Volvo has officially revealed the EX60, the all-electric successor to the XC60 nameplate – and for loyalists who have watched the brand move towards full electrification over the years, it lands with real weight. The EX60 is not a rebadge or a stopgap; This is Volvo’s announcement that the XC60’s legacy continues on battery power alone, with a price around $7,200 less than the existing XC60 PHEV.
The question XC60 loyalists have been asking since the EX90’s arrival isn’t just about range or charging speeds. It’s whether the EX60 retains what made the Polestar-tuned XC60 variants truly rewarding to drive – that strong, balanced character that has kept it competitive against German alternatives. Early reviews are cautiously optimistic, with Automotive News calling it “a charmer all around.” Whether attraction translates into driver engagement is a more nuanced story.
2027 Volvo EX60 charges indefinitely
Volvo boasts class-leading range and integrates unprecedented seatbelts and user experience into this two-row all-electric crossover.
EX60’s Powertrain Case: Instant Torque as an Alternative to Combustion Experience
The XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered was a special kind of machine – a plug-in hybrid that mounted a 143-hp electric motor to a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that combined to produce 415 horsepower and 0-60 times in the mid-four-second range. What made it interesting wasn’t just the raw output; It was the way the combustion engine’s character bled through, giving the car a textured, responsive feel that pure EVs have historically struggled to replicate.
The EX60 makes its case differently. Dual-motor all-wheel drive provides instant torque from a standing start, and Volvo is targeting performance figures that sit in close proximity to the outgoing T8 PE. The EX60 is rated for up to 400 miles of range – a number that, if it holds up in real-world mixed driving, will address one of the most persistent concerns among SUV buyers considering an EV switch. That range figure puts it ahead of most rivals in the segment at the time of launch.
Handling and suspension: Does the EX60 handle like a Volvo?
The Polestar tuning on the XC60 wasn’t just a badge – it meant recalibrated dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars and steering that felt more connected than the standard car. The EX60 inherits a platform engineered around a low-mounted battery pack, which drops the center of gravity meaningfully compared to any combustion XC60. This is a structural advantage that no amount of suspension tuning can replicate in a tall SUV with a high-mounted drivetrain.
Volvo has not yet confirmed whether a dedicated performance version – something that carries forward the Polestar Engineered spirit – is planned for the EX60 lineup. Given that Polestar now operates as a standalone brand, the relationship between the two companies’ performance credentials is less straightforward than it once was. It’s clear that the base platform allows Volvo’s engineers to work more dynamically than the XC60’s architecture.
Value and status: A real value change for the nameplate
The pricing story is one of the stronger arguments for the EX60. Coming in below the XC60 PHEV by a meaningful margin – and undercutting several key EV rivals in the segment – the EX60 has reset the cost of the XC60 nameplate. For buyers who were already trying to get into T8 Polestar Engineered territory, this is a real game changer.
Autoweek’s early coverage stated that the EX60 was targeting upscale buyers with premium features and 400-mile range as its headline number. That combination – low entry price, long range, Volvo’s established reputation for safety and interior quality – makes for an attractive package on paper. The real test will come when the independent long-term limits assessment and suspension assessment come. For now, the EX60 looks like the electric XC60 that nameplate followers have been waiting for, even if the Polestar-tuned chapter of that story is still being written.
Volvo’s commitment to becoming all-electric remains steadfast, and the EX60 is the clearest proof yet that the brand is considering electrification as no compromise. Whether it fully satisfies the driver who prefers the combustion-electric hybrid experience of the T8 PE is a question that will be answered in a first drive – but its underpinnings are more promising than skeptics might expect.
