We didn’t expect the Volvo EX60 to be this much fun to drive
DAMAKORONKOWA - The 2027 Volvo EX60 rolled into the 2027 SUV of the Year contest like Alexander Skarsgård’s Swedish tech titan Lukas Matsson in Succession. Plain, unassuming, looking like it has nothing to prove. No wings, no shouty wheels, no theatrical drama—just Skarsgård deadpan. Then it grabbed our attention by out-accelerating the Porsche Cayenne EV for roughly half the price.
Detroit editor Alisa Priddle noted this understated performance when describing her sublimely fun twisty public road drive. “It’s not an adrenaline spike,” she said. “It’s this weird mix of going really fast but also smooth and elegant, so you feel like you’re such a good driver.” Others called it “shockingly fun to drive” and “one of the best-driving cars here.” Many praised the supple ride quality and lithe, light handling feel (given its 5,092-pound weight), but a few also mentioned unusual busyness on flat freeway pavement.
Regarding the small, squircle-shaped steering wheel, many felt it contributed to the car’s lighter, lither feel, while others deemed it toylike and harder to work with in hand-over-hand turns. No driver reported difficulty finding a comfortable wheel position that afforded a clear view of the instruments, as many did with the four Toyobaru contenders that also position instruments well forward and above the wheel.
In terms of performance of intended function, judges praised the programmable opacity of its sunroof, the car’s comparatively large back seat (with built-in child booster cushions), and the commodious cargo area’s novel split rear floor that allows underfloor access with large items blocking one side or the other. And while it’s clearly not intended to cross the Rubicon, the off-road mode worked well in the sand.
As an EV, the EX60 earned big engineering advancement points as one of our quickest-charging cars on record and for delivering a respectable 280–312-mile driving range (MT Road-Trip Range to EPA rating). Countering this is the lack of an advanced hands-free driving option, not much in the way of screen customization, and persistent software glitches that required system reboots. (Yes, this is an early-production car, but our long-term EX90 has proven similarly problematic.)
Guest judge and the recently retired head of Mercedes-Benz’s design studio Gorden Wagener praised the EX60 as cool, clean, and rational, with a very clear Scandinavian aesthetic and Volvo brand signature. Inside, the design brief seems to have been to deliver the Tesla interface mostly but properly designed and with a few more conventional buttons and stalks (including the beautiful crystal-look volume roller).
Interior missteps include door armrests that lack padding and a reasonable pull to close them. Guest judge and former lead General Motors engineer Al Oppenheiser attributed that to a savvy thinning of the doors to maximize hip/shoulder room and center console space, but the “fix,” providing a pull near the top of the door, was deemed awkward. And instead of a traditional glove box, there’s a vertical bin in the center that seems smaller and less useful.
In terms of efficiency, our midrange EX60 P10 model on 22-inch wheels trails segment-leading contenders like the Tesla Model Y and Mercedes GLC400 4Matic. Even the EX60’s base, rear-drive P6 model on smaller tires falls short of the Mercedes.
In terms of our safety criterion, seat-belt-pioneer Volvo evolves the technology thanks to adaptive belts with load limiters that leverage interior radar and camera data to account for exact height, weight, body shape, and posture and then “relax” the belt tension to control the occupant’s motion according to one of 11 programs (three have been typical). There are no official test results yet, but we expect it to earn high marks.
On the value front, the EX60 starts just under $60K, but the P10’s roughly $70K price tag gave some editors pause. Tesla’s Model Y Performance delivers quicker straight-line acceleration but considerably less luxury for less money, while Mercedes’ GLC400 delivers more luxury and similar acceleration, but if you want the good stuff, you’ll pay a hefty premium for it.
Clearly the Volvo EX60 is scoring high marks on several of our key criteria, but can it outshine its direct competitor and fellow finalist, the GLC400?
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