Volvo V60 2020 review: T5 Inscription

The Volvo V60 is a very smooth operator on the road. There are no lurchy bits, no awkward stop/start motions at the traffic lights, no jerky gear changes. Everything works really well together. 

There is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and that is a good amount of power to get up hills quickly without the engine growling. It breezes along highways so I felt confident while overtaking. 

The V60 is a smooth operator.

The whole V60 range is AWD which gives you better traction on unstable road surfaces and when it’s wet.

And while it might not have the bulk of an SUV, it certainly has more length, so you’ll need to find larger car spaces. Still, I managed to squeeze into the tightest car park on the school run this week.

There’s a hi-res reverse parking camera and you can switch the view to 360 degrees when you need it.

The whole V60 range is AWD which gives you better traction.

Interior space is great for a family of four. The front has lots of leg and headroom, even with the sunroof it’s good for the taller members of my family, and you don’t feel too close to the passenger seat either. There is enough airspace for both people in the front. 

The front has lots of leg and headroom.

The back is nice and roomy with enough space for my two children aged six and eight. I’m comfortable back there at 161cm and there is so much space between my knees and the seat in front that taller teenagers and adults will have plenty of room to sit for long journeys. 

The back is nice and roomy.

And the boot is large. At 529L it’s bigger than a lot of mid-size SUVs, though the shape is different - it’s wide and long rather than high.

At 529L it’s a bigger boot than a lot of mid-size SUVs.

That’s a good thing because you don’t want to stack things so high that it blocks your vision out the back window.

The V60 was able to fit the bulky CarsGuide pram as well as the bulky baby capsule side by side, and I tried to do the same thing in the next mid-size SUV I drove but couldn’t fit both. Which is saying something. 

The V60 was able to fit the pram and baby capsule side by side.

You’ll have enough room for groceries, school bags and sporting equipment.

There’s a lot of automation going on, from keyless entry to the boot opening and closing with a button, to the sunroof and the front seats which are power adjustable. You still have to turn the park brake off to drive but it turns on automatically.

There are two cupholders in the front, a lockable glove box, a small spot for keys and a phone, bottle holders in each door and a decent sized centre storage bin. 

Rear passengers get two cupholders and two other storage spots for iPad and games console in the centre armrest, plus their own climate control which my children really appreciated in this hot weather.

Climate control in the back is great for children in hot weather.

The 9.0-inch multimedia screen looks great and is functional. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard which means you can control the tech with the touchscreen and it’s easy to use maps to navigate and a streaming app for music, plus making calls without actually touching your phone is a joy. 

This car is fitted with Bowers & Wilkins speakers as a part of the Premium Pack ($5200) and the sound is excellent. 

This car is fitted with Bowers & Wilkins speakers as a part of the Premium Pack.

The Volvo V60 T5 Inscription costs $62,990 before on road costs and extras. This car was fitted with the Premium Pack ($5200), the nappa leather front seats ($2950), the power outlet in the back seat ($1400) and metallic paint ($1400). It takes the total to $74,040.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.3L/100km and it’s covered by Volvo’s three year/unlimited km warranty. Servicing is required every 15,000km or 12 months.

The V60 is covered by Volvo’s three year/unlimited km warranty.