The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is one of the very few models of its kind currently available on the market, pairing a five-cylinder 2.4-liter turbodiesel with an electric motor and rechargeable batteries.
It’s also an all-wheel drive vehicle, as the 215hp diesel engine drives the front wheels and the 68hp electric motor turns the rear wheels. The latter sources energy from an 11.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment.
Volvo claims the V60 Plug-in Hybrid returns 1.8 l/100 km (130.6 mpg US or 156 mpg UK) and that it is able to cover up to 50 km (31 miles) on electric power alone. However, in real life these are impossible targets, as Carbuyer’s Ginny Buckley found out during a test drive.
But is the hybrid worth the price premium over a standard V60 diesel model (which also gets a quieter and more refined 4-cylinder engine)? Not really, considering that the V60 diesel sells for two thirds of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid’s price and fuel consumption is only marginally higher.