Five Volvo cars, including two plug-in hybrids, named Car and Driver Editors’ Choice award Winners

Volvo_EJAE
Volvo_EJAE

Five Volvo luxury SUVs, including two plug-in hybrid models, have been named winners in the annual 2026 Car and Driver’s Editors’ Choice Awards, reinforcing the brand’s leadership across the luxury SUV segment.

Below is a complete list of the Volvo Cars vehicles recognized by the 2026 Car and Driver’s Editors’ Choice Awards:

  • Volvo XC40 –  Subcompact Luxury SUV
  • Volvo XC60 – Compact Luxury SUV
  • Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid – Hybrid Compact Luxury SUV
  • Volvo XC90 – Mid-size Three-Row Luxury SUV
  • Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid – Hybrid Mid-size Luxury SUV

The award-winning Volvo cars were selected from a pool of more than 450 vehicles after being evaluated on criteria such as Car and Driver’s instrumented testing, mission fulfillment, delivering value, and driving enjoyment compared to competing vehicles in their respective market segment.

The recognition for both the XC60 and XC90 comes shortly after milestone years for each vehicle in 2025. The XC60 became the brand’s top-selling model in the United States, while the XC90 achieved its highest annual U.S. sales total in the model’s history, with over 40,000 vehicles sold last year.

The 2026 Editors’ Choice awards mark the 10th consecutive year Car and Driver highlighted the XC90, while the XC60 and XC40 have been featured since 2018.

This year’s edition also marks the second consecutive year that the XC60 Plug-In Hybrid and XC90 Plug-In Hybrid models received the accolade in their respective segments, as Volvo Cars continues to provide consumers with premium, electrified vehicles.

To qualify for the Editors’ Choice awards, vehicles must be from the 2026 model year with the Car and Driver staff having the opportunity to gain hands-on driving experience with the vehicle.

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Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the founder of Motoring Chronicle and an FIA accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following motorsport and the global automotive industry. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered Formula 1 races and automotive events at venues around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every race report, car review, and industry analysis he writes. His work spans the full breadth of motoring — from the latest EV launches and road car reviews to the cutting edge of motorsport competition.

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