Compare the2022 Volvo XC60VS 2022 BMW X6

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X6 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X6 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and X6 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X6’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. BMW doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the X6. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Both the XC60 and the X6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X6 has not been tested, yet.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XC60’s reliability 31 points higher than the X6.

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the X6:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the X6:

The XC60 T8 can drive on battery power alone for up to 19 miles. The X6 must run its internal combustion engine to move.

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X6 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo XC60 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the BMW X6 (3). This means the XC60 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X6 every 15,000 miles.

The XC60 stops shorter than the X6:

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the X6’s (37.4 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X6 xDrive40i (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volvo XC60 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1050 pounds less than the BMW X6.

The XC60 is 10.2 inches shorter than the X6, making the XC60 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Volvo XC60 amounts to more than styling. The XC60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the X6 (.34 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC60 get better fuel mileage.

The XC60 has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more rear headroom and 2.3 inches more rear legroom than the X6.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X6 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear wiper. The X6 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X6 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC60 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The X6 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The XC60 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X6 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the XC60 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the XC60 will cost $4060 to $9840 less than the X6 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XC60 is less expensive to operate than the X6 because it costs $200 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the XC60 than the X6, including $700 less for a water pump, $1195 less for a muffler, $65 less for front brake pads, $45 less for a starter, $219 less for front struts, $481 less for a timing belt/chain and $1850 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Volvo XC60 will be $25250 to $27309 less than for the BMW X6.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the BMW X6 by almost five to one during the 2021 model year.