Hey guys, look at this! Volvo is making a big move overseas! Fresh official images of the new XC60 dropped on February 18, and the front end directly adopts the same "Thor's Hammer PLUS" design as the XC90, the center screen is upgraded to an 11.2-inch floating large display, and it also packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon smart cockpit.
This facelift adds three stunning new colors, and both air suspension and acoustic glass are available as options. The BBA camp is going to be unable to sit still!
The domestic version is expected to arrive within the year. The current model starts at 396,900 yuan, a price that would even struggle against the Honda Avancier. Can it turn things around this time? We'll see!
To be honest, when I saw the official images, I almost thought Volvo's designers had all jumped ship to Nokia. This exterior change is like a phone system update—at first glance it seems like nothing changed, and only after a closer look do you realize every pixel has been tweaked.
First, let's talk about the most controversial front-end design. The official line calls it "aligning with the XC90," but if you ask me, this is a typical "matryoshka-style innovation."
The new grille's diagonal stripe decoration looks at first glance a lot like IKEA's latest shelving unit, and paired with the classic Thor's Hammer headlights, it does max out recognizability.
But what's interesting is the newly added Forest Lake green. This color is absolutely brilliantly tuned—from afar it looks like jade, up close it looks like matcha, and on the road it will definitely make the Q5L owner next door turn green with envy!
The sharpest knife work in this facelift is all in the interior. The old 9-inch "little TV" has finally been laid off, replaced by an 11.2-inch floating large screen paired with a Qualcomm Snapdragon cockpit platform.
In real-world testing, the scrolling smoothness is comparable to Dove chocolate, but there's one complaint I have to voice: the Google system will probably become a "special supply version" in China, and I wonder whether it will stage the drama of "The Vanishing Map."
The Bowers & Wilkins audio is a genuine upgrade, though. Word is the newly added soundstage mode can simulate the Gothenburg Concert Hall. For this move I give 82 points, and the remaining 18 points I send in the form of 666.
For powertrains, it's still the familiar recipe. The B5 mild hybrid + 48V combination can be called the "Nordic fuel-saving master." The 184 kW figure looks intimidating, but in practice it's still that zen-like tuning.
The T8 plug-in hybrid's 5-second 0-100 km/h sprint, though, is something else. Its 709 Nm of torque can truly pull off the "pretend to be a pig and eat the tiger" act.
But if you ask me, this pricing is really confident. 600,000 yuan for an XC60 T8? The Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV smiles without a word—its four-wheel drive + all-terrain capability sells for just over 400,000!
On the equipment front, there are two hidden Easter eggs that must be highlighted: the newly developed air purification system claims it can filter PM0.1, which on smoggy days is simply a mobile oxygen bar.
And the optional acoustic glass combined with laminated glass means that in real-world testing at 120 km/h, conversations in the cabin don't require shouting—this point absolutely grinds the BMW X3 into the ground.
However, the cupholder design is still inherited anti-human engineering. Even a bottle of Mizone gets stuck. Could the designer be a Starbucks loyalist?
Speaking of competitors makes things even more interesting. The Q5L now has dealer discounts starting at 80,000 yuan, the X3 is about to change generations and clear inventory, and the XC60's starting price of 396,900 yuan is simply "snatching food from the tiger's mouth."
If you ask me, buying the current model now is an absolute steal. Once the new model launches, discounts will probably be pulled back, and then we'll again see the drama of "the wait-and-see crowd will never be slaves." Still, Volvo's safety equipment is genuinely strong—the City Safety system is standard across the range, which is far more conscientious than BBA.
Finally, a piece of advice from me: if you pursue individuality and aren't short on cash, waiting for the new model is absolutely right; if you're the practical type, bottom-fishing the current model now can save you enough for a Rolex.
As for the plug-in hybrid version? Unless you absolutely need a green plate, there are enough options at this price to fill a mahjong table. All right, that's it for today's sharp-tongued car review. Who do you want me to take on next episode?
