The 2026 Volvo XC70 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that offers a range of up to 131 miles on a single charge and a total range of over 500 miles. With its classy design, plenty of space, and typical Volvo driving experience, this vehicle could easily bridge the gap to the electric era for those who are not quite ready for a full-EV. Although there are no plans to bring it to the UK just yet, Volvo is currently promoting deals starting from as little as $28,000 in China.
Right now, everyone's eyes are on the new 500-mile EX60, which Volvo thinks can steal the show from German contenders like the BMW iX3 and the Mercedes GLC. However, the XC70 is the brand's "first extended-range plug-in hybrid." Unlike the similarly sized EX60, the XC70 has evolved from a jacked-up estate with robust plastic cladding into an elegant but conventional SUV with frameless windows and typically pared back Volvo styling.
View Price on AmazonThe XC70 PHEV impresses when it comes to electrification, with a range of up to 131 miles without needing to refuel. Used in conjunction with the 154-horsepower 1.5-liter engine, the battery – which comes in either 21.2 kWh or 39.6 kWh packs depending on the model variant – saves you the already brief charging stop at a wall socket. Thanks to DC fast charging, topping up the battery takes a maximum of 23 minutes to hit 80 percent.
Along our test route in Beijing, the XC70 cuts a fine figure, appearing balanced and well-rounded. Yes, like all cars for the Chinese market, it has a rather soft, somewhat vague set-up for the suspension and steering, and the combustion engine still growls a bit too loudly with a tone that doesn't quite match the sophistication of a Mercedes GLE or BMW X5. But that's nothing that couldn't be resolved with a little fine-tuning on the way to Europe.
We've slowly got used to the fact that Volvo limits the top speed of its vehicles to 112 miles per hour, especially since there's quite a lot on offer up to that point. Even the base front-wheel-drive XC70 boasts 313 horsepower, and the sprint to 62 miles per hour takes eight seconds. But those who order the top-of-the-line model not only get a second electric motor on the rear axle, giving them all-wheel drive and a whopping 455 horsepower, but also a 0-62 miles per hour sprint time of just 5.3 seconds.
The XC70 is equipped with a wealth of driver-assistance systems and safety features that will rein in more exuberant driving. Especially if the driver's Chinese isn't up to the task of finding the right buttons on the large, horizontally mounted screen – just like the one in the EX60 – and distinguishing the annoying features from the useful ones.
Source: autoexpress.co.uk
