The Volvo EX60 is one of those cars that feels like it has been a long time coming. Volvo hasn’t been slow to make electric cars, but this is the one buyers have probably been waiting for: a fully electric, mid-size SUV that sits right in the heart of the family car market.It is also a very important car for Volvo. The EX60 sits alongside the big-selling XC60, it’s the first model to use Volvo’s new SPA3 platform, it is built at the company’s Torslanda factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Volvo describes it as a proper software-defined car.That means it uses the company’s HuginCore computing technology and can be improved over time with over-the-air updates. In less techy terms, this is Volvo’s new-generation electric SUV for people who want the comfort, safety and sensible image of a Volvo, but with proper electric range and very fast charging.It also arrives in one of the most competitive parts of the EV market. A mid-size electric SUV now has to do almost everything well. It needs to be roomy, comfortable, efficient, quick enough, easy to use, good on a long trip, packed with safety kit, nice inside and not outrageously expensive. The EX60 has clearly been aimed straight at that brief and delivers brilliantly.There are three versions. The rear-wheel-drive P6 starts from £55,995 in Plus trim, while the P10 AWD starts from £58,995. The faster P12 AWD, which arrives later, starts from £63,995. Ultra trim pushes those prices to £61,495, £64,495 and £69,495 respectively. First UK deliveries of the P6 and P10 AWD are expected from September, with the P12 AWD due from January 2027.The range figures are the big news. The P6 can officially manage up to 380 miles, the P10 AWD up to 410 miles and the P12 AWD up to 503 miles. That last figure is Volvo’s longest electric range so far, and it puts the EX60 into proper long-distance territory. There’s also rapid charging at up to 370kW in the two all-wheel-drive models.The EX60 is quiet, comfortable, spacious and very easy to get on with. It also has one of the most impressive in-car audio systems I’ve experienced. Add all that together and the EX60 looks like a strong contender in a packed market.How I testedMy first opportunity to drive the EX60 was in and around Barcelona in Spain. As well as driving through the crowded city, I drove out into the hills and through more rural towns, assessing the car over a variety of roads from fast motorways to country lanes. As well as the driving, I took time to assess the quality, the practicality and the visibility, while also crunching the numbers. And, of course, I took time to fully test the Dolby Atmos Bowers and Wilkins audio setup.Volvo EX60: £55,995, Volvocars.comThe Volvo EX60 is the first of a range of new Volvos using the brand's high-tech SPA3 platform (Steve Fowler)Independent rating: 9/10Pros: Long range; rapid charging; strong performance; excellent safety kit; quiet cabin; brilliant Google system; superb Bowers & Wilkins audio; lots of spaceCons: Some cheap interior plastics; too much touchscreen use; driver display sits too low; door grabs are too far back; ride could be smootherPrice from: £55,995Battery size: 83, 92 & 117kWhMaximum claimed range: 503 milesMaximum charging rate: Up to 370kW DC, 10-80 per cent from 16 minutesBattery, range, charging, performance and driveThe EX60 comes with three electric powertrain options. The P6 is rear-wheel drive and has a single motor producing 369bhp and 480Nm of torque. It has an 83kWh battery, with 80kWh usable, and manages 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds. That is already plenty for a family SUV.The P10 AWD adds a second motor for four-wheel drive and increases power to 503bhp and 710Nm. It uses a 95kWh battery, with 92kWh usable, and cuts the 0-60mph time to 4.4 seconds. Then there is the P12 AWD, which uses a larger 117kWh battery, with 112kWh usable, and produces 671bhp and 790Nm. That version gets from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds, which is very quick indeed for something this size. All three versions have a 112mph top speed.The Volvo EX60 drives nicely and rides better than a BMW iX3 (Volvo)I drove the P6 and the P10. The P6 is the one many buyers are likely to consider at first, because it has the lowest price and still offers good performance – it certainly never felt underpowered. Electric cars are good at making modest numbers feel stronger than they look on paper, but the P6 is not modest anyway. It pulls away smoothly, has plenty of shove for overtaking and feels relaxed at motorway speeds.The P10 is a different thing again. It is not silly or showy, but it is properly rapid. The extra traction of all-wheel drive helps, and the power delivery is beautifully smooth. It is one of those cars that gathers speed with very little fuss, which fits the Volvo character nicely. There is lots of power, but it is not delivered in a way that makes the car feel aggressive or tiring.The brakes are good, too. They have a natural feel by EV standards, and the regenerative braking blends in cleanly. Volvo says the braking system includes ABS, electronic brake distribution and regenerative capability, with a 100-0km/h braking distance of 35 metres.Range is one of the EX60’s strongest cards. The P6 has an official combined range of between 380 miles, depending on specification and wheel choice, while the P10 AWD manages up to 410 miles. The P12 AWD can go up to 503 miles, although that version was not available to drive at the launch event and is due later. Charging should make long trips straightforward. The P6 can charge at up to 320kW, while the P10 and P12 can charge at up to 370kW. Volvo says the P6 and P10 can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 16 minutes, while the P12 takes 19 minutes. In 10 minutes, the P6 can add up to 186 miles, the P10 up to 196 miles and the P12 up to 211 miles. With charging speeds one of the big battle grounds for EVs, the EX60 makes for a great long-distance EV.On the road, the EX60 is at its best when it is being smooth, quiet and easy. Like the EX90 and ES60, the cabin is very hushed, and that really helps the car feel properly premium. It is also relaxing on the motorway, with good visibility, comfortable seats and adaptive cruise control that worked well during the test drive.The ride is good, but not perfect. All the versions I drove rode more smoothly than the BMW iX3, but not as smoothly as Volvo’s larger SPA2-based EX90 and ES90 models. The standard steel-sprung car can feel a bit fidgety over broken roads, while the air-sprung cars improve on that slightly, but only marginally. The P10 with adaptive dampers was my preferred version, partly because it felt that bit more settled and controlled.Volvo says the EX60 is tuned to feel more dynamic than the larger EX90 and that’s certainly the case – the smaller size obviously helps. Not that any mid-size SUV should ever feel like a sports car, especially one wearing a Volvo badge, but the steering felt reasonably direct and body control was reasonable. The new all-electric EX60 will sit alongside the big-selling XC60 in Volvo's lineup (Steve Fowler)The small steering wheel is a lovely thing, too. It makes the EX60 feel more wieldy than you might expect and leaves you wondering why so many other steering wheels are so big. This is still a substantial SUV at 4,803mm long, 1,899mm wide and 1,639mm tall, with a 2,970mm wheelbase, but it does not feel clumsy. The turning circle is 11.3 metres kerb to kerb, and the car is easy to place.Overall, the EX60 drives like a good Volvo should. It is quick, quiet, reasonably comfortable, secure and easy to trust. It is not quite as silky over rough roads as it could be, but the fundamentals are very strong.Interior, practicality and boot spaceThe EX60’s cabin is a calm, spacious and comfortable place to spend time, which is exactly what you want from a Volvo SUV. The driving position is good, visibility is strong and there is a genuine sense of space in both rows. It feels like a car designed to make family life easier rather than to show off.The seats are very comfortable, and there is loads of room in the back. The official figures give front and rear headroom with the panoramic roof of 1,041mm and 1,030mm, while front and rear legroom is 1,058mm and 951mm. Shoulder room is 1,437mm in the front and 1,374mm in the back. In normal human terms, that means adults should be very happy in the rear seats, and the EX60 feels properly roomy without becoming enormous on the outside.The Volvo EX60's boot features clever partitions to keep things safe and stop them rolling around (Volvo)The boot is useful, too. Volvo quotes 523 litres of open luggage space with the rear seats up, or 998 litres with the rear seats folded when loaded to the lower window line. The largest luggage volume, including underfloor storage and loaded higher, is 634 litres with the rear seats up and 1,647 litres with them folded. There are also clever separate storage areas in the luggage compartment of up to 91 litres, plus a front boot under the bonnet. Volvo lists the frunk at 58 litres with the tyre mobility kit, 60 litres without it, or up to 85 litres depending on version.There are plenty of Volvo clever touches, as you’d expect. The rear luggage space has a 40/60-split floor that reveals a divided storage space – useful for charging cables or smaller items that you do not want rolling around in the boot. The central glove compartment can be reached from either side and includes removable storage for smaller bits and pieces. There is also a sliding cupholder between the front seats that can take two normal cups or cans, or one smaller energy-drink-style can, and the frame can slide back to open up more storage space.However, this is also where one of the EX60’s few disappointments appears. The cabin generally feels well put together and nicely designed, but there are signs of cost-cutting. The hard plastic around the door bins stands out, and the slide-out tray with cupholders feels particularly cheap. The light-coloured interior in the car I tried probably did not help, because lighter finishes can make cheaper materials more obvious, but it was still noticeable.The door grabs are also too far back on the doors. That sounds like a small thing, but these are the details you notice when you use a car every day. The same is true of the driver display, which sits a little too low. In my driving position, the top of the steering wheel obscured the bottom of the display, which gave it a touch of the Peugeot i-Cockpit problem.That is a shame, because the small steering wheel itself is excellent. It feels great in your hands and makes the EX60 feel more agile and easier to manage. It suits the car really well.The materials story is otherwise interesting. Volvo uses bio-attributed Nordico, which is its leather alternative, along with a tailored wool blend made from 30 per cent wool and 70 per cent recycled polyester, FSC-certified wood decor and recycled polyester on the instrument panel. Volvo also says the EX60 has the highest amount of recycled content of any Volvo car to date, at 27 per cent, and one of the lowest carbon footprints of any fully electric Volvo.There is an electrochromic panoramic roof, too, which can switch between transparent and translucent depending on how much light or privacy you want. Six ambient light themes are inspired by Scandinavian nature, which is a very Volvo way of doing mood lighting. And one of my favourite things is the sound of the indicator being a sample of a twig breaking – brilliant.Space and the view out are impressive in the back of the new Volvo EX60 (Steve Fowler)The EX60 also has a few clever engineering details under the skin. Volvo says the cell-to-body construction integrates the battery cells directly into the car’s structure, which helps reduce weight, free up interior space with a lower floor and improve stiffness and impact protection. The rear floor is also made from a single aluminium mega-casting rather than more than 100 welded pieces, which is designed to use less material and reduce weight.In practical terms, the EX60 feels like a proper family SUV. There is lots of space in the back, a large boot, a useful frunk, good visibility and a comfortable cabin. The cheaper-feeling plastics and a few ergonomic niggles stop it feeling flawless, but the overall package is very appealing.Technology, stereo and infotainmentThe EX60 leans heavily on its central touchscreen, and that is both a strength and a weakness.The main screen is a 15.04in OLED display mounted horizontally, with a slight convex curve so it is easier for both driver and passenger to see. The graphics are crisp, the layout is clean and the Google-based software works brilliantly. Navigation, media and other key features are grouped sensibly, and the contextual area close to the driver shows relevant functions when they are needed.The Volvo EX60 tech features a Google-powered 15in OLED display, but the driver display sits a little low (Volvo)Google built-in remains one of the best infotainment foundations in the car world. It’s familiar, quick and easy to understand, and the mapping is excellent. The EX60 also gets Gemini, Google’s conversational AI assistant, which means you can speak to the car more naturally. In practice, it works well and can even be quite entertaining when you start having a conversation with it.That is just as well, because Volvo still relies too heavily on the touchscreen. There are too few proper physical controls, and some everyday functions would be easier if they had their own buttons. This is hardly unusual in a modern EV, but it is still frustrating. The car is clever enough to make the touchscreen experience mostly painless, but the best cabins still mix good software with simple physical controls for the things you use all the time.Digital Key Plus is available, allowing access through an iPhone, Apple Watch or compatible Android phone. You carry the device with the digital key stored in the Wallet app, then unlock the doors and drive away. It can also be shared with friends and family.The safety roster is seriously impressive, as you would expect from Volvo. The EX60 uses Volvo’s Safe Space Technology and includes multi-adaptive front safety belts – another Volvo safety first. These clever restraints use data from the car’s interior and exterior sensors, including crash speed, crash direction, occupant size, body shape and seating position, to apply the best restraining force through the belts. The car also uses Volvo’s core computer to support its safety systems.There are high-definition pixel headlights on Ultra models, with 25,600 adaptive pixels. Volvo says they are designed to make night driving more relaxing while further improving safety. The EX60 also has a drag coefficient of 0.26, helped by aerodynamic details including its unusual wing grip door handles.Those door handles are clever in theory, but they created an odd moment on the road. When I glanced over my shoulder before overtaking, the outside handles slightly protruding above the window line made me look twice because, for a split second, I thought they were part of a car in my blind spot. It is a small thing, but once you notice it, you notice it.The real technology highlight, though, is the Bowers & Wilkins audio system with Dolby Atmos and Apple Music now built in – it’s brilliant. The EX60 I drove was so quiet on the move that the sound system had the perfect stage to work on, and the result is one of the very best in-car audio systems I’ve experienced. I just wanted to sit in the car and listen to music. It’s the sort of system where you hear things in familiar tracks you have never heard before.The system has 28 high-performance speakers and 1,820 watts of output. That includes five 25mm Nautilus Double Dome tweeters, six 80mm Continuum mid-range speakers, four 40mm height speakers, eight 50mm headrest speakers, four 170mm woofers and one 265mm fresh air subwoofer. For the first time in a Volvo, headrest speakers are fitted in all four main seats, with two per seat.There is a lot of serious audio tech here. Tweeter-on-Top tech helps reduce reflection from the windscreen and direct sound towards occupants. Nautilus technology absorbs unwanted sound from behind the tweeter. Continuum mid-range speakers are designed to reproduce voices and instruments cleanly. Dirac Unison uses acoustic measurements to tune the sound for the cabin, while vehicle noise compensation adjusts the sound in real time to account for road and wind noise. QuantumLogic Immersion can separate stereo audio into individual streams such as performers, instruments and room sound.There are also different listening modes. Focus can optimise the sound for all seats, the driver, the front, the centre or the rear. Room settings include Living Room, Downtown Club, Gothenburg Concert Hall and 3D Surround. Seat mode plays sound mainly through the headrest speakers for a more personal experience.The Bowers and Wilkins sound system with Dolby Atmos is one of the highlights of the Volvo EX60 (Steve Fowler)Dolby Atmos adds another layer. It allows individual sounds to move around the cabin in a multidimensional soundscape, and in the EX60 it works through the Bowers & Wilkins System. To use Dolby Atmos in the car, you need a data connection, an Apple Music or Tidal subscription and Dolby Atmos content selected through, in my case, Apple Music.The EX60 is not perfect from a tech point of view because the touchscreen is still doing too much. But the underlying Google system is excellent, Gemini works well, the driver assistance systems are reassuring and the Bowers & Wilkins system is a genuine standout.Prices and running costsThe Volvo EX60 starts from £55,995 for the P6 in Plus trim. The P10 AWD Plus costs £58,995, while the P12 AWD Plus costs £63,995. Move up to Ultra trim and the P6 costs £61,495, the P10 AWD costs £64,495 and the P12 AWD costs £69,495.Kit levels are strong, and even the entry point brings the big-car Volvo feel, long range, fast charging and a generous safety package.The Plus range includes the P6, P10 AWD and P12 AWD powertrains, while Ultra adds more equipment: high-definition pixel headlights with adaptive shadow technology and cornering lights, headlight cleaning, 21in five-spoke alloy wheels, dark-tinted rear side windows and rear screen, the electrochromic fixed panoramic sunroof, laminated side windows, multi-directional lumbar support, perforated Nordico upholstery with front-seat ventilation, and the Bowers & Wilkins audio system. Wheel choices include 21in and 22in designs – we’d always go for the smaller wheels to try and protect ride comfort. Exterior colours include Ice White, Onyx Black, Denim Blue, Vapour Grey, Sand Dune, Aurora Silver, Forest Lake and Heather Bronze. Interior options include Nordico that can be perforated and ventilated, perforated Nappa leather, and a tailored wool blend. Running costs should be helped by the EX60’s efficiency, particularly considering its size and performance. The P6 is officially rated at between 3.5 and 4.2 miles per kWh, while the P10 AWD manages between 3.2 and 3.8 miles per kWh. The P12 AWD is listed at 3.9 miles per kWh. Those are strong numbers for a large electric SUV, especially one with this much power.The range also helps running costs in a less obvious way. If a car can comfortably do more of its mileage from home charging, and needs fewer expensive public rapid charging stops, it can be cheaper and easier to live with. The P6’s official range of up to 380 miles and the P10 AWD’s up to 410 miles should be more than enough for most drivers. The P12 AWD’s 503-mile figure is the headline grabber, but buyers will have to wait longer for that version.Towing capacity is useful, too. The rear-wheel-drive car can tow up to 2,000kg, while the all-wheel-drive models can tow up to 2,400kg. The maximum roof load is 100kg, and the EX60 has 450mm of wading capability at walking speed.The EX60 isn’t cheap, but it does feel well placed for a premium electric SUV with this much range, safety kit, performance and charging speed. The P6 looks like the sensible one, the P10 AWD feels like the sweet spot if you want extra pace and traction, and the P12 AWD is the big-range, big-performance flagship.The new Volvo EX60 is close to perfect, just let down by a few very small niggles (Steve Fowler)The verdict: Volvo EX60The Volvo EX60 is a hugely appealing electric family SUV, and probably one of the most important cars Volvo has launched in years.It does the big things extremely well. The range is impressive, the charging speeds are excellent, the cabin is quiet, performance is strong and the safety kit is seriously comprehensive. The P6 has more than enough power for normal use, while the P10 AWD adds the sort of effortless pace and extra traction that suit a premium electric SUV very nicely. The P12 AWD, with up to 503 miles of range, will be the one that really grabs attention when it arrives.It is also a very easy car to like. The seats are comfortable, visibility is good, there is loads of room in the back and the boot is usefully large. The Google software works brilliantly, Gemini is effective and occasionally entertaining, and the adaptive cruise control worked well. The small steering wheel is a particular highlight, making the EX60 feel more manageable and more wieldy than its size suggests.Then there is the Bowers & Wilkins audio system. It is not just good; it is a proper highlight. With Dolby Atmos, Apple Music integration, 28 speakers and headrest speakers in all four main seats, it turns the EX60 into one of the best places to listen to music on four wheels. The fact the car is so quiet only makes it better.But the EX60 is not perfect. Some of the interior plastics feel cheaper than they should in a car at this price, especially around the door bins, and the slide-out cupholder tray does not feel as expensive as the rest of the cabin. The door grabs are too far back, the driver display sits too low behind the steering wheel, and the central touchscreen is asked to handle too many functions. And although the ride is good, it could be better. It is smoother than the BMW iX3, but not as smooth as Volvo’s larger EX90 and ES90 models. Even so, the overall package is very convincing. The EX60 feels like a proper electric Volvo: safe, calm, quick, quiet, practical and easy to live with. It is not quite flawless, but it is a very good car, and one that deserves to be high on the shortlist for anyone looking at a premium electric family SUV.Volvo EX60 rivals:BMW iX3Polestar 3 Porsche Macan ElectricFAQsHow long does it take to charge?The Volvo EX60 can officially travel up to 380 miles in P6 form, up to 410 miles as the P10 AWD and up to 503 miles as the P12 AWD. The P6 can rapid charge at up to 320kW, while the P10 AWD and P12 AWD can charge at up to 370kW. Volvo says a 10-80 per cent charge can take as little as 16 minutes in the P6 and P10 AWD, and 19 minutes in the P12 AWD.How much does it cost – is it worth it?The Volvo EX60 starts from £55,995, so it is not a cheap electric SUV. However, it comes with strong range, very fast charging, high power outputs, lots of safety technology and generous equipment levels. The P6 looks like the best-value version, while the P10 AWD adds more performance and all-wheel drive. Ultra trim is expensive, but adds desirable equipment including the Bowers & Wilkins audio system.Does Volvo replace batteries for free?There’s a three-year warranty on the whole car and eight year’s cover for the battery.Why trust usOur team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.With more than 30 years of experience, Steve Fowler is one of the UK’s best-known automative journalists. Steve has interviewed key industry figures, from Tesla’s Elon Musk to Ford’s Jim Farley, and is a judge for both Germany’s and India’s Car of the Year Awards, as well as being a director of World Car of the Year. When it comes to electric vehicles, Steve reviews all the latest models for The Independent as they launch, from Abarth to Zeekr, and he uses his expert knowledge of car buyers' needs to provide a comprehensive verdict.IDNML is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Limited (Firm Reference Number 497010), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our role is limited to making introductions to Automotive Compliance Limited only. We do not give advice or arrange finance. You can verify this information on the Financial Services Register at https://register.fca.org.uk.Automotive Compliance Limited will pay us an introductory fee for making the introduction. This fee does not affect the interest rate, amount you borrow, or the terms of your finance agreement.