Volvo XC40 vs Volvo XC60: which is best?
How much difference is there between these Volvo SUVs? Time to see whether you should go large with the XC60 or save some money with the smaller XC40...
The contenders
DOWNSIZE: Volvo XC40 T3 R Design Geartronic
List price £34,080
Target Price £32,117
Our reigning Family SUV of the Year makes the idea of downsizing very appealing
UPSIZE: Volvo XC60 B5P Momentum Geartronic
List price £41,745
Target Price £39,119
A more expensive car than the XC40, but then it gives you more, at least on paper
It could be the most contentious feud between siblings since Cain and Abel.
On one side we have the Volvo XC40, a former What Car? Car of the Year, which costs a little over £32,000 with our recommended engine, gearbox and trim.
But on the other we have the Volvo XC60 – a bigger, more practical and more powerful SUV that can still be bought for less than £40k once our Target Price discount is factored in.
So, the question is, should you save yourself some cash and opt for the XC40, or is the XC60 worth the extra if your budget will stretch to it?
Driving
Performance, ride, handling refinement
The T5 XC40 uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 161bhp, whereas the entry-level XC60 that we’ve lined up against it here gets 247bhp from 2.0 litres.
It’s hardly surprising that the latter is faster, then, despite being a bigger and heavier car, with 0-62mph taking 7.0sec. The XC40 needs 9.6sec to cover the same sprint, although it still feels perfectly gutsy in most everyday situations – particularly when combined with Volvo’s responsive Geartronic automatic gearbox.
This also helps keep the engine pretty hushed most of the time. And while you hear a fair bit of thrum when you put your foot down hard, you still don’t feel much vibration through the controls.
The XC60 sounds that bit smoother at higher revs, but both cars are similarly refined at a steady cruise, letting in some wind and road noise, but not enough to make them overly tiring on a long drive.
The XC40’s suspension also helps keep you feeling fresh, because it lets the car breeze over ripples and expansion joints on faster roads, while also managing to take the sting out of potholes around town.
Curiously, the Volvo XC40 rides particularly adeptly when fitted with the 'sports' suspension, which is standard with R-Design versions; the softer 'dynamic' set-up that you get with other trims allows too much side to side sway, which can leave your passengers feeling car sick.
But what of the Volvo XC60 – is that comfier again? Actually no; expansion joints and ragged potholes tend to send nasty jolts through the car, although the XC60 does still deal well with less abrupt lumps and bumps.
Fortunately, both cars handle perfectly adequately if you drive them in a relaxed manner, even if it’s best to look elsewhere if you want an SUV that feels properly sporty.
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
In both cars, the windscreen pillars are slim and you sit high above the road, so the forward view is excellent. However, over-the-shoulder vision is more restricted in the XC40 than it is in its big brother, due to a side window line that kicks up dramatically towards the rear of the car.
It’s fortunate, then, that parking sensors are standard to help with manoeuvring, although we’d be tempted to add the optional rear-view camera, which costs £575.
The XC60 gets a camera as standard, while both cars feature bright LED headlights.
Volvo is famed for the quality of its seats, and these two show that it’s a reputation that’s fully deserved, because they offer loads of adjustment – including electrically adjustable lumbar support – and keep you free from aches and pains even after hours behind the wheel.
You also get a beautifully finished interior, whichever car you choose, but Volvo’s penchant for minimalist design means you have to delve into their infotainment touchscreens to adjust nearly everything, which can be rather distracting when you're driving.
In both cars this measures 9.0in and is portrait-orientated, giving it an iPad-like appearance. However, some of the icons are rather small and fiddly, and the software isn’t especially quick to respond.
Space and practicality
Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot
There’s generous leg and head room in the front of both cars, even if you specify a panoramic glass sunroof. Plus, each has lots of useful storage cubbies, including a deep bin between the front seats, and wide door pockets that are carpeted to stop small items rattling around.
Both allow a six-foot rear passenger to sit behind a similar-sized driver without their knees touching the seat in front, too, although the XC60, unsurprisingly, provides a bit more room to stretch out, while the upwards kick in the XC40’s rear side windows limits the view out.
As for boot space, the XC60 again has the advantage, but the difference is smaller than you might think; it can swallow eight carry-on suitcases, just one more than the XC40. And both have 60/40 split-folding rear seats, rather than the more versatile 40/20/40 arrangement found in some rivals.
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
You can save at least £2626 on the XC60 if you use our New Car Buying service, compared with £1963 on the XC40, but that still makes the latter £7k cheaper, and it extends its financial advantage over a typical ownership period.
Not only is the XC40 cheaper to run, because it sits in a lower insurance group (23 versus 35) and has slightly better fuel economy (38.7mpg versus 38.1 in official tests), but it will cost you considerably less in depreciation. Indeed, after three years and 36,000 miles it should still be worth 59% of its original value, whereas the XC60 hangs onto only 43%.
Things are closer if you’re buying on PCP finance, albeit with the XC40 still coming out on top; it will cost you £329 per month, which is £16 less than the XC60 (based on a 48-month deal with a 15% deposit and an 8000-mile annual mileage limit).
Alternatively, if you prefer to lease, you’re looking at £321 per month for the XC40 and £359 for the XC60. And while both cars sit in the 36% company car tax band, the XC40 is once again the more affordable option, thanks to its lower BIK value.
Both cars come equipped with dual-zone climate control, keyless start, automatic lights and wipers, and cruise control, while the XC40 adds part leather and part suede seats, and the XC60 full leather.
Both also come with an automatic emergency braking system that can recognise cyclists, pedestrians and large animals, in addition to other cars. And both earned Euro NCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating, albeit with the XC60 having slightly higher child occupant and pedestrian protection scores.
In the 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey, petrol XC40s performed well, finishing fifth in the family SUV class, with a 97.5% rating. The XC60 was 10th in the large SUV class, with a still creditable 94.8% rating.
Our verdict
The XC60 might be faster and more spacious than its smaller sibling, but that’s not enough to tip the scales in its favour here, because the XC40 is still plenty gutsy and practical enough for most.
Indeed, despite being significantly cheaper to buy and run, the XC40 really doesn’t feel it, being similarly classy and well equipped, and actually offering a more comfortable ride.
As a result, while the XC60 isn’t quite as good a car as large SUV rivals such as the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, the XC40 is the best family SUV bar none.
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1st – Volvo XC40
For Cheaper to buy; more comfortable; stronger resale value
Against Restricted over-the-shoulder view
What Car? rating 5 stars out of 5
For Faster; more rear leg room; bigger boot
Against Doesn’t feel like the pricier car it is
What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5
Read our full Volvo XC60 review >>
Find Volvo XC60 deals >>
Specifications: Volvo XC40 T3 R Design Geartronic
Engine 4cyl, 1477cc, turbo, petrol
Peak power 161bhp @ 5500rpm
Peak torque 195lb ft @ 1500rpm
Gearbox 8-spd automatic
0-60mph 9.6sec
Top speed 112mph
Official economy 38.7mpg
CO2 emissions 166g/km
Specifications: Volvo XC60 B5P Momentum Geartronic
Engine 4cyl, 1969cc, turbo, petrol
Peak power 247bhp @ 5400rpm
Peak torque 258lb ft @ 1800rpm
Gearbox 8-spd automatic
0-60mph 7.0sec
Top speed 112mph
Official economy 38.1mpg
CO2 emissions 168g/km
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