Volvo V60 2011 review

NO-ONE tells Volvo jokes at barbecues anymore and traffic light confrontations now are instigated with great trepidation. This is a new era for Volvo in terms of performance, and from Volvo Australia's perspective, one where sales just keep on rising. The primary reason is a fresh line of product. The boxes went a long time ago but its only recently that the transition from rectangles to gentle curves hit home with buyers.

Volvo Australia's new managing director Matt Braid says more than 7000 cars are forecast for sale this year, up from 4945 last year. Its mainly attributed, he says, to the mid-size S60 sedan - a rival to the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 as well as examples from premium Japanese makes - and from this week, its wagon version, the V60. 

"The S60, V60 and XC60 are the strong players at the moment," he says. "They're offsetting a bit of a fall last year with the XC90 (once the most popular Volvo) and the smaller S40 and V50."

The S40/V50 duo are suffering, Braid says, from intense rivalry in the compact premium sector. While the V60 has a big job to help increase sales, it carries those on broad and very capable shoulders, as I discovered this week at its launch.

VALUE

There is no surprise that the V60 offers a lot for the money. Volvos now are all like that. The surprise is more that the emphasis is now on the driving experience rather than solely on keeping its occupants alive.

The V60 comes with the choice of three drivetrains, 12 paint colours, a wide range of leather colours including pairings, and if that doesn't satisfy you, an option list so big that it can add about $25,000 to the price of the $54,950 entry-level T5.

The T5 also comes as an R-Design version (15mm lowered and tightened suspension, body kit, snappy interior, and so on) for $59,150 and shares the 2-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and six-speed auto driving the front wheels.

Step up to the D5 (2.4-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel) and you'll spend from $60,950 and then climb up to the T6 (3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol) for $67,950 and in R-Design trim, $72,150.

TECHNOLOGY

The V60 is based on the new S60 sedan and picks up a very taut and responsive chassis and a comprehensive list - when you add in the options - of safety gear.

Standard is the City Safety system that automatically stops the car when it detects low-speed impact. Options include collision warning with full auto brake, the very clever radar-camera pedestrian detection and driver alert.

More interesting is the 2-litre four-cylinder engine that will also be used in the Ford Falcon. It's a beauty, though drive it like it's stolen and Volvo's official fuel economy doesn't see eye to eye with reality. Except for the neat - but optional - full multi-media system, the V60 is more about relatively simple components honed for maximum efficiency.

The only cruncher in all this is the lack of a spare wheel. You get an aerosol can of goo that is one step up the ladder from walking home. Not safe, Volvo!

DRIVING

This thing is really good. It is a quiet, comfortable wagon that Volvo freely admits is more for driving than delivering cargo. For that, Braid says, get the V70. The chassis is taut and the steering rarely feels vague like similar electro-hydraulic units. You push this into a corner and it sends back positive news through the steering wheel.

Don't laugh at the 2-litre in the rather porky 1870kg body - it's an eager engine that has superb low-end torque (320Nm at 1800rpm) that makes it a quick machine through tight, winding roads.

Volvo claims 8.7L/100km in the front-wheel drive wagon but I got 11.9L/100km.  The T6 - inline six with a turbo - is a great engine but maybe too much and too expensive for its class. Still, it has all-wheel drive and hangs on like a limpet through the corners. It returned 10.9L/100km/h on the test route.

The seats are comfy and, in the R-Design option, get cuddly with your body thanks to heavy bolstering.  Ergonomics are pretty spot on - Scandinavians can't help themselves with some nuances, as anyone who has assembled Ikea will testify - and standard child seat bolsters in the back, split fold-flat rear seats, rear vents and personal item storage just add the sauce to the herring.

VERDICT

I'd recommend this as a buy, but if you travel outside the city you'll need a spare wheel and that's an option.

VOLVO V60

Price: from $54,950
Warranty: 3-years/unlimited km, roadside assist
Resale: n/a
Service interval: 15,000km/12 months
Safety: 5-star Euro NCAP
Engine: 2-litre, 4-cyl turbo-petrol, 118kW/230Nm  2.4-litre, 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 151kw/420Nm  3-litre, 6-cyl turbo-petrol, 224kW/440Nm
Body: 5-door wagon
Weight: from 1870kg
Transmission: 6-speed auto (all); front drive (2-litre), AWD (2.4 and 3-litre)
Thirst: 7.1L/100km, 98 RON, CO2 188g/km (2-litre); 8.7L/100km, CO2 205g/km (2.4-litre); 10.3L/100km, 98 RON, CO2 247g/km (3-litre)
"Affordable balance of pace and grace with extra room for the toys"