Earlier this year we tested the diesel-engined Volvo V60 – but how does petrol power fare in comparison?

The obvious benefit here is performance rather than any real price advantage.

Indeed, the cheapest V60 comes with diesel, which is quite unusual as diesel tends to carry a purchase price premium.

So, while the ‘base’ V60 is the D3 Momentum at £34,315, this T4 actually comes in at £500 more.

However, while the diesel will get you to 62mph 9.6 seconds, our T4 petrol tester, which has 190hp compared to the D3’s 150hp, gets you there in 6.8 seconds.

That’s a fair difference, it has to be said.

The 190 petrol has plenty of grunt and moves rapidly when you need it to and it’s all nice and smooth through the auto box.

It’s an excellent motorway cruiser too and economy was still good, as we managed 40+ on the cruise, which actually beats the combined on-paper figure of 34-38mpg. The drop-off comes in town, where low-30s are more the order of the day.

The diesel, however, gets to 48-55mpg on paper, and when we tested it in January we found it good for mid-40s on the cruise in the real world.

So, in reality, it seems you suffer little on economy in exchange for peppier performance.

It offers assured handling and a very comfortable ride to boot.

Volvo is in a great place design-wise and this car is certainly no exception.

Aside from the entry-level Momentum we drove, there R-Design and Inscription spec, as well as the rugged Crosscountry version.

Standard features include a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed auto gearbox, speed-sensitive steering, cruise control, power parking brake, keyless start, power tailgate, rear park assist, alloys, climate control, lots of safety kit and a 9in touch screen infotainment system with nav and Volvo On Call, which connects you quickly in emergencies.

R-Design has sporty looks inside and out and Volvo expects 30 per cent of sales in the UK to be in this trim.

Inscription is the luxury model – not that they aren’t all lovely anyway – and includes leather-faced upholstery, multicolour theatre lighting, driftwood inlays and various other touches to make a special car feel even more so.

Other engine options include the D4 diesel, which has similar mpg to the D3, but offers 190hp and gets to 62mph in 7.6 seconds. The 250hp T5 is the one for the real petrolheads, albeit with the obvious loss on economy.

The cabin upholds Volvo’s reputation for absolute quality. It’s just a clean, slick, high-end but minimalist place to be. Everything feels premium and it’s beautifully fitted and finished. There is plenty of rear space and the boot is typically large – a class-leading 529 litres with the rear seats in use, in fact.

So we find that it’s a really tough decision between petrol and diesel, with how important that bit of performance is to your decision being key.

Whichever way you go, as we said at the start of 2019 the V60 is quite simply a lesson in how to do a quality motoring experience.

Prices start at £34,315 for the D3, £34,685 for the T4, £35,315 for the D4 and £36,685 for the T5.