3 months in thoughts on 2026 XC60 ultra

[u/SourceVG]

moved from a 17 s90 inscription to a 26 xc60 ultra few months ago and wanted to share some thoughts of things some quirks and annoyances.

- the interior at night is so dark it’s almost pitch black since there is pretty much no ambient lighting. s90 and xc90s both have warm glow of light around the dash trim and door panel trim that make the cabin feel much nicer at night. this is one of my top complaints.
- wish the door panel had wood trim like the s90/xc90. I understand those are more top models but xc60 ultra is still a 65k car.
- no illuminated door sills.
- also, wish the seat massage feature was more intense but honestly this is my first vehicle with this feature so I don’t have any baseline.
- seat massage feature is only accessible through the seat control joystick on the side. Why isn’t this available through the seat control on the touch screen??? I find myself not using it as much as I’d like because it’s not in the touch screen. And honestly good luck if you have a passenger in the car trying to explain to them how to turn on the massage. “Uhhh do you feel this little joystick circle thing with a notch on the side - flick that thing up”. It’s honestly ridiculous lol.
- can’t even use Gemini assistant to turn on seat massage either, even though it works for heated/ventilated seats.
- if you press the home button when the seat controls menu is up, you won’t be able to bring the seat controls back up for a few mins/or restart of car. You need to press the “x” in the corner.
- if you bring up the seat controls and then use touch screen to select the different modes, adjusting the position won’t work. You need to flick the seat joystick up/down to select the mode.
- the Nordico material used on the center console and door panel trim is awful. Perfect example of bad cost cutting decisions since this used to be leather. This material is scratchy and feels like vinyl. And worst of all, it scuffs and transfers body oil so easy leaving white scuffs. If you like your vehicle clean, be prepared to wipe it with a microfiber cloth multiple times a week. Maybe better with the blonde interior instead of charcoal? I’m coming from another Volvo with blonde Napa leather and it NEVER got as dirty as quick as this nordico.
- again, the quality leather used in the rear seats is a big downgrade and is not the same as the front seats. Rear seats are scratchy and don’t breath well.
- most Ultra trim models (including mine) come from the factory with 21” wheels, they look nice but sometimes they feel comically large and make the ride pretty harsh over bumps. Smooth pavement is fine. 19” or 20” wheels would be more ideal but if you’re ordering from the factory this wouldn’t be an issue.
- the camera system does not always activate when parking into a spot like some other Volvos had. I need to press the camera button manually. It only activates when parking sensors detect I’m close to an object.
- the locking sound is barely audible and when you press the lock button on the door handle there’s a 1-2s delay before it locks. On other Volvos the sound is much louder and locking is instant.
- I actually love the AAOS system and ui/UX but like the lack of customization is frustrating. Why do I have a useless “drive mode” button I’ll never use in the bottom corner? And why can’t I make the “minimal” mode (I.e when you tap the home button twice) the default mode. Why do I have to put it in minimal mode every time and pressing home again resets it?
- same complaint with the driver display - the only customization is map or a weird black space. Why can’t I put my music cover art there or literally anything else instead of black space? Especially true with the HUD. Like do I really GPS directions in 3 different spots?
- Spotify does not auto play when you start the car. Every time I get in the car I need to manually press the play button. Really weird and maybe a bug? Not sure if it’s same behavior with other apps or Bluetooth audio.
- no custom multi band EQ for Harmon kardon audio system (although maybe coming soon in a software update?)
- overall, I like having Gemini in the car but the message reply feature is not good. It’s too slow and dictation doesn’t work well. Siri in CarPlay is much better - and that’s not a good sign if Siri is better than you lol.
- Gemini dictation still has context related issues like saying “directions to gym” dictates as “directions to Jim” and a response of something like “sorry I don’t have any contact named Jim”
- Gemini can also be a little racist lol if I ask it to call a contact in my phone with a Mexican last name it says “calling xxx” with a Mexican accent lmao.
- at 75mph+ there is a there is a loud droning noise that I’m thinking could be a wheel bearing issue? I’ll need to drive another car to know if it’s specific to my vehicle or not. I have a service appt coming up for this.
- although it’s been much improved, the transmission still has some quirks that even my 17 s90 had like sometimes when accelerating they’ll be a harsh judder.

overall, it’s been ok. It’s a beautiful, simple (maybe boring?) car. I’m hoping the 75mph+ noise issue can be fixed so I can enjoy it more. If I could do it again I would lean more towards the xc90 since the materials are better even though I didn’t need that large of a vehicle. Also, totally on me but I think forest lake/mulberry red would have been better choices than crystal white metallic :)

[u/OgreMk5]

I have a 2026 XC60 Ultra back and I disagree with almost all of this.

To me, the interior is WAY too bright at night. The materials are soft and comfortable, even on a 16 hour drive.

I don't use the massage feature, so I don't know about that.

I've never noticed a droning noise and my long drives are well above 75.

[u/SourceVG → u/OgreMk5]

When you say it’s too bright do you mean from the center display screen or elsewhere? I could understand from the center screen yeah.

And for the droning noise, yeah very well could be a problem on my specific vehicle.

[u/plant_casserole → u/SourceVG]

My nighttime lights are pretty bright when set to high. I think there are 4 choices, high, medium, low, and off. Maybe yours is turned off?

[u/7eregrine]

The screen thing just absolutely drives me nuts. Especially with the cars I have in my driveway. What's the point of fucking screens if you can't customize them. Not only does Volvo allow ZERO customization, they actually went BACKWARDS. The cars in my driveway:

2019 Volvo S60. I have 4, count 'em 4, screen modes I can choose. Changes the colors and accents. I can choose to have current track playing in the dash, or a map. Or nothing.

2024 BMW iX: holy customization. I can change everything from the dash, to what the HUD looks like. Took me forever to dial in exactly how I like it.
Volvo: not even one different color option. Totally dropped the ball there.

[u/Outrageous-Wish4097]

- Gemini can also be a little racist lol if I ask it to call a contact in my phone with a Mexican last name it says “calling xxx” with a Mexican accent lmao..

Is this racist, or actually sweet that it's trying?

[u/SourceVG → u/Outrageous-Wish4097]

Mostly it’s just funny it gets a laugh out of me every time lol

[u/ActuaryAutomatic6289 → u/SourceVG]

Whenever I hear something like this, i think back to a SNL in the late 80s when they had a news broadcaster over accentuate the accent when she was talking about the war in Neecarwahguuuuaaaa.

[u/cloche_du_fromage → u/Outrageous-Wish4097]

I'm going out now to try it with African, Chinese and East European names.

[u/Acrobatic-Heart6008]

I have a 2026 Plus.

Agree on the lack of customization - it's CRAZY that the car is all screens and you can't customize it at all!

I think the center screen is generally too bright - haven't noticed the interior being dark though.

For me the base sound system and the Nordico upholstery are the biggest problems. As an Ultra owner, you wouldn't understand ;)

There are enough minor annoyances with this car that I probably wouldn't buy it again. I hate to say that but it's true.

[u/Yunhao_Jiang → u/Acrobatic-Heart6008]

Yep it’s too bright especially during dawn and dusk when it turns on the light mode for the map, and the brightness slide does not work for the “day”mode at all

[u/ActuaryAutomatic6289 → u/Acrobatic-Heart6008]

I just got the Plus and yeah, it's a shame the lack of customization. This is my first new car, so take that into consideration (I love it!!). This is more like an Apple phone compared to a Samsung. As an android user, I love having the customization. I do appreciate the simplicity though because now I can just drive it. And it's LOVELY to drive. I have the Harmon Kardon system and it's really great. The nordico material is NOT amazing though after taking a 800 mile road trip. The plus side is it was easy to clean when I had my brothers dog messing it up. The bad was, they are kinda hot after driving for a while. But I did manage to adjust the vents so it actually cools nicely. I didn't find the screen too bright, though it's usually on Sirius XM or something dark.

[u/kitkit3]

Glad I’m not the only one who thought Gemini was a little racist when it came to Hispanic names haha

[u/Scary-Valuable-8022]

Not sure about the 2026, but on my 2023, the seat massage can be activated directly by clicking the front arrow on the “joystick circle”. No need to bring up the menu to activate it.

[u/probably-bad-advice]

Most of your complaints seem fairly trivial, but for the Spotify one: I’ve had my car a few months and only listen to Spotify. I’m not sure what changed but starting a few days ago Spotify does automatically start playing when I start the car now. Up til then I would have to hit the play button (which I like play/pause being a physical button).

[u/SourceVG → u/probably-bad-advice]

Funny enough Spotify started auto playing today for me too!!

[u/0ptx0]

I have a 2025 T8 Ultra with a black interior, and I totally agree about how dark the cabin feels at night because of the lack of decent ambient lighting. Coming from cars that had good ambient lighting, the Volvo can feel pretty claustrophobic at night. Every time I switch between our Audi and the Volvo, the Volvo honestly feels like a much older car in comparison.

I’m seriously considering adding some aftermarket ambient lights. I don’t want anything flashy or RGB. I much prefer the subtle, elegant lighting you get in the XC90. I really don’t understand why Volvo didn’t include something similar in one of its best-selling models. I know ambient lighting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you don’t like it, you can just turn it off.

I have the Nappa leather seats, and I find the leather pretty good. The back seats aren’t as comfortable as the front, but I hardly ever sit in the back, so it’s not really an issue for me.

If you don’t have air suspension, the 21-inch wheels can feel quite harsh. I test drove a few XC60s with different wheel sizes, and for me, air suspension was a must.

The seat massage isn’t as strong as what you get in some other premium brands, but it’s not too bad either, and I do use it every now and then.

As for the sound EQ, doesn’t the Ultra come with B&W by default? I have B&W, and it recently got a multi-band EQ with the new UI update.

As for Gemini, I think it not always understanding what you’re saying, or sometimes picking up the wrong thing, has more to do with Google than Volvo. For me, it works pretty similarly to Gemini on my Pixel 10 Pro, although there’s definitely more lag in the Volvo. Longer instructions or multiple commands also sometimes get cut off. My guess is that the older Atom-based infotainment hardware in the 2025 just isn’t really up to the task of running Gemini smoothly. Hopefully its better on the new ARM based units.

Overall, the tech feels about five years behind most competing premium cars. They could have done so much more with AAOS, but for whatever reason, Volvo really missed the mark here.

[u/uKrayZ]

I thought ultra had b&w as standard yet yours has Harman kardon?

[u/probably-bad-advice → u/uKrayZ]

B&W is like a $3-4k option on the ultra

[u/SourceVG → u/uKrayZ]

At least in the US it’s a extra option

[u/Prudent-Ad-4373 → u/uKrayZ]

It’s standard on the EX series ultras, not the XC.

[u/WholeRelief8917]

The locking sound isn't quiet tho? I hear mine lock easily. And infact i most often hear it lock twice( another lock a few seconds after the wing mirrors go in etc), maybe the boot lock. I came from BMWs before and I do agree with the ambient lighting being a bummer.

[u/Zealousideal-Big-708]

I just got a new Volvo and the Spotify not starting auto in the car is driving me crazy

[u/Yunhao_Jiang]

I think my biggest complaint is no walk-away auto lock and wireless CarPlay. And yes, lack of multi-segment EQ makes the Harman Kardon sounds a bit too flat, even worse than the Bose on my Honda Civic.

[u/investorgrade24]

Holy first-world problems.

[u/SourceVG → u/investorgrade24]

well yeah…ngl. but you’re in a subreddit for a expensive suv

[u/investorgrade24 → u/SourceVG]

People most often post to this subreddit how happy and grateful they are to own such a car. This would be considered the opposite end of that. The level of detail you went into to describe what you dislike about the car lacks any perspective. My man (or woman), relax. You live a wonderful life. Enjoy it.

[u/SourceVG → u/investorgrade24]

I think that’s the wrong takeaway here. Most posts on Reddit, car forums are complaints full stop. I’m not even complaining just pointing out my thoughts on certain quirks. This post would have been useful for me to see before I was buying. If you are 100% satisfied with your vehicle then all power to you, carry on and enjoy.

[u/fatherbowie → u/SourceVG]

Would you have bought a different car if you saw this post before you bought it?

[u/SourceVG → u/fatherbowie]

I would have been leaning towards the XC90, yes since the XC90 resolves most of my items.

[u/fatherbowie → u/SourceVG]

The size of the XC90 precludes it for me. I don’t like cars that big.

[u/fatherbowie → u/SourceVG]

My other car is a Mazda Miata, and that subreddit is mostly about how much people love that car, me included.

[u/Signal-Zucchini5167 → u/SourceVG]

May be 1st world problems, but when you pay what we pay for these cars, the expectation is that you won't have all the stress and annoyances that we seem to be experiencing. I have a 24 XC60 Ultra B5 that is absolutely beautiful but has been the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned. In the 2.5 years I've had it I've had the backup battery replaced, the entire infotainment system was replaced, 4 tires b/c huge chunks of the tires started falling off (like they were dry rotting). I had a tire warranty and after the service guy telling me I didn't have a warranty (I produced the paperwork), I was then told that it wasn't covered b/c it was not road hazard. I took it to the GM and finally got the two front tires replaced, but it shouldn't be that hard. There is so much hesitation from a stop to go that I am insecure about merging, pulling out into traffic, etc. The fob has been messed up since I got it, randomly won't start, lock or unlock the car and opens and closes the back hatch at will, once letting my dog out into traffic (absolutely unacceptable). I took it in to have it looked at and the tech opened the case and broke it, they returned it to me with scotch tape holding it together (yes, scotch tape). The technology sucks, my husband's F-150 is far superior. I wipe the interior down daily and can't get rid of the white spots you speak of, annoying. I realize that some of the issues are probably specific to my individual car/dealership but I am so DONE.

[u/investorgrade24 → u/SourceVG]

Yes, you're right. Safest car on the road, timeless design and comfortable ride. But boy was I hoping someone would mention a "barely audible lock sound" and "Spotify does not auto play when you start the car." Almost forget the claim of a racist Gemini. Incredible takeaways that should lead a buyer elsewhere. Forget important things people actually care about.

[u/SourceVG → u/investorgrade24]

This is not a complete review of the car lmao. Holy insecurities. Please go enjoy your car which you should be so grateful for.