A milestone has recently been surpassed over at Volvo’s HQ in Gothenburg, Sweden. Not for the fastest, or even the biggest, or even the safest Volvo ever made. No, the record that’s just tumbled is for the best-selling Volvo of all time.
Until recently, that honour fell to the 240-series, a model line with a whopping lifespan from 1974 to 1993, over the course of which 2,685,171 cars were produced.
Now, however, the 240 has been surpassed by Volvo’s modern mid-sized SUV contender – the XC60.
Somewhat remarkably, across the two iterations of XC60 that have existed, Volvo has sold a whopping 2.7 million examples. It won’t stop there, either, given there are no plans to pull the XC60 from production.
Mind you, that should come as no great surprise, given the latest XC60 is a brilliant all-rounder, imbued with luxury, practicality and comfort in equal measure.
And now that it’s a few years old, there are some great bargains to be had on the second-hand market. So how about we check out some deals?
Take the 2021 example I found on CarGurus. It’s a B5 petrol, with the gutsy 2.0-litre mild hybrid engine that provides a not-inconsiderable 247bhp of shove, and just 15,000 miles on the clock – all but a new car, in other words.
Fuel economy won’t be as good as a diesel, of course, but at 36.6mpg on average it’s not unreasonable for such a powerful petrol SUV – and in Momentum trim, it gets the smaller alloy wheels and plumper tyres that really help make the XC60’s ride quality sublime.
All this comes in at £28,500 – £2,300 less than what this car’s worth, according to the CarGurus Instant Market Value (IMV). Not a bad way to get your XC60 fix.
Fancy something smaller? How about a Volvo XC40? It’s one of our favourite compact SUVs, renowned for its space, its premium feel, and its well-damped suspension over bumps.
There are loads of XC40s on the market at the moment, which means finding a good deal doesn’t require as much legwork as you might think.
And I reckon these cars are best served simply, with the entry-level T3 engine, and in a lower specification, keeping the wheels small to preserve the excellent ride quality.
Happily, I found just such a car – an XC40 1.5 T3 Momentum Pro, dating from 2019 and with a very low 29,000 miles on the clock. At just £17,995, it sounds like a terrific deal, coming in at £1,352 less than its IMV. Snap that up if you’re after a sensibly sized family SUV.
What if, on the other hand, something the size of the XC60 won’t quite work for you? What if you need a full complement of seven seats to move you and your nearest and dearest around? Fortunately, Volvo has the answer, and it comes in the shape of its biggest SUV – the XC90.
Some of the best deals on XC90s are to be had on the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Now, as always, you’ll need to keep in mind the caveat that these work best when they’re charged up regularly – otherwise you’re left with a petrol-engined car that’s hauling a big lump of dead battery around without getting any real benefit from it, making it thirsty.
But if you’ve somewhere to plug it in at home, a PHEV can make your motoring incredibly cheap. The XC90 allows around 15 miles of driving on electric power alone – enough for the school run or trips to the shops – or it can use that electric charge to supplement the petrol engine and thus increase your fuel economy on longer journeys.
With that in mind, £28,000 for a 2017 XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV with a measly 42,000 miles on the clock feels like a terrific deal – especially when you realise that that’s £3,699 below its IMV. In R-Design Pro trim, this particular example looks sportier than most XC90s, and it comes with a glut of extra toys, giving it a real luxury bent too.
SUVs aren’t everyone’s cup of darjeeling, though. And that sounds like you, then why not try one of their estate models? Estates have been Volvo’s bread and butter for years – indeed, it was the success of the estate version that made the 240 such a hit.
The V60 is the 240’s spiritual successor, and while it doesn’t quite boast such a cavernous loadspace, it makes up for that with a heady dose of style – both outside and in.
It’s smooth, comfortable, and very nicely thought out – and given buyers tend to be more interested in SUVs at the moment, there are bargains to be had. How about a 2023 example in B3 form, with a 161bhp mild hybrid engine capable of 41mpg on average, and in well-equipped Plus form?
The one I found, with just 17,000 miles on it, is for sale on CarGurus for just £26,400 – a whopping £3,595 less than its IMV. Sounds like a steal to me.
So whether it’s an XC60 you want, or something a bit different, there’s a bargain Volvo out there for all seasons and all reasons.