Volvo EX60 2027 review: International first drive

Many premium European carmakers have launched new mid-size electric SUVs, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but now it’s Volvo’s turn and it could be the pick of the bunch.

The Volvo EX60 is an electric counterpart to the XC60, which has been the brand’s best-selling car for more than 15 years.

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To get a feel of this new Volvo electric SUV, we got a spin on the outskirts of Barcelona ahead of its Australian arrival late in 2026.

At launch there are going to be two versions of the EX60 – the Ultra P6 RWD, priced from $86,990 before on-roads and the Ultra P10 AWD, priced from $101,990.

This entry price notably undercuts the BMW iX3, which starts at $109,900 before on-road costs. However, the German carmaker is launching with the top-spec 50 xDrive trim with 805km of WLTP-claimed range first, whereas Volvo is launching with mid-spec versions of the EX60 with smaller batteries and less range initially.

It’s understood that the range-topping P12 AWD trim, as well as a more affordable, entry-level grade will arrive in 2027.

The price tag is even more appealing when you consider the amount of standard kit you get. Australian-spec EX60s all receive 21-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, a power tailgate, 11.4-inch digital instrument cluster, 15-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 28-speaker Bower & Wilkins sound system, three-zone climate control and synthetic leather.

Opting for the Ultra P10 AWD brings adaptive suspension rather than a passive set-up with frequency selective dampers, as well as Nappa leather upholstery.

One of the biggest drawcards with this new Volvo electric SUV is the driving range. The entry-level P6 gets an 83kWh lithium-ion battery with 610km of WLTP-claimed range, whereas the P10 trim gets a 95kWh lithium-ion battery with 660km of WLTP-claimed range.

That’s arguably enough to quell range anxiety for many, but the aforementioned P12 gets an even larger 117kWh lithium-ion battery with 810km of WLTP-claimed range which is slightly more than the iX3 50 xDrive and on par with many combustion-powered cars.

Better yet is the charging. All EX60s have an 800V electrical architecture, meaning fast charging. The P6 trim has a peak DC fast-charging rate of 320kW, while the P10 can do up to 370kW and the forthcoming P12 up to 400kW.

With the P6 and P10, this means a 10-to-80 per cent charge in 16 minutes – a game changer for long-distance road trips.

AC charging is offered at rates up to 22kW which is currently the benchmark.

Power in the P6 comes from a single, rear-mounted electric motor producing 275kW and 480Nm, whereas the P10 gets an additional electric motor on the front axle bringing total system outputs to 375kW and 710Nm.

In practice, neither version of the EX60 feels slow or sluggish. There’s an instantaneous zip off the line, plus plenty of rolling acceleration available for quick overtakes.

Adding to this, the EX60 feels nimble and dynamic which defies its circa-2.2-tonne heft. A lot of this comes down to the steering which is incredibly direct and only requires small movements to change direction.

I’m also a big fan of the small steering wheel which is rather Peugeot-like and has plenty of physical buttons and toggles.

Although the versions we drove in Spain were equipped with massive 22-inch alloy wheels, the ride is plush, comfortable and compliant. My only gripe is that the adaptive suspension in the softest setting can get a little too floaty over harsher imperfections or speed bumps.

We’ll have to reserve full judgement of the suspension until we can drive the EX60 on Australian soil later this year.

Now to the more polarising elements of the EX60. The exterior design is undoubtedly clean and aerodynamically optimised, hence the big range figures. However, the exterior door handles are far from conventional.

You get into the EX60 by pushing a button on a small flap located just under the window. It’s a similar set-up to the front door handles on the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

I’m sure you’d get used to it but initially the operation feels fiddly. I’d much prefer regular door handles and incur the slight range drop as this is something that didn’t need reinventing.

Then there’s the interior. The landscape central touchscreen is a major departure for Volvo, but it’s easy to navigate around the native interface thanks to contextual shortcut buttons close to the driver.

You need to adjust virtually everything using the touchscreen and for the most part this is easy thanks to key menus and shortcuts. However, adjusting certain things, like the steering feel for example, requires you to dig into sub-menus. It also doesn’t take long for the driver attention monitor to ding at you for glancing away from the road…

Looking elsewhere around the cabin, it’s open and light. The glovebox is located at the front of the centre tunnel, plus the cupholders shoot out from the centre armrest. I would like some more covered storage up front, though.

Speaking of storage, there’s massive front and rear boots. The latter even features a trick split load floor that allows you to reveal just a portion of the underfloor section.

As expected with a Volvo, safety is a major focus. It’s expected the full safety suite will be standard, however exact Australian specifications will be confirmed closer to launch.

The same can be said for the ownership package. To date all Volvos are covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is standard for premium brands but mediocre when compared to mainstream marques.