| First Drive | Goodwood, England | Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid |
Key Facts
Model tested: Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
Pricing: £48,000 (currently £43,000 with £5,000 government rebate)
Engine: 2.4-litre, turbocharged five-cylinder diesel
Transmission: six-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Body style: five-door estate
Rivals: Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate
CO2 emissions: 49g/km
Economy: 148.7mpg (theoretical)
Top speed: 130mph (estimate)
0-62mph: 6.2 seconds
Power: 285hp (maximum with engine and electric motor combined)
Torque: 640Nm (maximum with engine and electric motor combined)
In the Metal: 
For the time being Volvo's Plug-in Hybrid is only available as an estate, though production of a saloon model (based on the S60) is feasible. No matter, the V60 is one of the prettiest Volvos of the moment, and this latest eco-version is no different. There's been some additional gloss black and satin silver trim, and newly styled tailpipes, but the biggest difference is the specially designed alloy wheels, which feature insets to improve aerodynamics. Oh, and the plug-in is only available in one colour, Electric Silver.
You lose around 100 litres of load space due to the battery placement with this model, but the boot's still a usable size - important stuff for a Volvo estate. The first thing you'll notice is the new TFT instrument display, not that dissimilar to the new V40's effort, though other changes are minimal: new wood trim, the gearlever also from the V40 and specially trimmed seats. Otherwise it's all normal V60 in here, which was exactly Volvo's aim.
Driving it:
While indisputably the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid, Volvo also claims the V60 is an electric car, hybrid car and muscle car all rolled into one. It also claims that the V60 was meant to be a no compromise eco-car, one that could and should be driven normally with none of the limitations normally associated with cars of this type.
And frankly, it's a case of nail hit bang on the head. There are three buttons on the centre console marked Pure, Hybrid and Power; select the first one and the Volvo is powered by electricity only. As you'd expect, in this mode the V60 is silent in its running, and combines with instantaneous torque to offer a relaxed drive at lower throttle openings. If you require any extra shove, simply push the accelerator harder and the V60 'kicks down' and starts the engine to work in tandem and boost power. In electric mode the V60 will cover up to 32 miles without any assistance from the engine, resulting in a (local) CO
2-free journey.
Hybrid is the standard setting for the car, where both engine and electric motors work in tandem to offer the best compromise between outright power and economy. In this mode the official CO
2 output is just 49g/km and the V60 offers a range of 621 miles on a full tank of diesel (slightly smaller than the regular V60's due to the placement of the batteries). Select Power though and the Volvo becomes a whole different beast, offering its full 285hp and 640Nm of torque. In this instance economy is the last thing on a driver's mind, the estate accelerating from 0-62mph in a shade over six seconds.
But, despite the figures, the Volvo can't really be considered a performance car - sure it's quick in a straight line, but in almost every other respect it behaves like a regular V60. Which means that, though the handling could be considered neat, it's never particularly involving, with little feedback through the speed-dependent power steering. There's plenty of grip thanks to the four-wheel drive system and the ride quality is pretty good considering the extra weight of the batteries and stiffer suspension thus required. Body roll's well contained as well, and the two-stage braking system that brakes the rear axle using the electric motor first is smoother than many rivals'.
The five-cylinder diesel engine isn't quite as smooth as some, but the slightly coarse note is distinctive and encouragingly characterful. Certainly the last thing on your mind when you're behind the wheel of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is that it's an eco-car. It really does feel just like any other V60, without any of the expected compromises. Overall the Volvo is a convincing effort, and for that the Swedish firm has to be applauded.
What you get for your Money:
Specify a Volvo V60 D5 in top-spec R-Design Nav trim and without any options you're already knocking on the door of £38,000. But the Plug-in Hybrid is exceptionally well-equipped, standard specification including electrically adjustable leather seats, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and the high performance Multimedia DVD system with eight speakers and 7-inch screen. Taken into account the £43,000 price (including government discounts) isn't actually too bad.
And in reality this car is aimed squarely at company car users (with a large car allowance) as the 49g/km CO
2 output means that annual taxation will be minimal.
Worth Noting
As part of its intention that the hybrid should impose no compromises on its owners, Volvo decided that they should be able to use the car for every job that its traditional owners use their estates for. So not only will it carry five passengers in luxurious comfort, and 330 litres of luggage (all seats in place), but the V60 Plug-in Hybrid can even be used to tow up to 1,800kg.
Summary
The biggest stumbling block for the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, like almost any of its rivals, is the price; at £43,000 it's by no means cheap. However, it's well-equipped, comfortable, practical and asks very few compromises of owners. The fact that it manages to mix low emissions, high economy and impressive performance together in one package is the icing on this eco-friendly cake.
