Volvo XC60 T5 vs T8 – Should you consider a hybrid?

There are 3 variants available for the Volvo XC60 – T5, T8 Inscription, and T8 Inscription Plus.

• Volvo XC60 T5 – RM 298,888
• Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription – RM 333,888
• Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription Plus – RM 343,888

The T8 variants are plug-in hybrid models while the T5 is solely powered by a combustion engine.

To recap, the Volvo XC60 T5 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine producing 254 PS and 350 Nm of torque. Drive is sent exclusively to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission

The Volvo XC60 T8 is powered by a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with electric motors mounted at the rear axle generating a combined output of 407 PS and 640 Nm of torque.

So for about RM 40k, you get a lot more power and torque. What else?

Bigger wheels (18-inch vs 19-inch), more chrome bits all around the exterior, and trapezoidal exhaust surrounds. 

Inside, the T8 variants get head-up display, Sensus navigation system, crystal gear knob, and wooden trim inserts, and panoramic roof. There’s also memory function for the passenger seat and cushion extension (driver seat as well).

The T8 Inscription Plus variant gets the 1100-watt 15-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system. For RM 10k over the regular T8 Inscription, we reckon it’s worth every penny as the audio quality is just on another level.

Moving to convenience features, the T8 variants gain Park Assist Pilot, with parallel parking and perpendicular parking assistance. There’s also 360-degree camera instead of the T5’s rear-view only camera.

Lastly, there’s Pilot Assist which is a level 2 autonomous driving assistance feature, which only the T8 variants get.

Conclusion

For about RM 40k, you do get quite a bit more for your money going from T5 to T8. There’s a lot more power, classier exterior, a more special interior, and more driver’s assistance features.

If you opt of the Inscription Plus variant, the audio experience from the Bowers and Wilkins sound system is absolute bliss.

However, there is one caveat to owning the Volvo XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid – you have to charge it regularly to take advantage of the hybrid system. Lithion-ion batteries require frequent charging and discharging for optimal health. If the combustion engine does the work, it would be rather inefficient.

For those concerned about battery replacement, Volvo Car Malaysia offers 8-year warranty on the hybrid battery. That’s on top of the 5-year/120,000 km warranty on the rest of the car.

If you don’t have access to a charging point where the car is parked and you’re still on the fence about hybrid powertrains, then the Volvo XC60 T5 would be more suitable for you. Otherwise, the Volvo XC60 T8 is the more attractive proposition overall.

With all that said, which variant of the Volvo XC60 would you go for?