The Volvo XC60 SUV has now surpassed 2.7 million global sales, earning it the title of the “best-selling Volvo ever” and overtaking the iconic Volvo 240 that debuted in the 1970s.
Since the original debuted in 2008, the XC60 has been a vehicle of numerous achievements for the now Chinese-owned Swedish brand – including becoming the first global Volvo model to be produced in China, and winning 2018 World Car of the Year.
The current second-generation XC60 also was a driving force behind Volvo’s plug-in hybrid push, and was Europe’s best-selling PHEV in 2024.
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Some 2,685,171 Volvo 240s were produced across a single generation between 1974 and 1993, across the company’s Gothenburg and Kalmar factories in Sweden, as well as Ghent in Belgium.
The final example rolled off the Gothenburg production line on 5 May, 1993, 15 years before the first Volvo XC60 first went into production.
Now, the XC60 is assembled at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg as well as Chengdu, China. The latter is where the XC60 for Australia has been sourced from for a number of years.
While the XC60 and 240 are worlds apart in terms of their design, both have had safety front of mind (or chassis). The Volvo 240 was advanced for its time in offering front and rear crumple zones, as well as a reinforced passenger compartment.
It was also among the first cars in the world to incorporate enhanced side impact protection, which later evolved into the company’s patented Side-Impact Protection system. The 240’s child booster cushion in 1978 was also a world-first innovation.
Decades later the XC60 was the first car to standardise low-speed autonomous emergency braking, something that is now commonplace across the industry and around the world.
The XC60 also introduced ‘Oncoming Lane Mitigation’ in 2017 which steers you back into your lane if the vehicle drifts into oncoming traffic.
“Growing up in Sweden in the 1980s, the Volvo 240 was the iconic family car – you could spot one in almost every driveway,” said Susanne Hägglund, head of Global Offer at Volvo Cars.
“Today the XC60 has taken over that position in two ways. Not only as the family favourite, but also becoming our all-time top-seller, which in itself is the ultimate proof point of a successful car.”
Last year Volvo registered 1905 new XC60s in Australia, down on 2023’s figure of 2542. While the most popular Volvo of all time, the XC60 trails the XC40 on today’s yearly sales charts – 3142 v 1905 in Australia in 2024.
For model year 2026 the Volvo XC60 has been given a facelift, headlined by the implementation of the company’s latest user infotainment interface, in addition to subtle design changes and new personalisation options.
Prices in Australia have only risen slightly, with the range now starting from $74,990 before on-road costs which is $1000 more than before.
A pair of mild-hybrid petrol as well as two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants makeup the local lineup, all featuring standard all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
To read more about the 2026 Volvo XC60 range, click here.
