For this review I’m driving a very special Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar. Why so special? The Polestar badge means having a sportier car with part of the comfort sacrificed in favour of better handling. This is the second Volvo XC60 that we test: some time ago we had the pleasure of testing a D5 Inscription that we really liked. Let’s find out today what are the differences on this particular model under test.
Polestar’s customized the whole car, from the interior to the exterior, passing through the mechanical parts. This car deserves a really complete review!
As soon as I got in, I felt like I was back in the living at home. Volvo got used to really high standards, leather everywhere, top finishes and high-quality materials. I notice with great pleasure a nice diffused light in the passenger compartment, thanks to the gigantic panoramic glass roof. Polestar, however, took his time to make this XC60 a little sportier even inside, with yellow safety belts that contrast with totally black interiors have an effect that I really appreciate.
Time to drive! The car’s power train is the tried and tested T8, a very good plug-in hybrid. The front axle is connected to a 2.0L petrol engine delivering about 300 horsepower, combined with the 8-speed Geartronic gearbox optimized by Polestar. On the rear there is an electric motor powered by an 11kw battery pack which can be recharged in a few hours also from a household socket. With the battery fully charged, you can travel about 40km with zero emissions and in total silence, just enough to reach the workplace or a mountain road on which to unleash the 420 horses of this amazing Volvo.
Our journey brings us in mountain road and what better place is there to try the optimizations that Polestar has made? Just set the “Polestar Engineered” mode and the fun begins.
It is immediately clear that it is a car that on the whole is more rigid than its standard counterpart, thanks to the Öhlins suspensions and the adjustable dome bar.
The tires are the icing on the cake: they are mounted on beautiful 21-inch wheels, exclusive of this set-up, and have a truly reduced shoulder. With similar power and a fairly important weight, there is a need for powerful brakes, and of course Polestar has also thought about this. An Akebono brake system is clearly visible out from the rims with a beautiful yellow caliper that bites the front discs which, for the occasion, have been increased.
During the journey we come across an great opportunity for some off road fun, why not? The Volvo XC60 does not disappoint even in this aspect, by setting the Off Road mode the electronics puts the car in the best conditions to face difficult conditions and we are also able to face any obstacle with ease and comfort.
It starts to get dark and it’s time to go home, just turn on the Hybrid mode and leaving it all up to her. I feel safe, thanks to a truly effective lighting given by the LED matrix headlights. During the return trip I decide to listen to some music and with pleasure I discover that the Volvo XC60 Polestar Engineered offers the Harman Kardon audio system as standard, the already tested Bowers & Wilkins is available as an option, but I must say that this also performs really well. The ADAS functionalities remain the same as the normal version of the XC60, they are perfectly calibrated and the Pilot Assist is always a true ally on longer trips.
We got home, we put it in charge and draw conclusions on a car that we really liked. The price starts from 85300 euros, to which must be added around 700 euros for 360 degree cameras and around 1800 for Pilot Assist.
Consumption, related to performance, is very efficient; without pushing the car to the limit, you can stay around 7 liters per 100km in a mixed route, while in the city you get closer to 11 liters per 100km.
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