Interactive Review: 2020 Volvo V60 T8 Polestar

[William Maley]

Taking the place of the Genesis G70 this week in the C&G Detroit Bureau is the 2020 Volvo V60 T8 Polestar. Aside from the long name, this Volvo gives us our first chance to check out the T8 powertrain. In Volvo terms, this is a 2.0L four-cylinder that comes super and turbocharged, and boasts two electric motors. This gives a total of 415 horsepower and 494 pound-feet of torque. It also gives the wagon an electric only range of 22 miles - something I'll be checking out once I get the battery fully charged.

Pricing on this wagon comes in at an as-tested price of $68,940.

Some first impressions below,

• This powertrain pulls the V60 along like a train.
• Being a Polestar Engineered model, the V60 comes with adjustable Ohlins Dampers and a stiffer front strut bar. I can't comfirm its handling characteristics yet, but can say ride quality is a bit on the rough side.
• Gold seatbelts.

I'll have a bit more to talk about as the week goes on with the V60 Polestar, so stay tuned. Also, drop a question or two on this speedy Swede.

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[David]

I honestly have to say this looks good, but complicated from a power train standpoint.

Questions:

1. Is this just a less luxury version of the V90?
2. How does it compare room wise to the XC version inside?
3. Other than a lower AWD auto, a comparison to the XC60 and how it compares to the 90 series would be great.
4. Does it feel like your sitting in a hole when you get in?
5. How does the Greenhouse feel over all from the inside? Bunker like?
6. Is there any noticeable transition between ICE and EV?

[balthazar]

$69 grand for a volvo? 🥴

[David]

30 minutes ago, balthazar said:

$69 grand for a volvo? 🥴

Plenty of recalls this year too. Crazy

[William Maley]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

$69 grand for a volvo? 🥴

You haven't seen anything yet, an XC90 can reach $100k.

2 hours ago, David said:

I honestly have to say this looks good, but complicated from a power train standpoint.

Questions:

1. Is this just a less luxury version of the V90?
2. How does it compare room wise to the XC version inside?
3. Other than a lower AWD auto, a comparison to the XC60 and how it compares to the 90 series would be great.
4. Does it feel like your sitting in a hole when you get in?
5. How does the Greenhouse feel over all from the inside? Bunker like?
6. Is there any noticeable transition between ICE and EV?

1. Not really, I would say the V60 and V90 are similar in terms of features and packages.
2. No real change in terms of seating space when compared to the V60 Cross Country I drove earlier in the year. You will notice a shortage of storage space due to the battery.
3. Will revisit later in the week as I need more driving time before comparing it to a S90. No experience with the XC60.
4. Not really.
5. Surprisingly airy.
6. Not that I have come across yet. Will revisit after I have more time.

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, William Maley said:

You haven't seen anything yet, an XC90 can reach $100k.

Prolly why I never see any.

Or maybe it’s ‘notice’.

[ccap41]

This is a fantastic looking vehicle. 

[smk4565]

A wagon is going to be a non-seller.  I don't think $69k is a bad price for that level of performance and the fuel economy and electric range.  I think if this was a little cheaper it would be more compelling, also if it was rear wheel drive based.  On power they top the CT4/CT5-V and Genesis G70 and Acura TLX Type-S which is about $55k.  

I assume this is available in sedan version or will be, I think the current Volvos look good on the inside and out, but I'd question the performance of the front wheel drive chassis compared to all the rear drive cars in the $60-70k range.  At $40k, it doesn't matter, you aren't getting big performance at that price.

 

Question is he is how is handling and performance compared to the cheaper G70, because Volvo is pushing this as a performance car and nearing some AMG and M pricing.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

A wagon is going to be a non-seller.  I don't think $69k is a bad price for that level of performance and the fuel economy and electric range.  I think if this was a little cheaper it would be more compelling, also if it was rear wheel drive based.  On power they top the CT4/CT5-V and Genesis G70 and Acura TLX Type-S which is about $55k.  

I assume this is available in sedan version or will be, I think the current Volvos look good on the inside and out, but I'd question the performance of the front wheel drive chassis compared to all the rear drive cars in the $60-70k range.  At $40k, it doesn't matter, you aren't getting big performance at that price.

 

Question is he is how is handling and performance compared to the cheaper G70, because Volvo is pushing this as a performance car and nearing some AMG and M pricing.

Your FWD assertions are irrelevant since this an AWD only model. The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG doesn’t seems to face the same scrutiny despite its FWD roots though. I wonder why?

[ocnblu]

Volvos have been FWD for decades, why is it suddenly a demerit?

[smk4565]

7 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Your FWD assertions are irrelevant since this an AWD only model. The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG doesn’t seems to face the same scrutiny despite its FWD roots though. I wonder why?

I’d gladly match up the CLA45’s performance against the V60 Polestar.  The CLA45 is 700 lbs lighter, that’s a lot less weight to haul around.  
 

Also Volvo S60/V60 are sized and priced more like a C-class.  The problem with these Polestar Volvos, or any Volvo, is they don’t have better performance than an AMG or M or Tesla, don’t have a better interior than an Audi or Mercedes, aren’t priced better than a Genesis.   So the brand is kind of lost.

 

And does this performance Volvo have a top speed of 112 mph because of safety restrictions?

 

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

I’d gladly match up the CLA45’s performance against the V60 Polestar.  The CLA45 is 700 lbs lighter, that’s a lot less weight to haul around.  
 

Also Volvo S60/V60 are sized and priced more like a C-class.  The problem with these Polestar Volvos, or any Volvo, is they don’t have better performance than an AMG or M or Tesla, don’t have a better interior than an Audi or Mercedes, aren’t priced better than a Genesis.   So the brand is kind of lost.

 

And does this performance Volvo have a top speed of 112 mph because of safety restrictions?

 

Missed the point by a country mile. We will skip the part where, duh, yes the CLA is lighter. That’s because it’s a smaller car and add to the fact that the Volvo is a hybrid. It does not change my point or statement whatsoever. The time you spend tearing down anything without that precious tri-Star on the hood is simply baffling. 

Edited August 22, 2020 by surreal1272

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Missed the point by a country mile. We will skip the part where, duh, yes the CLA is lighter. That’s because it’s a smaller car and add to the fact that the Volvo is a hybrid. It does not change my point or statement whatsoever. The time you spend tearing down anything without that precious tri-Star on the hood is simply baffling. 

I didn't tear it down, I said it isn't a bad price for the combo of performance and fuel economy.  But wagons are non-sellers in general.  And this new era of Volvo is much better than it was in the Ford ownership days, but I don't think a single product they make is considered near the top in their segment and a 2 liter 4 cylinder is the biggest engine the brand has.  That's a fine engine for small sedans and crossovers but can you imagine Cadillac saying the biggest engine they will offer is a 2 liter 4 cylinder?  Or that the CT5-V will have a top speed of 112 mph?

And the CLA45 has great performance for front wheel drive, but it is doesn't have the performance of a C63 or GLC63 that send power to the rear wheels.  I am not anti front wheel drive, I am anti-front wheel drive for $70,000 when there are significantly better performing rear wheel drive cars at that price.  

[regfootball]

On 8/21/2020 at 1:20 PM, balthazar said:

$69 grand for a volvo? 🥴

Good thing that this one at that price, the final assembly at least in Sweden.  not say, China.

Edited August 24, 2020 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

 

9 hours ago, regfootball said:

Good thing that this one at that price, the final assembly at least in Sweden.  not say, China.

Some V60s are built in Belgium...the S60 sedan is assembled in S. Carolina.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Robert Hall

[surreal1272]

On 8/22/2020 at 12:36 PM, smk4565 said:

I didn't tear it down, I said it isn't a bad price for the combo of performance and fuel economy.  But wagons are non-sellers in general.  And this new era of Volvo is much better than it was in the Ford ownership days, but I don't think a single product they make is considered near the top in their segment and a 2 liter 4 cylinder is the biggest engine the brand has.  That's a fine engine for small sedans and crossovers but can you imagine Cadillac saying the biggest engine they will offer is a 2 liter 4 cylinder?  Or that the CT5-V will have a top speed of 112 mph?

And the CLA45 has great performance for front wheel drive, but it is doesn't have the performance of a C63 or GLC63 that send power to the rear wheels.  I am not anti front wheel drive, I am anti-front wheel drive for $70,000 when there are significantly better performing rear wheel drive cars at that price.  

Well good thing its not FWD. It’s AWD and while you rag on the lack of cylinders, you skip the fact that it is over 400HP and pulls like a train and is faster off the line than the Benz E450 (with a price that is only slightly higher than the CLA45 AMG with its FOUR cylinders and less power). And where in the article does it mention a 112MPH limit (which doesn’t mean $h! anyway in the U.S. given that we have this little thing called “speed limits”)? Oh, thats right. It isn’t limited to 112. Here are the numbers from another source:

TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 4.4 sec
100 mph: 10.9 sec
130 mph: 21.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.8 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.4 sec
¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 131 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 152 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.96 g

 

 

 

If you’re going to slam a non-Mercedes car, make sure you slam it with actual facts.

[Robert Hall]

it looks like a sweet package...I really like the current generation of Volvo products, esp. the wagons.  Really like their current interior and exterior designs.

[William Maley]

Some quick updates on the V60 Polestar after a few days

• On 120V, a full charge takes between 8-10 hours. I don't know if the charger can handle a 240V outlet, going to bring in the owners manual to find out.
• Able to squeeze out around 24 miles on just electric power alone
• Handling is pretty decent with minimal body roll and quick steering. But you can tell there is a lot of weight because of the battery pack and electric motor
• Volvo Sensus has been actually behaving unlike in the previous S60/V60 I drove earlier in the year. Boots up slightly faster and hasn't run into performance bottlenecks.

 

On 8/21/2020 at 10:55 PM, smk4565 said:

Question is he is how is handling and performance compared to the cheaper G70, because Volvo is pushing this as a performance car and nearing some AMG and M pricing.

I would say the G70 is better, mostly due to it being lighter than the V60 Polestar and having slightly better steering. 

And yes, you can get the S60 in Polestar form.

On 8/22/2020 at 8:10 AM, smk4565 said:

And does this performance Volvo have a top speed of 112 mph because of safety restrictions?

I don't believe so, but I can double check that shortly. I think that 112 mph limit is going to be on future models, and it is really non-issue unless you're driving on the Autobahn or arguing on a forum.

[regfootball]

10 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

 

Some V60s are built in Belgium...the S60 sedan is assembled in S. Carolina.

[smk4565]

9 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Well good thing its not FWD. It’s AWD and while you rag on the lack of cylinders, you skip the fact that it is over 400HP and pulls like a train and is faster off the line than the Benz E450 (with a price that is only slightly higher than the CLA45 AMG with its FOUR cylinders and less power). And where in the article does it mention a 112MPH limit (which doesn’t mean $h! anyway in the U.S. given that we have this little thing called “speed limits”)? Oh, thats right. It isn’t limited to 112. Here are the numbers from another source:

TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 4.4 sec
100 mph: 10.9 sec
130 mph: 21.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.8 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.4 sec
¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 131 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 152 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.96 g

 

 

 

If you’re going to slam a non-Mercedes car, make sure you slam it with actual facts.

First off the E450 is a whole size class bigger than the V60, and the E-class interior blows away an S90, let alone the V60.  Secondly, the V60 has a transverse engine and transmission so all that weight sits over top of the front wheels.  The last V60 Polestar has a 60/40 weight split which is no bueno.  

A more fair fight for the Volvo would be a a CLA45 shooting brake if they make another one, or even a GLB45 would be closer in size, price and performance.   The plus for Volvo is no direct competitor exists, this is like a luxury trim Subaru STi Wagon.  

Although a Tesla Model Y Performance with Autopilot is $69k and is very close in size to a V60 Polestar, and the Tesla is more efficient and does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

As far as top speed, Volvo said a year ago that they would start limiting all their products to 112 mph top speed.  

[surreal1272]

2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

First off the E450 is a whole size class bigger than the V60, and the E-class interior blows away an S90, let alone the V60.  Secondly, the V60 has a transverse engine and transmission so all that weight sits over top of the front wheels.  The last V60 Polestar has a 60/40 weight split which is no bueno.  

A more fair fight for the Volvo would be a a CLA45 shooting brake if they make another one, or even a GLB45 would be closer in size, price and performance.   The plus for Volvo is no direct competitor exists, this is like a luxury trim Subaru STi Wagon.  

Although a Tesla Model Y Performance with Autopilot is $69k and is very close in size to a V60 Polestar, and the Tesla is more efficient and does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

As far as top speed, Volvo said a year ago that they would start limiting all their products to 112 mph top speed.  

The CLA is as short compared to the V60 as the V60 is to the E Class and you totally missed the point of it any way. You were wrong on the speed limit (only took me thirty seconds to find the numbers posted above from another publication) and as William said, that limit doesn’t mean squat unless you live in Germany. The V60 weighs pretty much the same as an E Class wagon (depending on trims). Despite its much heavier weight and “only” a four banger under the hood, it moves pretty damn well and at a faster pace than that larger and equal weight E Class.

 

BTW, the Tesla Y is twelve inches longer than the Volvo so if we can’t compare the Volvo to the E Class, then you can’t compare it to the Y. 
 

And as unpredictable as a Volvo can be, in the reliability department, Tesla’s (on average) are even worse. 
 

Edit: While starting in 2021, a Volvo’s will be speed limited to 112, this is a 2020 model which is not. Still a pointless argument unless the Autobahn is your main route to work everyday. 

Edited August 25, 2020 by surreal1272

[smk4565]

6 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

The CLA is as short compared to the V60 as the V60 is to the E Class and you totally missed the point of it any way. You were wrong on the speed limit (only took me thirty seconds to find the numbers posted above from another publication) and as William said, that limit doesn’t mean squat unless you live in Germany. The V60 weighs pretty much the same as an E Class wagon (depending on trims). Despite its much heavier weight and “only” a four banger under the hood, it moves pretty damn well and at a faster pace than that larger and equal weight E Class.

The V90 is their E450 wagon competitor.  

The V60 Polestar has good performance, but there are better performance/luxury cars for $69k.  

[surreal1272]

10 hours ago, smk4565 said:

The V90 is their E450 wagon competitor.  

The V60 Polestar has good performance, but there are better performance/luxury cars for $69k.  

Name ONE current wagon, in its class and price range, thats better.

[Drew Dowdell]

On 8/21/2020 at 1:03 PM, David said:

I honestly have to say this looks good, but complicated from a power train standpoint.

Questions:

1. Is this just a less luxury version of the V90?

It's a different size class.  The V90 is E-Class sized. The V60 is C-Class sized.  Though those are external measurements.  Both are roomier than their Benz counterparts.

On 8/21/2020 at 5:09 PM, balthazar said:

Prolly why I never see any.

Or maybe it’s ‘notice’.

It's probably "notice".  The XC90 is one of their best sellers.  I see a bunch of them around. The $100k ones are rare though, but aside from fancier wheel's there is nothing externally that differentiates them from the $60k ones.

[Drew Dowdell]

On 8/22/2020 at 8:10 AM, smk4565 said:

I’d gladly match up the CLA45’s performance against the V60 Polestar.  The CLA45 is 700 lbs lighter, that’s a lot less weight to haul around.  
 

Also Volvo S60/V60 are sized and priced more like a C-class.  The problem with these Polestar Volvos, or any Volvo, is they don’t have better performance than an AMG or M or Tesla, don’t have a better interior than an Audi or Mercedes, aren’t priced better than a Genesis.   So the brand is kind of lost.

 

And does this performance Volvo have a top speed of 112 mph because of safety restrictions?

 

The Volvo interiors are definitely on-par with Benz or Audi when comparably equipped. The Volvo design is just different compared to the highly technical look of the Germans (particularly the Audi). I really love the minimalist design of the Volvo interiors and their seats are The. Best. In. Comfort. Periodt.

In the earlier versions of this platform, the infotainment system could be a bit laggy and frustrating, but they've increased the processor and ram on them and they operate well now.

Due to a quirk in the trade in market right now, we may trade the Encore in on an S90 fairly soon.  Carvana is offering $10k for it and for a 7 year old, 100k mile car with a few dings, I'm thinking I should take it.  Other dealerships are only offering $7,200.

[Drew Dowdell]

22 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Well good thing its not FWD. It’s AWD and while you rag on the lack of cylinders, you skip the fact that it is over 400HP and pulls like a train and is faster off the line than the Benz E450 (with a price that is only slightly higher than the CLA45 AMG with its FOUR cylinders and less power). And where in the article does it mention a 112MPH limit (which doesn’t mean $h! anyway in the U.S. given that we have this little thing called “speed limits”)? Oh, thats right. It isn’t limited to 112. Here are the numbers from another source:

TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 4.4 sec
100 mph: 10.9 sec
130 mph: 21.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.8 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.4 sec
¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 107 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 131 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 152 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.96 g

 

 

 

If you’re going to slam a non-Mercedes car, make sure you slam it with actual facts.

 

16 hours ago, William Maley said:

Some quick updates on the V60 Polestar after a few days

• On 120V, a full charge takes between 8-10 hours. I don't know if the charger can handle a 240V outlet, going to bring in the owners manual to find out.
• Able to squeeze out around 24 miles on just electric power alone
• Handling is pretty decent with minimal body roll and quick steering. But you can tell there is a lot of weight because of the battery pack and electric motor
• Volvo Sensus has been actually behaving unlike in the previous S60/V60 I drove earlier in the year. Boots up slightly faster and hasn't run into performance bottlenecks.

 

I would say the G70 is better, mostly due to it being lighter than the V60 Polestar and having slightly better steering. 

And yes, you can get the S60 in Polestar form.

I don't believe so, but I can double check that shortly. I think that 112 mph limit is going to be on future models, and it is really non-issue unless you're driving on the Autobahn or arguing on a forum.

For clarity Volvo brand will have the top speed limit, but anything Polestar will negate that. Polestars won't be governed. 

[David]

24 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 

For clarity Volvo brand will have the top speed limit, but anything Polestar will negate that. Polestars won't be governed. 

I wonder if the limit is due to wanting the electric assist to not fail?

[Drew Dowdell]

12 minutes ago, David said:

I wonder if the limit is due to wanting the electric assist to not fail?

Nope, it's a safety stance that Volvo has taken.  They want to have zero deaths relating to one of their products by a certain date.

[balthazar]

Would like to see their data showing the fatalities in Volvos at -say- 115 MPH.

[Drew Dowdell]

46 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Would like to see their data showing the fatalities in Volvos at -say- 115 MPH.

I would expect they would mostly be in Germany.

[Robert Hall]

Since probably no one but auto reviewers is going to be taking a Volvo to a track, having a top speed over 100mph makes little sense outside of Germany...and the days are numbered for the high speed limits in Germany I've read.

[balthazar]

Interwebs tell me “A fatal car accident is practically inevitable at speeds of 70 mph (or more).

Volvo may wish to reprogram their governors.

[ykX]

37 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Interwebs tell me “A fatal car accident is practically inevitable at speeds of 70 mph (or more).

Volvo may wish to reprogram their governors.

I believe XC60 is already safest car in the world by rating of the US and European safety agencies and by accident statistics.  And that's Volvo's best selling car in US and Europe.

[smk4565]

3 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Name ONE current wagon, in its class and price range, thats better.

There isn’t one as the V60 is the only small luxury wagon in the United States.  The Impreza wrx wagon if that is still around is the only other small wagon I think.

So credit to Volvo for creating a niche, but I think there is a reason no one else builds a compact performance wagon.

[David]

6 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Nope, it's a safety stance that Volvo has taken.  They want to have zero deaths relating to one of their products by a certain date.

That is cool, I think they might have made it considering I did not find any in the latest report which covers auto's up to 2017.

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model

WOW, Mazda and Hyundai are stand outs for the safest auto's. 64 auto's are top picks for 2020 and FCA and Mitsubishi have not gotten any awards for any models this year. Volvo has gotten the top safety pick but no top safety pick plus where GM has.

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/64-vehicles-earn-2020-iihs-awards-thanks-to-state-of-the-art-safety

[William Maley]

Final thoughts on the V60 Polestar,

• I do find it to be slightly stiffer than some of the other Volvo models I have driven, doesn't do quite so well with potholes and other road imperfections.
• Wished there was a way I could manually choose running on electric power only or hybrid, not have a wagon do it for me - very minor complaint on my part.
• Based on some of graphs shown in the vehicle, a majority of my travel was done on electric power. May explain its average fuel economy of around 44.4 mpg.
• This would be my second choice in the 60-series lineup if I could buy one. The first being the Cross Country.

Stay tuned tomorrow as a new vehicle comes in for its interactive review.

[A Horse With No Name]

On 8/21/2020 at 2:20 PM, balthazar said:

$69 grand for a volvo? 🥴

See my comment in Random thoughts about "rather have a Ford Raptor F150..."

On 8/21/2020 at 2:50 PM, David said:

Plenty of recalls this year too. Crazy

I am over my love affair with European cars, even though both vee dubs I owned were damn enar flawless in terms of reliability. 

On 8/27/2020 at 11:19 AM, William Maley said:

Final thoughts on the V60 Polestar,

• I do find it to be slightly stiffer than some of the other Volvo models I have driven, doesn't do quite so well with potholes and other road imperfections.
• Wished there was a way I could manually choose running on electric power only or hybrid, not have a wagon do it for me - very minor complaint on my part.
• Based on some of graphs shown in the vehicle, a majority of my travel was done on electric power. May explain its average fuel economy of around 44.4 mpg.
• This would be my second choice in the 60-series lineup if I could buy one. The first being the Cross Country.

Stay tuned tomorrow as a new vehicle comes in for its interactive review.

Not inspired by the Polestar, did not mind watching this one go back. 

On 8/25/2020 at 11:27 AM, ykX said:

I believe XC60 is already safest car in the world by rating of the US and European safety agencies and by accident statistics.  And that's Volvo's best selling car in US and Europe.

Interesting...

On 8/25/2020 at 9:36 AM, Drew Dowdell said:

Nope, it's a safety stance that Volvo has taken.  They want to have zero deaths relating to one of their products by a certain date.

I hope they reach this goal.