For automotive companies, there’s nothing like a great new product to flex some muscles - and in the all-new S60 mid-size sedan, Volvo has that vehicle. BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus IS, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat now have a real rival from Sweden.
That’s excellent news for premium mid-size sedan buyers, especially when you recall Volvo - with a record of breakthrough safety innovations which is second-to-none - was nearly lost in the fallout from the Global Financial Crisis. But now, with financial backing from the Chinese Geely Group, and with former Volkswagen chief Stefan Jacoby at the helm, Volvo is back in the big league - S60 is just the start of an avalanche of new products.
For Volvo Australia boss Alan Desselss, the all-new S60 joins the acclaimed XC60 SUV (a Car Showroom favourite) and others in a local lineup which will deliver around 5,000 sales this year. Volvo reckons the all-new S60 will account for 1500 extra sales in 2011 and the company is hopeful of a 2011 total in excess of 7,000 sales.
Volvo S60 Overview
The all-new Volvo S60 is available in three models – S60 T5 (2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol, front-wheel-drive); S60 D5 (2.4-litre, twin-turbo diesel, all-wheel-drive) and T6 (3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol, all-wheel-drive). Prices start at $51,950 for the T5, the D5 is stickered at $57,950, while the T6 is listed at $64,950.
Car Showroom spent two days sampling T6 and D5 versions of the all-new Volvo S60 on the challenging roads of Tasmania’s central and West Coast regions.
Top marks go to the external and interior styling of the Volvo S60 – we reckon the newcomer ranks alongside the XC60 as the best-ever Volvo styling jobs. In fact there are some similarities between the SUV and the all-new mid-size sedan – noticeably in the driver-focussed cockpit and quality interior trim.
But once again the big news for this all-new Volvo is ground-breaking safety. The all-new Volvo S60 debuts the radar/camera-controlled Pedestrian Detection With Full Auto Brake and introduces Advanced Stability Control and City Safety (rear-end accident avoidance) to the mid-size sedan segment.
Volvo S60 Engine
At the top of the batting order, the new Volvo S60 T6 is the first to receive the latest generation turbocharged 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine. Featuring a twin-scroll turbocharger, power is up by 14kW to 224kw at 5600rpm and peak torque has been boosted to 440Nm from 2100rpm.
Volvo says the six-cylinder petrol engine is Euro V-compliant for exhaust emissions, with C02 rated at 243g/km and fuel economy is down to 10.2l/100kms.
Acknowledging the packaging complexities, according to Volvo’s engineers, a transverse-mounted straight-six engine is both more refined and safer than a V6. To shorten the overall length of the engine, Volvo uses a clever READ system (Rear End Ancillary Drive) which fits items like the air-conditioning compressor in the space above the gearbox.
The entry-level Volvo S60 T5 model does not go on-sale until early 2011 and will be powered by a turbocharged, direct-injection, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 177kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 329Nm from 1800rpm. Volvo says the 2.0-litre engine is good for fuel economy as low as 8.3l/100kms and, with exhaust C02 emissions of 193 g/km, it is also Euro V compliant.
For diesel fans, the all-new Volvo S60 D5 runs the twin-turbocharged, 2.4-litre, five-cylinder engine with 151kW between 1500-3250rpm and 420Nm from 1500rpm. Fuel consumption for the Volvo S60 D5 is as low as 7.1l/100kms and exhaust C02 emissions are 189g/km (Euro V compliant).
Both the D5 diesel and T6 petrol versions of the Volvo S60 drive all four wheels via Volvo’s six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission, while the entry-level T5 drives the front wheels via the six-speed twin-clutch Powershift gearbox.
The Volvo S60 T6 is certainly rapid – requiring just 6.1 seconds for zero to 100km/h. For the T5, the standing 100km/h takes 7.5 seconds, while the D5 diesel takes8.1 seconds.
Volvo S60 Interior
Definitely a contender for the best interior design in the premium mid-size segment, the all-new Volvo S60 delivers a dynamic new cabin not dissimilar to the highly acclaimed XC60 SUV – simple, elegant, driver-focussed functionality, high quality leather, supportive seats and very impressive rear seat space. And that’s just the standard models – the sporty R-Design option does not arrive until early next year.
Like the XC60, we loved the light-coloured Swedish timber which is an optional trim in the Volvo S60 – too many automotive interior designers stick with dark colours. In fact the light, airy feel of the cabin was an objective for Volvo’s head of interior design, Jonathan Disley who sought to provide the Scandinavian feeling of being a home away from home.
Also like the XC60, the Volvo S60 is highlighted by the ‘floating’ centre stack console which is angled towards the driver.
With electronic adjustment for the drivers’ seat and rake-reach adjustment fore the leather-wrapped steering wheel, the all-new Volvo S60 affords an excellent driving position and clear view of the conventional twin-dial instrument panel. Depending on the model, a five or seven-inch infotainment system (audio, navigation, climate control) is housed in the upper part of the centre console.
Below are intuitive manual controls for the air-conditioning and audio.
Voice controlled navigation is standard on the T6 model of the Volvo S60 (optional on the rest) and Bluetooth with audio streaming is also standard.
Rear seat space felt substantial and Volvo says the all-new Volvo S60 delivers 30mm more knee room than the previous model. We also liked the sculpturing of the rear seats for extra support.
Volvo S60 Exterior & Styling
Looks are a personal thing, but we’ll go out on a limb and say the all-new Volvo S60 is one of the prettiest cars launched this year and certainly makes rival German and Japanese products look a little dated and conservative.
The gently curved front-end is quite radical by previous Volvo standards – very contemporary and stylish.
From the side, the curved glasshouse provides surprising rear seat headroom and the standard alloy wheels (17-inch on T5 and D5, 18-inch on T6) add a performance look.
At the rear, the L-shaped tail-lights are again very modern and add width to the Volvo S60 tail for a distinctly sporty appearance.
Volvo S60 On The Road
We first tested Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake and City Safety in controlled conditions at Symmons Plains Raceway. No question both are brilliant systems (the latest in a long line of brilliant safety systems from Volvo) but hopefully no Volvo S60 owner will ever have to rely on – for example – the automatic system to prevent hitting a pedestrian.
Both are included in a $4,990 options package which also contains Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Lane Departure Warning with Driver Alert Control. The vehicles Car Showroom tested had these fitted and they operate similar to comparable systems from other manufacturers – again modern technology with real-world advantages for drivers.
Also in the driver aids department, Volvo S60 has Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, Corner Traction Control and the optional FOUR-C active suspension.
Volvo benchmarked the new Volvo S60 against the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 and used Scottish former British Touring Car Championship racer John Cleland to test the overall suspension package.
Over the twisty Tasmanian roads on our launch drive, both the Volvo S60 D5 and T6 delivered high-standard driving dynamics. It’s a coin-toss between the two - and opinions were divided amongst our colleagues - but we preferred the T6 (marginally) ahead of the D5 as the lighter weight of the petrol engine over the front axle delivered marginally improved balance, particularly mid-corner.
Refinement levels, braking and response were all very impressive.
Volvo S60 Challenges
We only deduct points from the Volvo S60 for the park assist camera. It’s in an option pack for the T5 and D5 models – should be standard.
Volvo S60 Verdict
The Volvo S60 is a very sharp package. Nicely styled, smart interior, good on the road, loaded with breakthrough safety innovations and handily priced…hang-on, that combination sounds like the Volvo we all know.
With its corporate future now secured, the S60 could be the game-changer for Volvo - the standout mid-size sedan that ushers-in a raft of great new products.
We’ve moved Volvo onto the same list as Hyundai and Kia – these are the automotive companies setting the agenda and being watched by everyone else.
Volvo S60 The Competition
Volvo S60 with its range of variants and drivelines (2.0-litre, four-cylinder and 3.0-litre V6 petrol, 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive) challenges a broad selection of rivals – the Lexus IS duo, various BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class derivatives plus the odd Volkswagen Passat and Audi A4 model.
But Volvo has been very clever with the specification mix and pricing for the S60 - $51,950 (T5), $57,950 (D5) and $64,950 (T6). So the newcomer from Sweden (actually manufactured in Belgium) is ultra-competitive.
Volvo S60 Likes:
Great looks inside and out; advances safety; sharply priced
Volvo S60 Dislikes:
You need to carefully study the options list
