Compare the2023 Volvo XC60VS 2023 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 its 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 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The X6’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

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 Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X6 has not been tested, yet.

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 can travel with zero emissions for 19 to 36 miles (dependent on model). The X6 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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.

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 400 to 850 pounds less than the BMW X6.

The XC60 is 9.4 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, .5 inches more rear headroom and 2.3 inches more rear legroom than the X6.

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X6 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 59.6 cubic feet).

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.

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

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.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X6 has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the BMW X6 by almost three to one during 2022.