COTY 2011 Volvo S60 T4

That was the summation of the Volvo S60 after the Swedes' most stylish sedan to date was put through its paces. It ranked highly in every category without being the benchmark performer in any of them. That makes it a serious car to consider if you're shopping in the $50K range.

The fact it came within a vote of earning Carsguide's CoTY award shows just how capable a vehicle it is. It's a bit like your partner - you'll fantasise being with Miranda Kerr/Orlando Bloom but happily settle for the attractive partner who pays attention to you rather than themselves. Why? Because they're dependable and not high maintenance.

Throw in Volvo's five-year warranty and you are talking about a vehicle that makes long-term sense. And that's what the ownership experience is about. -

The S60's liftback profile looks good - the boxy look fo past Volvos is gone but the focus on safety remains, the standard fitout is great - the centre console was modelled on a Nokia phone and is oh-so-simple to to use - and there's room to move in the front or back seats. It has Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rear mirror and auto headlights/wipers, cruise control and daul-zone climate control as standard.

The seats are not going to weary the backside and the brakes are hefty units that don't fade under repeated pounding. It also comes with the city-safe package to prevent drivers from unintentionally running down pedestrians and it carries a five-star ANCAP for the basic structural strength and sofware safety suite.

One of the few complaints levelled at the car was the 1.6-litre turbo engine is fairly peaky - it takes a deft right foot to launch it off the line without chirping the front wheels or letting it momentarily bog down.

Underway it is a delight to drive - the suspension is compliant enough to absorb small bumps without smacking the nose into the ground when the big hits arri ve and the six-speed dual-clutch transmission is far smarter than its co-developed Ford counterpart, finding the right gear first time and hanging on to it when needed. It came close, but missed out on lighting the cigar. That doesn't mean it won't light up any buyer who can afford one.

It is cheaper than its German rivals and a smarter bet than the top-end Japanese counterparts. And that's why it came within a whisker of being the best value-for-money in Australia for 2011.

Volvo S60 T4

Price: from $48,990
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 132kW/240Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Thirst: 7.4 litres/100km, 173g/km CO2.