Driving through Texas in the 2020 Volvo S60 T8 R Design Polestar Optimized. This 415hp plugin hybrid electric vehicle sedan is a powerhouse. #volvo #s60 #roadtrip
Impressive performance! Nice mpg numbers too. Most consumers can live with this type of vehicle. Range anxiety still issues with EVs. Great review Brian!
Great review from a real car guy and an experienced Volvo owner. So many car reviewers misunderstand the T8's reason for being but your informative road trip shows why it makes sense. The late 2022 version of the T8 will have a 145 hp motor and the 18.8 kWh battery which could rid any need for the Polestar flash tuning as well.
Great video. I am currently waiting for a V60 T6 Recharge Inscription (Yes, they are available as plug in hybrids in Sweden). I would recommend to use the navigation as it puts the hybrid system to best use during long drives like this. Edit: You said it at 30 minutes. 👍 Best mpg would have been reached if the navigation where set from the start. Edit 2: Apparently the Power mode for non Polestar performance models and Polestar mode charges the battery. Edit 3 - End of the video😂: About the breaks. This car, or at least the current modelyears (so probably also yours). It has a break by wire system, meaning it's not physically connected to the breaks. So, if you press softly, it will mainly use the electric engine for breaking. If you break harder, the car seemlessly integrates the disc brakes. I would say the Volvo you are in has splendid breaks for daily and more sportier use. They are most likely under dimensioned for a track day however given the performance models with the Polestar package has Brembo calipers. Thanks for a entertaining video for someone who is waiting as a child before Christmas...! I just hope it won't be more delayed then it already has. 🙏
What have you heard about the reliability? I've wanted this car but hearing some horror stories of cars with so many problems. Breaks were one of them!
@@RoadandTract Happy that you like the S60. Hope we get to welcome you at Volvo Cars in Sweden for the OSD. We will be driving our S60 T8 down to Italy for the summer. Greetings from Gothenburg!
love your channel. My wife just picked up a 2020 xc40 t5 r design with polestar tune and we love it! Its actually pretty quick! It made me want to look at the s60 polestar (coming from a 2018 Audi s3) but their isn't many available right now. One at Volvo Seattle near me is the only one I could find in the state.
The 2021 is coming soon. Minor changes. The S60 T6 isn't the same, but you should check it out because it's much lighter than the T8. You won't get much opportunity to drive any T8 because they are unicorns.
@@joshuaanderson9972 There are about 10 units of the MY2020 S60 Polestar Engineered for sale in the US at time of posting this; they are not in huge demand and are such quirky cars that the people who want them are the type to order one (and usually will order the V60 version instead). The MY2021 versions will come with a 112 mph maximum speed limiter, where 2019 and 2020 cars are 155. I don't know if that matters to you, but it's something to keep in mind.
Nice car. I have a 2019 s60 T6 Inscription. Just in general this new gen S60 are unicorns. I’ve seen maybe 5-6 of these on the road since I’ve owned mine.
@@TheJLMDT I’ve had no issues. I’m right at 52k miles and hope it gets 150k out of it! Just a few minor updates w/ software under 10k miles but other then that it’s been amazing. I have no plans of getting rid of it
You will get a lot more usage and effiency out of the battery and better mpg if you don't use it above 50 mph and put the car in hold mode. I have a 330e with a similar hybrid system and it works very well. Anything above 60 mph is just eating up the battery, given its small size.
Nice videos...we picked up 2020 xc90 t8 and love the fuel economy and power...however it’s been unreliable ...new rear electric motor at 150 miles ...and bad cell in battery at 6800 miles ...each time in shop for 2 weeks ....hopefully your t8 is reliable . Please document any issues thanks!!
So on a road trip, over 22 miles or thereabouts, the car will basically drop to the 316hp (or 330hp in your Polestar) after you’ve depleted the battery’s reserve? I’m confused. And how much does the Polestar tune cost?
No, the hybrid is always on. So 400+ hp with the T8 hybrid. 430+hp with polestar tune. But 2023+ T8 models make less hp with polestar tune now. Makes no sense.
Once you get used to that electric Tq, it's hard to go back. Not sure how I feel about this w/o the transmission and weird FWD / RWD power split. Wish Nissan had upgraded the Skyline hybrid w/a bigger plugin battery, turbocharger, and decent transmission.
I really like the charge and hold options up there. My car's powertrain dates back to 2011 and only a 1.3kWh battery ... only ~2 miles on EV at 45mph... but they really obscured all the intricacies that come with a performance hybrid. Can you drop into regen braking on the fly ? Is it at all convenient to do that ? After a few years with performance hybrid, I'd really like something that lets me switch between "gliding" and regenerative as I drive. So I can take my foot off the acc at 55 and glide down a hill in Neutral, but if im coming up on a traffic light take my foot off the acc and "engine" (emotor) brake. Looks like somebody at Volvo realized that'd be nice too... but is it useful being on the shifter ? How fast is the update ? Does it seem like something they let you switch between freely ?
You can charge while driving. There is a "B" mode on the transmission for harder regen and there is a mode to use the engine to charge separately as well.
I've only driven the tuned S60 T6 and T8. The unturned T5 was peppy but not the supercharged engine so no real way to compare. The new Polestar tune on the B8 actually reduces power output. You can see the stats on the Polestar site.
Polestar tune on T8 just bumps engine HP and changes throttle mapping. As far as I know, transmission works in unison with the EV portion powering the rear wheels. It it was the gas T6, Polestar tune would also send more power to the rear wheels. The T8 is no slouch.
I have an S90 T6 now. Same engine in both, just without the hybrid drive. The T6 has mechanical power to the rear wheels vs electric power in the T8. The T6 is lighter as well. Now that Volvo is going all ev by 2030, and now that the Polestar 2 is out with the same 400 hp, go look at the Polestar 2 first, then drive a T6 S60. Skip the T8 at this point if all you need is an EV. If you need to drive 300+ miles in a single trip, skip the EV and get the T8.
@@RoadandTract Funny I just traded my XC90 T6 for the car you had an S60 T8 R design. Is my 5th volvo. I love them. I also live in Dallas but travel to Houston all the time.
19in wheels with low profile tires. And the T8 is about 400Lbs heavier than the T6 (which is the same engine). For now, I suggest getting a T6. If you want a T8, go get a Polestar 2. I just drove a P2 and that video is on my channel.
I know they say 22 miles in EV only but I’m curious, now that you’ve had it for a while, how many miles you get on average in hybrid mode before the battery is drained. I have a 35 mile round trip work commute and wanted to see if the battery might make it the entire trip in hybrid mode.
You can't think of it as that kind of hybrid. The powertrain is fully autonomous and if you're in hybrid mode, which is default on every startup, the battery is used in acceleration and traffic to extend fuel economy. It's not about range as much as it is about performance, as it has combined 400hp. Ev only mode is cool, but requires a charge every night if you commute in ev mode. The car will also charge while in hybrid mode. So the best way to enjoy it is to just drive it and not think about it.
I have a 2020 S90 rdesign T8. I live 23 miles from work and can make it home in the evening without the gas engine turning on, not in the morning though because of light traffic and cruise at 80. Also, i plug in at work. Works out perfect. I also have a 2020 V60 T5. The T8 compliments this transmission very well vs the T5 or T6. Love the new Volvos.
Btw, real world numbers. I drive exactly 28.5 miles to and from work. I typically use .1 to .2 gals of fuel. 100 to 165 mpg. Any farther than that and you will be relying to much on gas and it will drop quick. Even in T5 form in my wifes 2020 V60, going around town my average in that car is mid 20s...though i ca avg 40 on the highway. T8 really is the way to go.
I was planning to wait and purchase a Polestar 2 but these Volvos are looking pretty impressive and I just might aquire a S60 T5 R Design instead. Less money spent and I think it would satisfy me just fine. I appreciate this video and I now know I don't need that kind of power so it would be severe overkill for me to purchase.
