Volvo V60 Estate takes on the Germans

Volvo continues their all-out premium SUV offense with the all-new handsome and stylish Volvo V60 Estate.

The mid-size estate will do battle with the Audi A4 Avant and the Mercedes C-Class estate when it releases, and it’s expected to be a worthy-rival thanks to some of the borrowed bits from its older sibling, the Volvo V90.

The new V60 is built on the same architecture as the XC60 SUV and the V90 Estate, meaning that a wide range of engine options is almost guaranteed, consisting of various four-cylinder petrol and diesel units, as well as two plug-in hybrid models, namely the hybridised turbo-petrol 4-cylinder T6 Twin Engine and the T8 model, producing 250kW and 287kW of power respectively.

As with all new Volvo’s, the V60 will be packed with technology. A City Safety pack comes standard, which automatically engages the brakes if an object, like an animal or cyclist, is picked up by the radar in front of the car. There’s also a new system that autonomously keeps the car in its lane while driving, as well as Cross Traffic Alert with automatic emergency braking on the options list. Volvo’s semi-autonomous driving technology has also been tweaked to improve cornering and will assist the driver with steering, acceleration and braking at speeds of up to 130km/h.

The Volvo V60 design is unmistakably Volvo. While the untrained eye might confuse the V60 Estate with the V90 Estate, there are elements borrowed from the XC60 to differentiate the two models, such as the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights, which are more sculpted, as well as the more menacing front apron which contrasts the smooth design of the V90. The interior also draws inspiration from its bigger siblings, boasting a 9.3-inch touch display to control the infotainment, as well as a digital instrument cluster.