I knew I loved it within the first five minutes of driving the thing. Usually, I need a few days to figure out how I feel about a car. Not the case with the Volvo V60 T8 Polestar. This wagon is wonderful.
What is it?
Volvo has taken its V60 wagon and applied some Polestar performance work to the chassis. It’s all kicked off by the fact that this is a T8-level V60. That means the four-cylinder engine under the hood is both turbocharged and supercharged, and that the gas engine is nicely assisted by a battery and electric motor. At full tilt, both powertrains work together to provide 415 horsepower and 494 lb-ft of torque.
If you so choose, you can also run this longroof silently in full electric mode. With a fully topped off battery, the range is around 22 miles. The standard driving mode is a hybrid setup, similar to how the Chevy Volt works. You’ll pull away from a stoplight quietly and stay that away until you dip more deeply into the throttle pedal travel. But it’s very easy to keep the car running on nothing but electricity.
When it’s time to engage the more entertaining mode, thumb the drive selector and select Polestar on the screen. Now the engine fires up, a power meter is replaced by a tachometer in the digital cluster, and you’ve got a wagon that can dash from 0-60 in under 4.5 seconds.
It’s gorgeous
Go up to that video and look at the thing. This is a stunning machine. There’s only just a hint of the performance capability lurking beneath the taut skin. See those gold brake calipers? They clamp down on slotted Brembos. If you look closely as it drives past, you may notice gold seatbelts and a simple badge on the nose or tail. You have to look close, but those in the know will know this is something special as it glides past.
It’s also supremely comfortable inside. Volvo is designing perfect seats. Some have their quibbles with the infotainment screen, but it works well for me. Add in the Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and this cabin is an excellent place for daily driving, long road trips, and everything in between.
How much though?
No, it’s not cheap. This wagon will run you around $69,000. That’s a lot of coin, but you’re definitely getting a low-volume premium experience. Plus, an added bonus here in California, is that this V60 should qualify for HOV-lane status as it’s a plugin-hybrid. There’s a $5,400 Federal tax credit available and state credits might apply as well to help drive the price down a little bit.
If you have the means though, I highly suggest picking one of these up. It’s damn near a perfect car.
[Disclaimer: Volvo tossed us the keys to the V60 Polestar and included a tank of fuel. I did NOT want to give this one back…]
