIP suspects, that is those who seem to get the GT cars? So that maybe 'normal' customers will have a much longer wait...?

Not sure the car will be available in 2019 and delivered to customers. My expectations based on rumors and what I heard from my local OPC (I'm on the waiting list) is that the unveil will be in Frankfurt September 2019 and then the order books are opened at the same time. First deliveries will probably not be prior to 2020.

Porsche has officially stated 20.000 Mission-E annually. This figure will for sure not be reached in 2020 and I truly believe that the sales figures first half of 2020 will be rather modest.

Time will tell