If you were a kid growing up in Sweden, or hell, anywhere in the ‘80s, you probably got dropped off at school in a Volvo 240 wagon at least once. You may have sat in the back, facing traffic. And you were safe. Really safe. For decades, the Volvo 240 was the gold standard for family cars.
Fast-forward to 2025, and a new icon has claimed the crown. The Volvo XC60 has now officially become the best-selling Volvo model of all time, with over 2.7 million units sold globally since its launch in 2008. That milestone quietly dethrones the mighty 240, a car that not only defined a brand but an entire generation of cautious, safety-minded parents.
From Boxy Estate To Swedish SUV Chic
Unlike the 240’s boxy practicality, the XC60 blends modern Scandinavian design with a dollop of luxury, all-wheel confidence, and piles of active safety tech.
“Today the XC60 has taken over that [Volvo 240] position in two ways,” says Susanne Hägglund, Volvo’s head of Global Offer. “Not only as the family favorite, but also as our all-time top-seller.” And now, it gets a 2026 model refresh that looks sharper, feels smarter, and leans even harder into the whole plug-in hybrid thing.
In 2008, the XC60 launched with City Safety—automatic emergency braking that’s now standard on almost every new car.
The XC60 didn’t just sell well, it changed the company. Initially built in Europe and later produced in China to keep up with demand, it became a truly global model. By 2018, it had been crowned World Car of the Year. And by last year, it was the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Europe, helping Volvo ease its customers toward the electric future.
For 2026, the refreshed XC60 also got an updated infotainment system, improved comfort, and a sleeker design that doesn’t scream “family hauler” so much as whisper it. It’s still practical. It’s still safe. But it also looks like something you’d want to drive alone through a Swedish mountain pass, with espresso in the cupholder and a super-classy Spotify playlist to keep you company.
Same Safety DNA, Different Era
What’s most interesting isn’t that the XC60 outsold the 240, it’s how many beats the two cars share. When the 240 launched in 1974, it introduced crumple zones, a reinforced safety cage, and world-first tech like the child booster cushion. In 2008, the XC60 launched with City Safety—automatic emergency braking that’s now standard on almost every new car. Later, it added Oncoming Lane Mitigation, steering you away from danger before you even notice it. In both cars, Volvo didn’t just react to regulations—it built features the rest of the world hadn’t thought of yet, which would become standard.
Volvo isn’t fully electric—yet. However, models like the XC60 are helping customers bridge that gap. Thanks to a smart plug-in hybrid system, about half the distance driven in XC60s globally is already electric. And for buyers who aren’t ready to go full EV, this middle ground feels like a win.
So yes, the Volvo 240 may have been replaced as the family favorite, but it’s forever immortalized in driveway oil stains and laminated booster seats we all remember as kids. But the XC60 is the new family default—safe, stylish, efficient, and now, the best-selling Volvo in history.
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