Front 3/4 view, Crystal White,
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered
Consumer Guide Automotive, New Car ReviewText by Tom Appel

2025 Volvo V60 T8 AWD Polestar Engineered

Specs

Class: Premium Midsize Car

Color: Crystal White

Seating Capacity: 5

Miles driven: 131

Real-world fuel economy: 27.8 mpg

CG Report Card
Room and ComfortB
Power and PerformanceA
Fit and FinishA
Fuel EconomyA
ValueB-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big GuyB-
Tall GuyC+
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs455-horsepower 2.0-liter
Engine Type4-cylinder turbocharged
plug-in hybrid
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive WheelsAWD

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 74 MPGe/31 mpg (city/highway combined)

EPA-estimated battery range: 41 miles

Fuel type: Premium gas

Base price: $71,250 (not including $1195 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Luggage cover ($390)

Price as tested: $72,835

 

Pros and Cons

The great: Powerful, efficient, fun to drive

The good: Practical, easy on the gas, comfortable seats, solid feel

The not so good: Firm ride, road noise

 

Review

There’s irony in the 2025 Volvo lineup, and we’re happy to see it. Volvo’s global electric-vehicle sales leapt an impressive 50 percent last year, this while other European luxury carmakers are struggling to sell EVs, especially Mercedes-Benz. Volvo also sells a good number of plug-in hybrid models, especially in Europe, giving the Swedish carmaker some bragging rights in the “new-energy” vehicle community.

Rear 3/4
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

Station Wagons

Of course, Volvo’s core bread-and-butter lineup of traditional gas-powered models still accounts for most of the maker’s volume, but there is one segment—which has nothing to do with powertrains—that is sadly slipping away, and that’s wagons. Old-school station wagons.

Completely replaced in showrooms by crossover over the past few decades, the station wagon no longer amounts to a rounding error when calculating annual vehicle sales in the U.S. Amazingly, Volvo still makes available three wagon models, though, none of which is what anyone could call conventional.

Interior, Dashboard,
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

Once famous for its solid, stolid, rear-wheel drive, famously reliable station wagons, Volvo now sells only a trio of wagons, each of which is a little like a cosplay example of the breed.

Available for 2025 are the:

 

V60 Cross Country

Starts price: $51,495

Based on the compact S60 sedan, the V60 Cross County wagon boasts an elevated ride height, off-road capable tires, and SUV-style body cladding. Think of it as a Swedish Subaru Outback, and you have the idea. Power comes from a mild-hybrid 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. AWD is standard.

 

V90 Cross Country

Starting price: $60,995

Basically, as above, but based on the longer Volvo S90 sedan. Enjoys greater rear-seat knee and leg room than the V60. Is otherwise very similar in look and feel, though highway ride quality is better than that of the V60 Cross Country.

 

V60 Polestar Engineered

Starting price: $72,445

Elmore James, audio system, touchscreen,
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

Unlike the other tow wagons on Volvo’s 2025 lineup, the Polestar Engineered example comes without off-road pretensions. Instead, the Polestar is strictly about on-road performance. Packing a 455-horsepower plug-in hybrid drivetrain and performance-tuned suspension, the lone Polestar-tuned member of the Volvo wagon family delivers an EPA-estimated 41 miles of battery only range, and reaches 60 mph from a stop in a claimed 4.1 seconds.

Performance Car

Not a conventional wagon in the bunch, but an interesting trio, to be sure. Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a—full name coming—2025 Volvo V60 T8 AWD Polestar Engineered. And to clarify, Polestar is—or has been—Volvo’s performance brand, a little like AMG at Mercedes-Benz, or “M” at BMW. And yes, Polestar is also the name of the Volvo-adjacent EV-performance brand recently launched in the U.S. And no, the two Polestars are not related, not directly, at least. Also, T80 is Volvo speak for the plug-in hybrid drivetrain found in our test car.

Speaking of our test car, it arrived in Crystal White and came to $72,685 including destination charge. Not cheap, but also not expensive relative to the aforementioned performance offerings from BMW and Mercedes.

Room and Comfort

The V60 cabin is Volvo familiar, in a mostly good way. Though the door openings are a little tight both front and rear, there’s a decent amount of space in the front row once situated. The rear seating accommodations are a little tighter, with knee room a commodity behind taller front-seat occupants. The said, the seats are comfortable and supportive, and likely well suited for very-long drives.

Connectivity

Though the V60 employs Google built-in to drive the native connectivity suite, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are part of the deal as well. The Google built-in system can be largely ignored, but is surprisingly handy when entering navigation destinations.

The V60’s infotainment system still incorporates Volvo’s “stacked bar” interface, which we always initially find off-putting, but quickly become accustomed to. That said, the screen is well lit and easy to read, and responds promptly to touch inputs. Also, the Polestar’s standard Bowers and Wilkins-brand audio system is breathtakingly good, and helps to justify the model’s price tag.

Power and Performance

Rear seat, passenger space,
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

Power, as noted above, comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged AND Supercharged 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Combined system output is 455 horsepower. Also, as noted above, AWD is standard.

Though not entirely seamless, the powertrain delivers almost immediate power from a stop, making short work of urban-environment traffic maneuvers. And, predictably, there’s a surplus of highway passing and merging power, making for thrilling on-ramp runs.

Ride and Handling

And, thanks in part to the Polestar-tuned suspension, and Brembo-brand brakes, the V60 Polestar Engineered is a joy to throw into corners and push through cloverleaf exchanges. Part of fun comes from the level of engagement enjoyed as a result of the firm suspension and beefy, solid-feeling steering.

This comes at the expense of ride quality. Though the ride is harsh, it is rigid, and shoppers will want to take note of this situation on a test drive. We absolutely love the chassis setup, but folks looking for a more-traditional luxury experience—a typically more Volvo experience—may be put off by the suspension tuning. On a related note, our test car was noisier around town than other V60 and V90 models we’ve evaluated. The sound making its way into the cabin is mostly road noise, and comes in part from the standard high-performance tires.

Fuel Economy

And, despite all the power, and despite all the fun—and despite only charging the car completely just once—we average 27.9 mpg. Impressive given the power, we think.

Is it ironic that one of Volvo’s most enjoyable 2025 offerings does not come from the brands expanding portfolio of EVs? Perhaps it’s ironic that this fun-to-drive sporty wagon also returns close to 30 mpg in routine drive—and much better if you work daily charging into your daily commuting regimen.

Value

Yes, $75,000 is a lot to pay for a smallish midsize wagon, and yes, the ride is on the firm side. But we found the V60 Polestar Engineered both frugal and fun to drive, and its wagon utility a delightful bonus. There really isn’t much in the way of direct competition for this athletic Swede, adding uniqueness to its many charms. The audience for this old-school wagon is pretty limited, but to the right buyer, it’s probably close to perfect.

White, Profile, station wagon,
Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

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