With the sun finally shining — it rises late and retires early this far north — it was time to torture the latest Volvo V60 wagon. In this case, it’s the T8 Twin-Engine R-Design. This version adds a bold body kit, which makes it look meaner, and slides an advanced plug-in hybrid system under the hood. As a package it is one to relish!

To begin with, the T8 Twin-Engine gives the driver access to 400 horsepower — 313 hp come from the supercharged and turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine. The supercharger brings a faster launch while the turbocharger bolsters the mid-range. The rear electric motor then kicks in with another 87 hp and instant-on torque. When driven normally it’s hard to tell if it’s the gas, electric or both sources that are doing the work, as the powertrain ebbs and flows so smoothly between the different driving modes, a big plus in my books. Only when you really give the throttle a heavy workout does the engine begin to make any real noise.

The electric motor gets its juice from a larger 10.4-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion battery that sits in the central tunnel. The increased capacity promises an electric-only driving range of up to 50 kilometres and a charge time using a 220-volt outlet of around 2.5 hours.

The layout puts the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission with the Integrated Starter Generator sandwiched between the two up front. The rear wheels are powered exclusively by the electric motor. The combination gives the T8 an all-wheel-drive extension and a potent run to 100 kilometres an hour of 4.9 seconds, which is two seconds faster than the T5 Cross Country wagon.

The T8’s handling is dialed in and then some. The rear electric motor and battery placement help to even the weight distribution front-to-rear and lower the centre of gravity, both of which work wonders for overall balance. In the case of the R-Design, it also gets stiffer springs, faster-acting mono-tube dampers, larger anti-roll bars and a 12-millimetre drop in the ride height. While the setup is noticeably tauter than the Cross Country, the R-Design remained compliant and comfortable. It also proved to be very good at keeping the aggressive body flat as it is was tossed hard into a corner. Throw in a sorted steering setup and the T8 is a driver’s wagon.

Remarkably, the fact the front and rear wheels are driven by different power sources did not affect how the all-wheel-drive system hooked up. On a hard takeoff it did break all four wheels loose because of the icy surface, but once moving everything gathered up nicely. When hoofing it hard down the ice track it was possible to flick the tail out and have the electric motor hold the drift. Sometimes it becomes only too obvious when two different power sources come online at different times — it imparts a very uncomfortable feeling, as the driver is not sure what is happening at any given time. This was just not the case with the T8 powertrain. It proved to be fast and entirely at home on a frozen lake!

A big part of the ability to keep the battery and rear electric motor engaged is down to regenerative braking. Here the T8 got mixed reviews. While the system captures otherwise wasted energy efficiently, the brake pedal had a somewhat mushy feel under foot. At first it felt like the driver needed to add more brake. As it turns out that was not the case, but it did not stop me from pressing a little harder until I learned the “feel.” Quibble aside it did become second nature after a few hot laps around the ice track.

The cabin follows this alluring lead. It is wrapped in very classy materials and it has two exceptional front seats that provide great lateral support without feeling confining even when wearing an oversized parka. The tech stuff comes in the form of a 12.3-inch reconfigurable instrumentation panel, a head-up display and the nine-inch Sensus infotainment system with navigation. The latter is quick to react with a faster processor that the current version and it supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and, on the R-Design test cars, a solid Bowers and Wilkins Premium sound system.

Slide rearward and the seat accommodates two adults comfortable while leaving 658 litres of space for cargo. Dropping the seats sees the space max out at 1,441 L.

Naturally, the V60 arrives with all the right safety kit, including City Safety with cyclist, pedestrian and animal recognition and auto brake intervention along with Run-off Road Mitigation, which keeps the car centred in its lane. My only issue is that the Canadian T8 Inspiration will put blind spot monitoring in a package, which makes no sense.

The 2020 V60 is a sweet ride that adds flexible versatility to a true driver’s package. It is fast, fun and so capable even when the road takes a turn for the worst. Of course, with the T8’s turn of speed comes hybrid fuel efficiency. The V60 T8 Inscription’s final pricing will be announced closer to its third-quarter launch this year.

SUVs may make up a bulk of Volvo's sales nowadays, but it still knows how to do wagons right.

You've got to appreciate Volvo's steadfast and irrational commitment to America's consistently dismal wagon market. While other automakers have been doing the hokeypokey when it comes to the body style, the 2019 V60 is Volvo's third new wagon in the past 18 months. It's an example of sticking with what got you here. Longroofs were the brand's signature product from 1962 until the launch of its first SUV, the XC90, for the 2003 model year. Wagons are to Volvo what rear-engine sports cars are to Porsche.

Broad shouldered with sharp speed lines and longitudinal-engine proportions, the V60 is another affirmation of Volvo's current design language. But the engine actually rides parallel to the front axle on the brand's Scalable Product Architecture, which the V60 shares with the S60 sedan and the larger V90 wagon as well as Volvo's popular XC60 and XC90 SUVs. Although it comfortably outsizes the less expensive XC40 in length, at 3798 pounds, the V60 weighs about the same as the compact crossover.

Like its platform-mates, the V60 feels strong and solid on the road. Its steering is hefty and the wagon is locked in at speed. The front-wheel-drive V60 T5, tested here, also changes direction willingly, understeering moderately on its 18-inch Contis with little body roll. On the skidpad, it generates 0.87 g. Its chassis uses a multilink rear suspension with a single transverse leaf spring and is tuned on the firm side of compliant, but the ride is supple compared with that of the T6 model, which can be had with adaptive dampers and 19-inch Pirellis. Response from its brake pedal is also firm and reassuring, though the 177-foot stop from 70 mph is long compared with the V60's peers'.

Starting at a base price of $39,895, T5 models get a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four mated to an eight-speed automatic. We've praised the powertrain's performance in other Volvos, and its 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque move the wagon with verve. At the test track, the V60 T5 accelerated to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.9 seconds, but it feels even quicker in the real world. Torque peaks at 1500 rpm, and the eight-speed is rarely in the wrong gear—which is good, because there are no paddle shifters.

Last year, Volvo's hot-selling SUVs pushed the company's total U.S. sales volume up more than 20 percent. If that kind of growth allows the brand to create more slow-selling wagons, we see no issue there. Because the V60 proves that Volvo still does wagons right.

Specifications

2019 Volvo V60 T5 Momentum

VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED
$46,640 (base price: $39,895)

ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement
120 cu in, 1969 cc
Power
250 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque
258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): control arms/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 13.6-in vented disc/12.6-in vented disc
Tires: Continental ProContact TX, 235/45R-18 98H M+S VOL

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.1 in
Length: 187.4 in
Width: 72.8 in
Height: 56.6 in
Passenger volume: 93 cu ft
Cargo volume: 23 cu ft
Curb weight: 3798 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
Zero to 60 mph: 6.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.3 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 33.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.2 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.9 sec @ 96 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 131 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 177 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 26 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 28/24/36 mpg

If you were bummed you missed out on snagging one of the 2019 Volvo S60 Polestar Engineeredmodels last year, which sold out in under an hourbecause only 20 were offered in the U.S., then you’re in luck. Volvo has worked the same Polestar engineering into the 2020 Volvo XC60and 2020 Volvo V60, so now’s your chance.

The new top-trim XC60 and V60 Polestar Engineered models get the twincharged (turbocharged and supercharged) four-cylinder gas engine combined with a battery back running down the middle of the car powering a rear-mounted electric motor.

Volvo claims it’s good for 415 horsepower and 494 lb-ft of torque. But it’s a plug-in hybrid, so if you want the extra juice, you need to remember to fill it up and plug it in for the full effect.

The two new models also get an Öhlins front strut bar, gold-painted six-piston brake calipers, bespoke lightweight forged wheels, a gloss black grille, extended wheel arches, and black chrome tailpipes. Some of that makes the car drive with more precision. Some of it just makes it look like it. Whatever, it all works.

Inside, the models get gold seat belts, aluminum panels, a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, and a charcoal color scheme.

Sadly, Volvo didn’t provide any interior shots, so here’s what the inside of the S60 Polestar Engineered looked like:

I loved the aesthetics of sitting in the 2019 Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered—I am a sucker for production colored seat belts, and Volvos are generally a nice place to spend time—but driving it felt just slightly off. Here’s what I wrote back in October:

I was also told that the car really came alive closer to the limit, which I wasn’t exactly gunning for on the roads around Los Angeles at the time, so maybe there’s more to the car than I was able to eke out of it. (Eek out of it?) I came away much more smitten over the lower-trim R-Dynamic model, and I still feel that way.

But I’m also not going to complain about more high-powered Volvos on the road, especially when there’s a wagon involved. Volvo hasn’t revealed production numbers or pricing for either the XC60 or V60 Polestar Engineered models yet, but it did announce they’ll be available this summer, so we’ll find out soon enough.

The Volvo V60 T8 Polestar Engineered has a lot going for it right out of the gate. First, Volvo styling is hard not to like, and its wagons are quite possibly the best examples of the automaker’s current exterior design. Second, this is the T8, the plug-in hybrid, which adds electric range and power to the mix. Third, this is the Polestar Engineered model, which means this is the performance version that very few customers will get their hands on. Hard to argue with a sexy, plug-in, hot wagon with 415 horsepower and 494 pound-feet of torque, at least on paper. The one possible downside is the $68,295 entry fee. We were able to get one at the Autoblog office for a week to see if it all comes together as hoped, and if it lives up to the price tag.

The styling is already familiar, but I sure love the way it looks in my driveway. I found myself cracking open the front door to gaze at that long roof and sculpted front fascia. The little touches like the flat, square Polestar badge on the grille and the gold brake calipers peeking out from behind the wheel spokes helped to draw my eyes a bit longer

Inside the car, it’s a similar story. I’ve spent some hours inside V60s, and while this one’s gold seatbelts are the only real novelty (and a Polestar-specific flourish), I still find the tidy interior design refreshing and thoughtful. We’ve talked a lot about Volvo’s infotainment system here in the Autoblog offices – and the same praise and complaints remain here – but for the first time that I can remember, I actually plugged my phone in and recalled how good the Apple CarPlay interface is in this system. The screen’s size and vertical orientation help, too. With CarPlay on, the Apple interface uses the bottom half of the screen, while the top half features a miniaturized version of the Sensus main menu. You don't have to back out of CarPlay to play with any vehicle functions.

Despite the seeming complexity of its electric all-wheel-drive system (with the gasoline engine motivating the front wheels and the e-motor powering the rear, and not always at the same time), in practice, the T8’s various drive modes are simple to use. "Hybrid" is the default drive mode, maximizing efficiency when possible, and providing extra power from the gas motor up front when necessary. "Constant AWD" mode is what it sounds like, keeping the car in all-wheel drive, with the only drawback being that this requires constant operation from the gas engine

"Polestar Engineered" is the performance mode, and it’s a riot. As you’d expect, it uses the gas and electric motors for maximum power, efficiency be damned. Acceleration is brisk, and there’s no hesitation as the electric torque and supercharger provide power down low, with the turbocharger keeping the power coming higher in the rev range.

The one thing lacking is a pleasant engine note as the internal combustion motor's sound is rough. Shifts are buttery smooth, but something with a crisper action for spirited driving would be preferable. There are paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel if you’d like to change your own gears, and they respond quickly but don’t provide that snappy satisfaction in the resulting low-drama shift.

"Pure" is the setting you use to atone after you’ve had your fun with the "Polestar Engineered" mode. This relies on the electric motor alone as much as it possibly can. We found it difficult to keep the gas engine from kicking in — cutting through a gap in cross-traffic is a surefire way to ruin the quiet, electric experience. Sometimes, the system would quickly deactivate the gas engine a few seconds later, but other times it kept running long enough that we switched out of and back into "Pure" mode to get it to settle down

With very little tire sidewall, a lot of the road surface gets transmitted into the cabin. The V60 on 19-inch wheels and sport rubber would be quite punishing on Michigan’s pocked roads if it weren’t for that comfy interior. That said, the tires are incredibly quick to settle down once past the imperfection, and the Öhlins suspension works expertly at allowing the tires to maintain traction seamlessly between bumps and divots — luckily so, as tweaking suspension settings means manually adjusting the dampers from outside the vehicle.

If you recall Joel Stocksdale’s first drive of the Volvo S60 T8 Polestar Engineered, he noted an issue with the brakes as they blended — or rather failed to blend — the regenerative feel with that of the mechanical brakes, resulting in an unsmooth and rather jarring experience. As Alex Kierstein pointed out in his drive of the XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered, Volvo tended to that problem by switching all 2020 T8 models from vacuum-boosted brakes to a hydraulic system. The result in the V60 is a brake feel that is unburdened by any of that weird hybrid unnaturalness you might feel in other cars that use regen. The brakes were developed with Brembo, and the stopping power is definitely there provided you’re willing to use the force required. The pedal is stiffer than you’d expect, but a little muscle memory fixed that after a couple days of driving

Despite the anticipation for its arrival, I haven't missed the V60 since its departure. Its performance and plug-in powertrain are still a plus in my book, being Senior Editor of Autoblog Green, but the Polestar Engineered variant as a whole is flawed. For example, the rough ride — at least as tested on Michigan’s perennially crappy roads — is fine for hardcore fans, but doesn’t bring enough of a handling advantage to justify itself. Pushing $70,000, the price is hard to swallow, too, especially since it doesn’t fix shortcomings like the rough gasoline engine. And for a PHEV, I’d prefer something that offered more of the EV experience, without the internal combustion engine inevitably butting in. That issue’s not exclusive to the Polestar version, but it is what keeps this from offering the best of both worlds, ICE performance and EV smoothness, at the driver’s command.

The idea that this isn’t a crowd-pleaser is fine for Volvo, if a little unexpected from the brand. The V60 Polestar Engineered obviously isn't meant to be a volume seller. Instead, it showcases the lengths Volvo is willing to go to indulge a subset of buyers who, like the folks at Volvo, don’t necessarily approach cars the same way as the rest of the world. Now, how about the rest of us?

Sadly, Volvo doesn’t offer a non-Polestar V60 T8 like it does for the S60 sedan, as that’d be the one I’d most like to own. Give me the plug and an extra dollop of acceleration, but let me keep the comfortable ride and clean looks, as well as the difference in price. As someone who has lived with Volvos in the past, that seems like the more Volvo thing to do.

• Trim
  T8 Polestar Engineered
• Engine
  Turbocharged and Supercharged 2.0-liter I4 PHEV
• Power
  415 HP / 494 LB-FT
• Transmission
  8-Speed Automatic
• 0-60 Time
  4.8 Seconds (Est.)
• Top Speed
  155 MPH
• Drivetrain
  AWD
• Engine Placement
  Front
• Seating
  2+3
• MPG
  30 combined (Gas) / 69 combined (Gas + Elec.)
• Warranty
  4 Years / 50,000 Miles
• Base Price
  $68,295
• As Tested Price
  $68,940