If we’re being completely honest, the designers from Volvo are a bunch of geniuses. One of the greatest examples is this—the second-generation Volvo XC60, which started selling back in 2018. After 6 years, this car still looks modern and stunning. We recently had the chance to sample the T8 Recharge Ultimate Dark, and boy are we impressed.
Looks
Off the bat, this particular spec looks stunning, thanks to its Vapour Grey paint finish (almost like Audi’s Nardo Grey), black accents, and optional R28,500 21-inch wheels. At the front, you’ve got those iconic Thor’s hammer DRLs, with our unit fitted with the optional lighting package, which works like Audi’s matrix LED headlights. We must say, they work quite well. While the rear looks rather simple, we like the reserved look, which also includes black finishes on the bumper. Overall, it’s quite a handsome car.
Interior
Inside, the Volvo XC60’s cabin is a nice place to be. Our tester featured a charcoal finish with metal mesh aluminum decor. Buyers have the option to choose from five other color schemes. As dark as the cabin is, the panoramic sunroof adds some ambiance. Featuring Google Assistant, the infotainment system is not our cup of tea. It’s not entirely intuitive and lacks simple features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Our highlight inside the XC60 is the R60,000 optional Bowers & Wilkins High Fidelity audio system. Audiophiles, this has to be one of the most impressive sound systems you’ll ever experience. We found ourselves being late for lunch meetups just to spend an extra 10 minutes enjoying the tunes coming out of those speakers. To be honest, it’s hard to fault the fit and finish of this Swedish car—it’s as solid as they come.
On the comfort and practicality side of things, the XC60 has you covered on most fronts. There’s plenty of room for 5 passengers, along with space for smaller items and water bottles in the door bins. Due to the XC60 being a plug-in hybrid, boot space is slightly reduced. You get 468 liters of boot space, which expands to 1,395 liters when the second row of seats is folded down. Overall, the presentation and comfort of the cabin are immaculate.
Power and the Drive
When it comes to power, the T8 Recharge Ultimate Dark has a combined output of 340 kW and 709 Nm. That’s enough to catapult this 2-ton beauty to 100 km/h from a standstill in 4.8 seconds (trust us, it feels quicker). With that much power, the XC60 remains extremely comfortable, thanks to its adaptive air suspension, which irons out road imperfections like a pro.
As for fuel consumption, Volvo claims the plug-in hybrid will average 1.6 L/100 km—when the battery is fully charged. For battery power, Volvo claims an 81 km range, though we saw a more realistic 60 km in the real world. Unfortunately, the XC60 can only be charged via AC and not faster DC chargeing. When the battery was empty, we averaged around 7.8 L/100 km. That figure is not bad, considering the car weighs over 2,000 kg.
Final Words
The Volvo T8 Recharge Ultimate Dark is all things good in our eyes, and then some. With an eye-watering price tag of R1,388,000, it’s honestly Swedish design and execution at its finest. Looking at the rest of the range, which comes in slightly cheaper, this beauty offers luxury, a touch of sportiness, and the benefit of both EV and hybrid power.
