Does revived estate hit sweet spot between classic and modern appeal?
We’re not in the habit of road testing cars fully eight years old, but in the case of the Volvo V60 we’re willing to make an exception on the basis of its era-ending status.The much-loved middle-ranking Swedish estate is not long for this world, and in fact its maker has already made one attempt on its life. In 2023, Volvo’s UK operation temporarily became SUV-exclusive, unless you were the lucky plod, in which case the order book for one of the company’s enviably svelte, cosseting wagons remained quietly open. Cue much outrage, as well as wagon-related capital flight to Audi, VW and Mercedes.Given Volvo’s reputation was built on the estate format, it was a peculiar decision – Black Sabbath going acoustic, if you like – but also one that has since been reversed. It means that, at least for the time being, you can again order a V60 from new.Having road tested a diesel model in 2018, and then a powerful postfacelift PHEV variant in 2022, here we turn our attention to the 194bhp, front-driven mild-hybrid B4 petrol – an increasingly rare bird in a world of plug-in powertrains, even though BMW, Audi and Mercedes still all offer comparably straightforward versions of their mid-size estates.On paper this is the lowliest model in the V60 line-up, but for anyone who likes the idea of an attractive, uncomplicated family estate unencumbered by a heavy drive battery and that is reasonably cheap to run, the B4 might appeal.
