2019 Volvo V60 Quick Spin: Wagons Over Everything

I drove the redesigned 2019 Volvo S60 sedan last week in Southern California, but that wasn’t all. The S60’s wagon sibling, the redesigned 2019 Volvo V60, made an appearance and, for the most part, it gets the same changes as the S60.

Related: 2019 Volvo S60 First Drive: Like Catching Up With an Old Friend

That means a move to Volvo’s Scalable Project Architecture, powertrain adjustments and a big shift in styling. I think the styling suits the V60 better than the sedan; the sedan’s sides look kind of flat while the wagon is more visually interesting. I also just kind of love wagons.

The V60 is offered in three trim levels: Momentum, Inscription and R-Design. But in a departure from the S60, it only comes with two powertrain options: T5 front-wheel drive or T6 all-wheel drive. You’ll have to go the sedan route if you want the T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain. The T5 has a 250-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 258 pounds-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T6 has the same transmission and a very similar engine, a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-four-cylinder that makes 316 hp and 295 pounds-feet of torque.

I tested a V60 T6 in the Momentum trim level. Driving the wagon and the sedan with the same powertrain is pretty much the same experience; the engine is plenty powerful and the suspension seems to be tuned with comfort in mind. The payoff is that the V60 drives like a luxury vehicle with good ride quality and plenty of “easy” power when you want it.

The key changes are inside, beyond the obvious addition of a larger cargo area and powered liftgate. Both models get a standard panoramic moonroof, but in the sedan, it feels abbreviated and doesn’t quite reach back far enough to be of help to backseat passengers; not so in the V60, where its larger opening allows a lot more light into the cabin. There’s also a unique “City Weave” upholstery package for the V60, which adds plaid cloth seating surfaces. It gives the wagon a bit of quirkiness I found welcoming, and a changeup from leather is refreshing.

The V60, along with the S60 and the rest of the 2019 Volvo lineup, also receives the updated processor for the Sensus Connect touchscreen multimedia and vehicle control system. This improves the system’s startup time — especially for the backup camera, which was where the old system would hang up if you started the car and put it into Reverse too quickly.

Though the V60 I tested was the lowest (Momentum) trim level, it still had quite a price tag. That’s in part because pretty much all of the options were checked, which added safety features, heated rear seats and steering wheel, and extra technology. The packages helped to push the base price of the as-tested vehicle to $54,690 including destination, which is quite a jump up from the probable $44,295 starting price for a V60 T6 Momentum.

Volvo hasn’t yet released full pricing for the V60, but the V60 T6 Momentum I tested came with a $3,000 premium over the same version of the S60, which starts at $41,295. It’s fair to assume the other trim levels and engine setups will have something like that markup. It’s also a price I’d pay for the wagon’s added utility and good looks.

Those interested in the V60 still have a bit longer to wait. The 2019 S60 will arrive at dealerships toward the end of 2018, while the 2019 V60 appears in early 2019.

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