Author: Guo Hehe

When a car brand known for being the most composed and safest unveils an SUV that can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just over 5 seconds, it’s like when your crush in Thailand suddenly reveals a treasure that makes you feel inferior. And that treasure is none other than the Volvo XC60 T8.

So what exactly is the T8?

T8 Equals Diversity

In the past, the phrase “disguised as a pig to eat a tiger” was often used to describe cars that looked understated but had explosive power, such as Audi’s RS family. But take a good look at the current RS models with their large wheels, widened bodies, and black trim – anyone with good vision can tell that they’re not to be messed with. And the bright red stitching in the high grade leather and other materials inside makes it hard to convince your family that you’re spending 200,000 yuan on a family car. But this next car, the Volvo XC60 T8, can definitely fool your family, as it is truly an example of disguised power.

Look at this low-key brown paint job, paired with green license plates. Every element tells you that this is just an unremarkable XC60.

The car has no sporty features, and there are no large red brake calipers or exaggerated oversized wheels. The interior is also simple, devoid of any fancy red stitching, seatbelts, or high-grade leather. The only accents are a silver chrome strip on the side of the door and the word “RECHARGE” on the tailgate that attest to the car’s special identity.

As for the hybrid powertrain, isn’t this just a plug-in hybrid SUV for everyday use? Sometimes you really can’t understand the thought process of Nordic people. This hybrid system, called the T8, is currently Volvo’s most powerful powertrain combination, consisting of a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and an electric motor. It has a combined maximum output of 390 horsepower and peak torque of 640 N·m, with a maximum pure electric range of 50 kilometers, and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds. This data is enough to make those silly boys who try to challenge you at red lights open their mouths in shock.

Fortunately, this kind of aggressive acceleration has little to do with battery life. There is no “full battery, full power; empty battery, no power” scenario that I remember. It’s just like driving a high-powered gasoline car, and there are no issues.

Unlike the 48V gasoline version, the T8 has a different driving mode selection. The T8 model offers five driving modes, including Hybrid, Power, Pure, Off Road, and AWD, as well as three battery usage modes: automatic, battery maintain, and charging. In most road conditions, the hybrid mode is sufficient for travel, where the engine and motor maintain a close interaction.

The benefit of a plug-in hybrid is that you can have both excellent experiences in the same car. When driving at low speeds, the rear motor takes on most of the driving work, with quick response and extremely quiet performance. Only when you press the accelerator hard will the engine quietly intervene. In addition, the gearbox logic is intelligent, enabling seamless connection between the two power systems.

So my first impression of the T8 is that it’s a diverse and fast car.

T8 represents an ultimate experience

I think as a family car, no family member would blatantly oppose your purchase of a Volvo. Especially for families with children or pregnant women, Volvo’s odorless interior is the first choice in terms of quality among the same level and price SUVs.

At first, I didn’t have much of a reaction to this XC60. It wasn’t until all the passengers who rode in the car praised it that I realized that as a luxury brand family SUV, it truly delivers a high-quality experience down to the details.

On the XC60, I seem to understand what “simplicity is a higher form of complexity” means.

While new brands are working to make cars more like smartphones, most car systems claimed to be technological are like smartphones, requiring users to navigate through many sub-menus to find the function they want to trigger. For example, even adjusting the rearview mirror on a Tesla requires digging into the system. It’s very confusing.

I think that, unlike objects like smartphones that can be operated while standing still, car intelligence shouldn’t be “the simpler, the better,” right? Although the redesigned XC60’s infotainment system has introduced many localized applications, the interface remains simple and direct. Finding a function requires minimal operation and is straightforward. Even the head-up display only provides brief information, and navigation only provides intersection messages when necessary. Having experienced the complexity of many functions, this simplicity is all the more precious.

# When it comes to the XC60, it’s hard to understand why physical buttons have been eliminated to put driving modes on the central console.

The 4C adaptive chassis and air suspension still maintain the unique toughness of European cars, but have been optimized for Chinese road conditions. Even when fully loaded, the car can still handle uneven roads with ease. The most intuitive experience is that my elderly family member who is prone to car sickness feels stable sitting in the back, without feeling dizzy. This may be the best evaluation of an SUV’s rear seat for me.

However, one may wonder what T8 represents, as these features were already available on the XC60 petrol version. Perhaps T8 represents a mentality of striving for 99 points and constant improvement.

T8 is like the glimmer of Orrefors crystal gear shift knob in the dark.

T8 is the use of all the special abilities: the front seats have heating, ventilation, and massage functions, demonstrating that this is the top-of-the-line model, where every possible feature is included.

It also comes equipped with a Bowers & Wilkins sound system that has better sound quality than other vehicles in the same price range, including BBA brands. Among all the vehicles I have tested in the same price range, the XC60 T8 has the most outstanding sound system. It can play any type of music equally well, and the treble, bass, and midrange all sound wonderful. The resolution of the vocal range is particularly impressive, such that even I, someone who is not a fan of sound systems, can hear the details.

T8 is a mindset

If one buys a Volvo, it may be due to a slightly smaller budget than BBA brands. However, this does not apply to the XC60 T8, which has a starting price of over 500,000 yuan, and a top-of-the-line model that exceeds 600,000 yuan. For this price point, there are pure fuel cars like the imported Audi S4 stationed at guard posts, and Porsche’s 3.0T engine with full-time mechanical quattro. Who can offer better horsepower and value for money within the 600,000 yuan price range?To talk about pure electric vehicles that can also obtain green license plates like the one mentioned above, there are Tesla Model Y which has a waiting list for pickup right beside. It has good acceleration and with the remaining budget you can basically charge it for life. Even when it comes to luxury hybrid vehicles that can also obtain green license plates, there’s still BMW 535Le. Although it may not have explosive acceleration ability, 6.7 seconds is not weak either. Furthermore, BMW, unquestionably, is at the top of the pyramid in terms of brand value, and 5 series is a mid-sized luxury sedan (ranked higher than C-Class) with the badge reading “35”.

Therefore, in my eyes, those who choose to purchase XC60 T8 often represent a certain attitude. They have a certain economic ability, prioritize their family’s needs over their own, have high demands for quality of life, tend to follow their own beliefs rather than drifting with the current, love driving, but not necessarily fast driving. The most crucial point is that they don’t need such a large SUV, as there are plenty of mid-sized SUVs that can be bought at this price range.

Although it has explosive acceleration, when actually driving it, I have almost no desire to drive fast. The massive power reserve of XC60 T8 is much more useful for calmly overtaking slower cars. Coupled with excellent sound insulation, it’s possible to raise the speed of the car to the speed limit without the rear passengers even noticing. This may be the attitude of a true owner.

Given its high price, it’s not unreasonable to regard this car as a niche product. From the point of view of cost-effectiveness, it doesn’t meet our daily recommendation standards. However, there are things in the world that are just like Volvo’s spokesperson Gao Yuanyuan. Whether you have the chance to spend the rest of your life with her or not, she is still there, still beautiful.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.