- Company had blamed poor sales for removal and said it would focus on SUVs
- V60 and V90 estate models will return – and both will come with petrol engines
- It comes as private purchases of new electric cars have slowed in recent months
They have ferried generations of Britons to school, on dog walks and holidays in far-flung corners of the country.
So after Volvo announced it would no longer be selling its iconic estate cars in the UK last year, drivers were up in arms.
But it seems the car maker has bowed to customers’ demands, as the vehicles are set to return to UK showrooms less than a year after they were axed.
And they will be coming back with hybrid petrol engines under the bonnet, as demand for electric vehicles stalls.
Volvo has U-turned on its decision to scrap its iconic V60 (pictured) and V90 estate cars
The company, synonymous with Swedish practicality and the highest level of vehicle safety, had blamed poor sales for the decision to ditch both its estate and saloon models.
In the first six months of 2023, Volvo said less than 10 per cent of UK sales are represented by these more traditional body styles.
Instead, it said it would focus on selling SUVs, which have grown tremendously in popularity in the last decade.
‘The XC40, XC60 and XC90 all sit in the top three positions in their respective segments when it comes to UK sales,’ a spokesperson told This is Money back in August 2023.
The car maker – owned by Chinese giant Geely – is one of the brands leading the charge to EVs, promising to sell only fully-electric models from 2030.
However, the slowdown in private sales of battery-powered cars in recent months has seen some manufacturers change their short-term plans to ditch combustion engines and extend the availability of petrol powerplants.
Volvo has now confirmed its V60 and V90 models would be reintroduced following a ‘resurgence in demand’ – likely both for estates cars and new models with combustion engines.
The company stated that it is ‘not uncommon for us to remove certain models or derivatives from sale and reintroduce them later’.
The V60 will now be offered as a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain while the V90 will now return exclusively as a plug-in petrol.
Volvo announced in August 2023 that it was killing off its estate and saloon car offerings due to a lack of demand, as more drivers wanted SUVs and EVs
A recent slowdown in private EV purchases could also have influenced Volvo’s decision to bring back hybrid petrol models it had recently culled from UK showrooms. Pictured: A Volvo V60 hybrid
A Volvo 245. The Swedish company has sold about six million estate cars globally to date
The Volvo PV 445 Duett – the Duett was launched in 1953 and was for both work and leisure
In a statement, the company said: ‘We were thrilled by the many comments from customers, with stories of how our estate cars have been a huge part of their lives. We look forward to helping create more.’
Police driving instructor Bob Isaacs, 76, is among those celebrating the U-turn.
He described his 1995 Volvo 850 estate as ‘part of the family’ and told The Sunday Times: ‘[It’s] been here, there and everywhere.
‘My grandkids travelled in the rear-facing seats when they were young, and in the boot I’ve carried anything you can buy in a garden centre.’
The first Volvo estate to go on sale was the Duett in 1953, and the company has sold about six million estate cars globally.
