2023 Volvo S60, V60 revealed – no more R-Design, tailpipes; PHEVs get bigger battery and 90 km range

Aside from the refreshed XC40, Volvo has also released photos of the updated S60 and V60 for the 2023 model year. Information on these two models is a little bit harder to come by, but fortunately these cars have already appeared on the official European websites.

The compact executive sedan and wagon are much the same as before, but with a few tweaks here and there. For a start, the Momentum, Inscription and R-Design variants have been ditched in favour of the Essential, Core, Plus and Ultimate, with minimal packages and options for you to choose from. Volvo says this makes the pricing more transparent and reduces model complexity, making it easier for buyers to spec their cars (and, we presume, cheaper for the company to make them).

Those of you lamenting the passing of the sportier R-Design variant need not worry, as the look-faster bodykit is still being offered – it’s just bundled together with the gloss black exterior accents as part of the Dark package. The Inscription’s chrome-heavy look is now the standard Bright version. As with other newer Volvo models, the S60 and V60 no longer sport the integrated twin tailpipes of yore.

Also new are the redesigned 17-, 18- and 19-inch wheels (including these striking flat-faced six-spoke rollers), while on the inside, you now get Volvo’s latest Android-based infotainment system with Google services built in. As per the XC40, the Recharge plug-in hybrid models get a new wool upholstery option.

All models are powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, available in either petrol (163 PS/265 Nm B3, 197 PS B4 and 250 PS/350 Nm B5) or diesel (197 PS/420 Nm B4) mild hybrid versions. The standalone B6 supercharged and turbocharged mill, which produces 300 PS and 420 Nm of torque, appears to have been dropped.

The plug-in hybrid Recharge T6 and T8 models pair the B5 and B6 petrol engines with a 145 PS/309 Nm electric motor to produce total system outputs of 340 PS/659 Nm and 455 PS/709 Nm respectively. As previously reported, these variants receive a larger 18.8 kWh battery to achieve a range of up to 90 km on a single charge, which takes five hours with a 3.7 kW AC charger and 13 hours using a domestic socket.

The Polestar Engineered variant of the T8 is still available, but you no longer get any more power from the petrol engine. The changes are now limited to the 19-inch Y-spoke forged alloy wheels, larger Brembo brakes with gold callipers (six pistons at the front), Polestar Engineered springs and Öhlins Dual Flow Valve (DFV) dampers with manual adjustment.

GALLERY: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge