Compare the2025 Volvo XC60VS 2024 BMW X2

Safety
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 X2 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The X2 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 X2 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and X2 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultra/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 X2’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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XC60 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 X2. 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 X2’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The X2 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The XC60 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The X2 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The XC60’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The X2 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the XC60 and the X2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 107 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X2 has not been fully tested, yet.

Engine

The XC60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (247 vs. 241) than the X2 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 143 more horsepower (455 vs. 312) and 228 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 295) than the X2 M35i xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the X2:

			MPGe
XC60
	AWD	T8 Electric Motor	66 city/60 hwy
X2
			MPG
	AWD	xDrive28i 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		M35i xDrive 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/32 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 T8 Extended Range 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the X2 M35i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder xDrive (28 city/28 hwy vs. 23 city/32 hwy).

The XC60 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 35 miles. The X2 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the XC60’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available T8). The X2 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The XC60 has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the X2 (18.8 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 X2 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC60, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the X2.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X2 (265/35R22 vs. 245/45R19).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X2’s optional 40 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X2 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 6.8 inches longer than on the X2 (112.8 inches vs. 106 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the X2.

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the X2’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X2 (8.5 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Cargo Capacity

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X2 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 51.7 cubic feet).

Towing

Standard 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 X2 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X2, the XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The XC60’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Go standard on the X2 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X2 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X2 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 X2 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The X2’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The XC60’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Volvo XC60 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the X2.

The XC60 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the X2. The XC60 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X2.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the XC60 Ultra keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X2 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X2 has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the BMW X2 by almost 208 to one during 2023.

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