Our WapCar Ratings this week sees the Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus go through our handy-dandy instruments. Priced from RM 324,856, the locally-assembled (CKD Shah Alam) hulking SUV goes against rivals like the BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 AMG Line in Malaysia.

Usual disclaimer applies: all materials were taken before MCO, and scores are relative to cars in the XC60's segment and not the new-car market as a whole. Also, please bear in mind that the car seen here is not the updated-for-2021 version, which added adaptive headlights, and small refinements to its audio system and USB ports.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Driving Performance - 34/50, Fast and planted

We'll say it: the XC60 rockets. It's rather surprising to see a two-tonne SUV launch this fast, but that's the power of hybrid powertrains for you, as it settles the 0-100 km/h century sprint in just 5.6 seconds.

And it does so with great refinement as well. The transition from battery to combustion engine is seamless, and the four-pot is rather silent unit on its own as well. Gunning the throttle elicits a rather pleasant guttural growl, if you absolutely must.

Some of you might recall we didn't leave glowing reviews of the also-hybrid Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge's brakes, which felt jarring to say the least. Fortunately it's a non-issue in this XC60, as the brakes are well-calibrated, and the transition between regenerative braking and actual braking is smooth, progressive, with firm feel from the pedal.

Also read: Ratings: 2021 Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge hybrid in Malaysia - Short but enough electric fun

Ride quality is impressive. It's a gentle giant, offering a much softer ride, especially when compared against its rather firm-riding German rivals.

And wafting along is what it does best. Though it can tackle bends at a respectable pace, it leans side to side quite considerably and its weight can be felt. In this aspect, the BMW X3 does much better to offer a more composed drive.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Ride Comfort - 40/50, Plush and smooth

Comfort-wise, the XC60 is right there at the top. It's like a sponge in soaking up rotted tarmac, and at most the only thing passengers might complain about are the sharpest of sharp edges on the roads.

Match the suspension with the orthopedic surgeon-designed seats, and you've got a winning recipe. Front or rear, the seats are plush and support the body so well with evenly distributed pressure.

It's also in our Top 10 quietest cars we've ever tested, with hardly a whisper of wind noise. Just for the record, we leveled the playing field by taking the sound measurements with the car running on its combustion engine.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Quality and Features – 44/50, High-quality all-around

Panel fitments and paint thickness usually garner no complaints, and it's the same for the XC60.

Volvo Car Malaysia offers four colours for the XC60, and our press car is in Bright Silver. By the looks of it on the manufacturer's website, this colour is no longer offered. The other choices are Osmium Grey, Onyx Black Metallic, Denim Blue Metallic, and Crystal White Pearl.

Hand-crafted luxury is what you'll get in the XC60, and the interior speaks for itself. For the most part, it looks and feels exquisite, thanks to generous use of leather, wood and metal trims, and of course, the Orrefors crystal gear knob.

Nifty features in the interior include power-adjustable Comfort front seats with memory function, ambient lighting, active noise reduction, and a rather big sunroof.

Reading out vitals to the driver is a 12.3-inch fully-digital instrument cluster. In-car entertainment is channeled via a 15-speaker, 1,100 watt Bowers & Wilkins setup, controlled by the 9-inch vertical touchscreen that's powered by the Volvo Sensus infotainment system (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard too).

The sound system is fantastic too, and we daresay it's the best aural experience one can have in a sub RM 350k car, giving airy and crisp highs with weighty bass.

In addition to 6 airbags, the XC60 comes with the full suite of Volvo's Intellisafe advanced driver assistance system:

• Collision Avoidance & Mitigation with Intersection Support and Pedestrian, Cyclist & Large Animal Detection
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB, or City Braking as Volvo calls it)
• Front & Rear Collision Warning & Mitigation Support (FCW)
• Driver Alert Control (DAC) 
• Lane Keeping Aid (LKA)
• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Steering Assist
• Cross Traffic Alert (CTA)
• Pilot Assist (PA)

And these are not just limited to the priciest of the lot as well - the slightly cheaper, non-hybrid XC60 T5 also benefits from the same safety suite.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Interior space – 31/50, Wide and roomy

The leather Comfort seats are fantastic, providing supple body support for the driver and passengers. For kids, there's foldaway, integrated two-height booster cushions on the rear seats that puts children at a good position to wear seat belts.

Space is generous, but the thick centre tunnel at the back does rob some foot space from the second row. Three-abreast seating is a little uncomfortable, which is where the Lexus RX300 and its flat floor excels. Unfortunately, the rear door opening is narrow, which means fitting child seats could be a little fiddly.

The hybrid battery pack also compromises some space along the centre console, as the storage bin is much too shallow. Larger items must be kept in the door bins, and bottles can be shoved in either one of the car's 14 cupholders.

In terms of legroom, the XC60 affords about three tennis balls worth of space, and about two tennis balls of headroom.

The powered tailgate opens up to 505 litres of bootspace with the rear seats up, which can be further expanded when the second-row seats are folded. There's no space saver rear tyre too, as a battery and charging cable sits in the boot floor.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Fuel consumption – 16/20, Hybrid system helps

This test is conducted on the basis that the XC60 is used as a regular non-plug-in hybrid, which means no plugging in. At the start of the test, battery percentage was about 50% before the fuel tank was brimmed. After a 102.7 km journey broken down to about 60/40 highway and city, it required 9.29 litres to brim the tank once again. And the remaining charge is about 20%.

This gives us a calculation of 9.05-litre/100 km, but keep in mind that we also activated the charging option for at least half the journey to ensure adequate performance for the multiple 0-100 km/h runs.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Purchase and cost – 23/30, On-par with competitors

The Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus is priced from RM 324,856 (on-the-road, SST-exempt price valid until 31-Dec 2021) in Malaysia, putting it in between rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

It's slightly dearer than the BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport (RM 324k) and Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 AMG Line (RM 339k). While both are also CKD just like the Volvo, keep in mind both are non-hybrids.

Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus: Conclusion – 188/250 pts overall

The fact that this Volvo XC60 is one of the highest-scoring model in our WapCar Ratings cements the notion that this is one SUV that does so many things right.

For less than RM 350k, you get a stonking powertrain, cruise-ship comfort, and a full suite of ADAS. There's really not much one can complain about if you find hybrids agreeable, and it's more than capable of carving its way beyond the three-pointed stars and roundels of this world.

Full Ratings list: https://www.wapcar.my/car-ranking

Also read: Review: 2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus - Out-badged by rivals, but outshines them