2025 Volvo XC60 Recharge review: A blemished beauty

This Volvo has exciting qualities, but annoyances hold it back from its aspiring star status

2025 Volvo XC60 Recharge review | The Road Beat

2025 Volvo XC60 Recharge review by The Road Beat

Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman

Volvo and The Road Beat have incurred a less than fortunate history from the Swedish brand, with a majority of models displaying technical glitches at one point, an absolutely unacceptable trait in our modern and user interface-focused world. The good news is that this most recent XC60 displayed no such calamities. However, the usual normal Volvo drawbacks still remain that make this luxurious and rapid crossover a tougher sell than it should be. This particular example has been enhanced with the Polestar Engineered package and costs a whopping $77,345.

Strengths consist of the usual Volvo variety, like the exquisite looking interior and understatedly handsome exterior. This Polestar edition has some glowing brake calipers (big and beefy front brakes, but a pathetic floating caliper in the rear) and fission-derived seatbelt colors for added eye candy. On the road, this XC60 is quiet and refined with exceedingly comfortable seats, offering a myriad of adjustments, while the leather and most tactile surfaces signify true luxury. A great example of detail can be found in the metal grilles for the excellent Bowers & Wilkens sound system. In the center of the dash rests a large display panel to handle all vehicle settings (including climate) and entertainment, and is mostly easy to learn after some trial and error. I did also like the presence of the keyless proximity-sensing entry on all four doors instead of just the front two, and Volvos also are significantly less annoying in terms of obligatory beeps and bongs, like when opening the door while in park.

2025 Volvo XC60 Recharge Polestar Engineered

Recharge for this XC60 refers to its plug-in hybrid powertrain, and a powerful one at that. With 455 total system horsepower, this XC60 can be an unassuming cruise missile, rocketing to 60 MPH from naught in just under 4.5 seconds. Kudos also to Volvo for refining this hybrid setup so there is zero driveline lash or uncomfortable bonks and knocks during transitions from electric mode and to when the combustion engine ignites; Mazda could use some studying here to implement with their new CX-90 plug-in hybrid. The battery alone won't take you more than 30 miles in the real world when fully charged, but that still can be useful for many drivers on short commutes, and the combined gas mileage during 500 miles of mixed freeway and city/traffic stood at a reasonable 26, not bad for a car that basically has a secret fire mode for such straight line performance.

Already having mentioned the overall comfort and hospitality, the XC60 with Polestar Engineered package may not exactly live for the bends, but it doesn't shy away from corners either, displaying admirable grip and composure in spirited driving on some of my favorite Monterey roads. The steering feels artificial in terms of weight, and that's with it set to 'firm,' but there's accuracy to be found and it's quite easy to toss into turns and squeeze onto the throttle on exit, relying on the the AWD system to put power down predictably to the road. Not a true sports SUV like an X3 M, but the talents at least surprised me when driven at 7/10ths on public roads. I did find the ride quality too stiff over mild and moderate bumps, but surprisingly refined and controlled when the bumps and road get really bad and out of shape; 22-inch wheels also surely don't help contribute to the ride either.

Another important question to address: is the Polestar package worth it? For most casual consumers, no, and will likely be treated more as appearance package than anything else. Is it more dynamically accomplished than a non-Polestar XC60? Sure, but it's marginal at best, and while this XC60 still remains a competent dance partner, it's not the overtly sporting mid-size SUV you might expect given the price and flash.

Yet, there are teething Volvo problems that still remain, and ones annoying enough to keep someone like myself (admittedly overly picky at times) from considering one. Like, with nearly all Volvos, the volume knob is too loose and makes audibly loud clicks with each turn. For an otherwise highly luxurious interior, the volume knob is so lackluster and all the bigger nuisance since, honestly, how do you mess up a volume knob? It's so simple. And with the screen itself, again Volvo displays ineptitude by not allowing the rear-view and top-view cameras to display concurrently. With such a large center screen, this is laughable oversight, as even modest Toyotas can show both cameras at once. Instead, you have to awkwardly click between views.

Also with the screen, because literally everything is tied-into it, including climate control, there are times where certain items are restricted. I was in the middle of an interesting parking maneuver when a passenger wanted to adjust the climate, but doing so would remove the assistance of the cameras that I was utilizing. Or when using the map, same thing - can't pull up and adjust climate while entering in an address. The resulting cleanliness and streamlined nature of the interior design are welcome, but by combining all settings into the screen, it means you can't do certain things at the same time and restricts what the passenger can do until you are finished.

Another curiosity came with the powerplant, which while stonking fast, it wasn't always fast. Case in point were during several passing scenarios where I would suddenly mash the throttle to overtake, and I definitely would not get all 455 horsepower. Other times I would, but that was when I would progressively roll onto the throttle. But it still seemed inconsistent, because leaving a stop and needing to go, there were times I got all advertised ponies, but other times were sorely lacking, so much so that a passenger questioned by 455-horsepower claim. It could have had to do with a lack of battery charge, yet being a hybrid, there shouldn't be such inconsistencies . Now, there is a setting in the display to engage Polestar mode for optimal performance on command, but that setting is two clicks away in the screen at any time, and often when you are driving, you don't have time (nor the attention to give) to make two clumsy clicks on a distracting screen. Also, the radar cruise control is too intrusive for my liking and will not coast up to cars, favoring to instead brake too far in advance despite having the closest following distances.

This was a better Volvo experience than recent offerings, but there are still issues that may not be able to be overlooked by everyone, including myself. The inconsistency of performance was a glaring one, and that was when driving in the default hybrid mode. And the screen can be easy to use, but also still maddening at times (at least it didn't freeze like in other Volvos) with the limitations presented. I would also encourage using the volume control on the steering wheel to avoid the unsatisfying looseness and clicking of the overly large central knob. So, depending what you value, the Volvo can still be a great choice with its looks and mostly expertly-crafted cabin and flexibility of its plug-in hybrid power unit. For this reviewer, the fundamentals impress, but the details hold it back still.

At $77,345 retail as tested, it's not even close to an affordable proposition, and overlaps with the starting price of the much more capable BMW X3 M and the excellent all-rounder Porsche Macan S, which is the darling of most publications.