The Volvo Estate is back: drivers force a U-turn in Britain
- The company blamed poor sales for the removal and said it would focus on SUVs
- The V60 and V90 estate models will return – and both will come with petrol engines
- This is because private purchases of new electric cars have declined in recent months
They have taken generations of Brits to school, on dog walks and on holidays in remote corners of the country.
So after Volvo announced last year that it would no longer sell its iconic estate cars in Britain, drivers sprang into action.
But it appears the carmaker has given in to customer demands as the cars are set to return to UK showrooms less than a year after they were taken off the production line.
And they will return with hybrid gasoline engines under the hood as demand for electric vehicles declines.
Volvo has reversed its decision to scrap the iconic V60 (pictured) and V90 estate cars
The company, synonymous with Swedish practicality and the highest level of vehicle safety, blamed poor sales for the decision to ditch both its station wagon and sedan models.
In the first six months of 2023, Volvo said less than 10 percent of UK sales will be represented by these more traditional body styles.
Instead, it said it would focus on selling SUVs, which have grown dramatically in popularity over the past decade.
‘The XC40, XC60 and
The carmaker – owned by Chinese giant Geely – is one of the brands leading the fight against electric cars and promises to sell only fully electric models from 2030.
However, the slowdown in private sales of battery-powered cars in recent months has led some manufacturers to change their short-term plans to ditch combustion engines and expand the availability of gasoline engines.
Volvo has now confirmed that its V60 and V90 models will be relaunched following a ‘resurgence in demand’ – likely for both estate cars and new combustion engine models.
The company stated that it is “not unusual for us to withdraw certain models or derivatives from sale and reintroduce them later.”
The V60 is now offered as a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid petrol engine, while the V90 now returns exclusively as a plug-in petrol.
Volvo announced in August 2023 that it was discontinuing its range of station wagons and sedans due to a lack of demand as more drivers wanted SUVs and electric vehicles
A recent slowdown in private EV purchases could also have influenced Volvo’s decision to bring back petrol hybrid models it recently pulled from UK showrooms. Pictured: a Volvo V60 hybrid
A Volvo 245. The Swedish company has sold approximately six million station wagons worldwide to date
The Volvo PV 445 Duett – the Duett was launched in 1953 and was intended for both work and leisure
In a statement, the company said: “We’ve been thrilled with the response 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 station wagon as ‘part of the family’ and said so The Sunday times: ‘(It’s been) here, there and everywhere.
‘My grandchildren traveled in the rear-facing seats as small children, and in the boot I took everything you can buy at a garden centre.’
The first Volvo station wagon to hit the market was the Duett in 1953, and the company has sold around six million station wagons worldwide.
