Volvo S60 D5 & T6 2010 review

It's "naughty". Apparently. Volvo’s new S60, that is. Well, that’s what they say.

S'pose it’s all relative. The look and dynamics of this fairly sleek sedan are unremarkable next to the (mainly German) rivals Volvo pitches it against, but by its own relentlessly stolid standards, the S60 may indeed seem just a touch roguish – like wearing a yellow cardigan instead of beige.

VALUE

Looks good initially. Not so good the longer you look.

The range starts at $51,950 for the T5, $57,950 for the D5 diesel topped off by the T6 at $64,950. The first is front-wheel driven; the others get all-paw traction. Irritatingly the T5 (in fact, a direct injection turbo charged four with a twin clutch auto – not a five pot as the name suggests), isn’t due until early in the New Year.

Those prices put the S60 right in among the 3 Series, C-Class and A4. Volvo reckon they hold the whip hand in terms of power for the price, but are prestige punters going to be swayed by kilowatts?   

The options are many and varied. Tick a few and the driveaway price goes north fast. 

TECHNOLOGY

The S60 is bursting with tech, most of it safety related, almost all of it optional.

Not all the wizardry revolves around stopping the car, however. Drive-enhancing devices attached to the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control variously vector torque in the ever alert all-wheel-drive system and even permit some loosening of the restraints, though the electronic chaperones are never entirely absent.

On the whole, it’s a sound set up 

DESIGN

Here’s a Volvo that invites you to look again. While the C30 is funky only from the C-pillar back, the S60 has flowing lines that, if hardly revolutionary, are something of a revelation for Volvo.

It’s even better within; thrones made for grand touring comfort ahead of pews with more leg and head room than the pert rear third suggests from outside. The now familiar floating centre console is shrouded with too many buttons and dials for the sake of elegance, though materials and finish rival the Audi benchmark.

SAFETY

For all the preening on its admittedly impressive (though costly optional), active and passive safety measures, there is no spare tyre. None. Not even a well in which one can be accommodated.

Nor, as is the case with BMW, are the standard tyres of the run flat variety. These provide at least the possibility of lasting until civilisation is reached. The S60’s are conventional 17 or 18-inch Continental or Pirelli rubber.

Your solution in the event of a flat or puncture? A can of sealant, a call to roadside assist and an indeterminate wait for a suitable replacement.

No fog lights either, for any money. The electro hydraulic steering unit apparently takes up too much space.

Against that, the standard fitting of City Safety, which automatically brakes the car to a halt if the driver fails to react to an imminent low speed bingle, is outstanding.

Adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection system, blind spot information system and lane departure warning can be had in an optional $5000 package.

DRIVING

Dynamically are also an obvious step forward for the brand.

You gotta have faith in your car to showcase it on Tasmania’s Targa roads. The S60 goes some way to rewarding it with AWD that sends all the torque either forward or aft, a quick-witted system that imbues you with confidence and permits rapid cornering with complete surety. The T6 makes by far the best of it, with almost instant response as it launches onto the straights.

Even on its 18s, ride is exceptionally composed while delivering ample feedback through a fist-filling steering wheel that weights up meaningfully with speed. But the Geartronic automatic just isn’t with the program, reacting especially slowly with the diesel, hunting for gears in drive and not entirely satisfactory even when held in sport mode and prodded manually.

Again you’re left wondering how the twin-clutch version would go.

VERDICT

A leap forward for Volvo that doesn’t advance the game.

VOLVO S60

Price: $57,950 (D5); $64,950 (T6)
Engine: 2.4-litre 5-cylinder turbo diesel (151kW/420Nm); 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo petrol (224kW/440Nm)
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Thirst: 7.1L/100km (diesel); 10.2L/100km (T6)