The Volvo XC70 has been revived as a plug-in-hybrid-only SUV intended for China – but a European launch will follow, opening the door for Australia.
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The 2026 Volvo XC70 has debuted in China as a dedicated plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), reviving a nameplate last used between 2003 and 2016.
Revealed at this year's Chengdu motor show, the 2026 XC70 is Volvo's "first long-range plug-in hybrid" intended for customers "not yet ready to go fully electric", slotting above the existing XC60 midsize SUV.
The five-seat XC70 is built on parent company Geely's Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA), which is an evolution of the smaller XC40's Compact Scalable Architecture (CMA) built with plug-in hybrids in mind.
It is a twin-under-the-skin to the Lynk & Co 08 SUV, which could headline a range of plug-in hybrid models from the Chinese brand likely to come to Australia with Zeekr badges as soon as next year.
"[The XC70] is designed to meet growing demand for longer-range plug-in hybrids, particularly in China, where customers can now pre-order the car," Volvo said in a media release.
"Volvo Cars also plans to bring the car to Europe at a later stage," the company added, opening the door for a potential Australian launch.
A Volvo Cars Australia spokesperson told Drive that while the XC70 is currently focused on the Chinese market, it will assess the model for local sale should it become available in right-hand drive.
“If it was to be made available to us we would do a market study and consider, as we do with all new Volvo Cars product," the spokesperson said.
In China, the XC70 starts from 299,000 yuan ($AU64,000) in a pre-sale event, 224,900 yuan ($AU48,000) less than an XC60 T8 PHEV, but 133,200 yuan ($AU28,500) more than a base Lynk & Co 08 PHEV.
The front-wheel drive long-range XC70 features a 21.2kWh battery pack rated to deliver a 116-kilometre electric-only driving range on the Chinese CLTC lab-test standard, while the all-wheel-drive XC70 has a 39.6kWh battery and a 212km claimed electric range.
With direct-current (DC) fast charging support, Volvo claims the front- and all-wheel drive versions of the XC70 can charge from 0 to 80 per cent in 23 minutes, and four hours (FWD) or seven hours (AWD) on an AC home charger.
It also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) to power external electrical equipment, while combined power is rated at "up to" 234kW for the front-wheel drive and 340kW for the all-wheel drive XC70.
Volvo claims an eight-second 0-100km/h acceleration time for the front-drive XC70 and 5.3 seconds for the all-wheel drive.
Measuring 4815mm long with a 2895mm wheelbase, the XC70 is 107mm longer than an XC60 plug-in hybrid, with a 30mm larger wheelbase.
Inside, the XC70 has a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen positioned horizontally – rather than the vertical layout of other Volvo models – a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an augmented-reality head-up display, a ventilated wireless smartphone charger, and a panoramic sunroof.
Production of the 2026 Volvo XC70 has commenced in China, ahead of a confirmed launch in Europe "at a later stage".
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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
