With more than 2.7 million cars sold, the Volvo XC60 has surpassed the iconic Volvo 240 as the best-selling Volvo model ever.
Since its debut in 2008, Volvo Cars’ mid-size SUV has remained a favourite among customers, appealing to a wide range of drivers who value safety, quality and a premium driving experience. Initially built exclusively in Europe, the XC60 later became the first global Volvo model to also be produced in China, supporting local sales. In 2018, it was named World Car of the Year.
The current generation XC60 introduced plug-in hybrid drivetrains to a broader audience, and it was the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Europe last year.
For the 2026 model year, the XC60 has undergone a significant refresh with a modernised design, more intuitive user experience, improved comfort, and a more responsive infotainment system.
“Growing up in Sweden in the 1980s, the Volvo 240 was the iconic family car – you could spot one in almost every driveway,” says 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. And now, with the latest updates, it gets even better.”
The perfect family car
The XC60 is the ideal all-rounder for families, effortlessly combining cutting-edge safety features, Scandinavian design and SUV practicality into one confident package. It has rightfully earned its position as a cornerstone in Volvo Cars’ proud tradition of building cars that families trust.
For years, the Volvo 240 estate was the most popular choice for families all over the world, loved for its safety qualities and fine driving characteristics. In many people’s eyes, it defined what an estate car should be. Today, the SUV has replaced the estate as the obvious family pick, and the XC60’s new status as Volvo Cars’ best-selling model of all time clearly reflects this shift in what customers want and need.
Many who grew up with the Volvo 240 are now choosing the XC60 for their own families. And just like the 240 helped shape their childhoods, today’s XC60 is creating memories for a new generation.
Two cars, one safety heritage
When the Volvo 240 was introduced in 1974, it set safety benchmarks that would remain relevant for decades. For its time, it featured an advanced body design with front and rear crumple zones, along with a reinforced passenger compartment. This kind of safety cage continues to protect Volvo occupants on the road today.
The 240 was also among the first cars to incorporate enhanced side-impact protection, which later evolved into Volvo’s patented Side-Impact Protection System (SIPS). Additionally, the introduction of the Child Booster Cushion in 1978 marked a world-first innovation.
The Volvo XC60 has continued to introduce numerous advanced safety technologies, such as City Safety – the world’s first standard low-speed automatic emergency braking system designed to help avoid or mitigate a collision at speeds up to 30 km/h. Launched in 2008, this feature has since become commonplace on new cars around the world.
In another world-first, the XC60 introduced Oncoming Lane Mitigation in 2017 with a system capable of steering you back into your lane if you drift into oncoming traffic. These innovations have earned the car several independent safety awards.
Just as the 240 was at the time, the refreshed Volvo XC60 is one of the safest cars on the road. With its advanced safety cage and the latest active safety and driver support tech, it’s designed to help protect you and your passengers.
Bridging the gap to a fully electric future
The refreshed XC60, along with other recent upgrades across the lineup, also play a key role in Volvo Cars’ electrification strategy, offering pure electric driving with the reassurance of a combustion engine for those not quite ready to go fully electric. Volvo Cars’ data shows that around half of the distance covered by the latest plug-in hybrid Volvo cars globally is powered purely by electricity.*
The small print
- The Volvo 240 was produced between 1974 and 1993 with 2,685,171 cars built.
- The 240 was made in Gothenburg and Kalmar, Sweden as well as in Ghent, Belgium.
- The final Volvo 240 rolled off the line at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg on 5 May, 1993.
- The XC60 is currently produced at our plants in Torslanda and Chengdu, China.
*Volvo Cars data covering long-range plug-in hybrid cars in global markets: on average 48% of distance driven uses electric-only power.
Author: Michelle Muir
Tin Mutt
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