Editor’s note: This Car Seat Check was written in May 2021 about the 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge; little of substance has changed with this year’s model. See what’s new for 2022 or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
The verdict: Volvo added a plug to its XC60 SUV for 2021, and the XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid model can travel an EPA-estimated 18 miles on electric power alone. With rear legroom dimensions unchanged from the gas-powered model, the XC60 Recharge’s backseat had enough room to comfortably fit two car seats, though we had an issue installing our forward-facing convertible car seat.
Does it fit three car seats? No.
Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge.
Related: Search Car Seat Checks
C Grade
- Forward-facing convertible: The XC60’s fixed head restraints fold down for stowing the seat but don’t adjust or come out. The head restraint didn’t affect how the convertible sat against the seatback, but we had some confusion over how to connect to the top tether anchor. The XC60’s owner’s manual says to route the top tether anchor strap through the head restraint hole, and never on top of it. However, our Graco convertible’s strap tightener is too chunky to fit through the hole. A car seat that has a smaller tether strap tightener would likely be able to fit through the opening. Our car seat owner’s manual says to defer to the car owner’s manual for correct routing, and since that routing isn’t possible, I ended up routing it around the head restraint via the side, not the top.
Grading Scale
A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.
B: One room, fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing the third row when available.
C: Marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. Difficult to access the third row when available.
D: Insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
F: Does not fit or is unsafe.
About ’s Car Seat Checks
Editors Jennifer Geiger and Jennifer Newman are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Chicco KeyFit 30 infant-safety seat, a Graco Contender 65 convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.
Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
