[Omkar]

Volvo S60 Review

Volvo S60 Pros:

• Astonishingly handsome styling! The Volvo S60 looks absolutely fabulous
• Solid build quality is very satisfying
• Sweet-looking cabin that’s loaded to the gills with features. Has sufficient room too
• Spectacular Harman Kardon sound system. Easily the best ICE in the segment
• Smooth & peppy 2.0L turbo-petrol engine mated to a competent 8-speed AT
• Sorted ride & handling. The S60's high speed stability is excellent too
• Euro NCAP's 5-star safety rating & loads of tech like adaptive cruise control, pilot assist, lane-keeping aid, collision mitigation support (front) etc.
• Depth of engineering that is as good as the best from Germany

Volvo S60 Cons:

• A FWD car in a segment where RWD is the norm
• Power & torque figures are lower than the competition
• No diesel engine on offer with the Volvo S60. Those with high running will look elsewhere
• The rear seat is placed too low, under-thigh support is poor and the floor hump is too big
• The S60 is missing some features like paddle shifters, 360-degree camera, cooled seats...
• Volvo's thin dealer network in India
• To many people, the Volvo brand doesn't have the badge cachet of the German marques
• Not as exhilarating to drive as the BMW 330i which is the segment benchmark

[Omkar]

Volvos really stand out on Indian roads these days & we love their new design philosophy. Yes, you have the German saloons that look great, but Volvo's latest design language differentiates the Swedish brand quite distinctively. As is the case with the third-generation S60 you see here. It is unlike the previous generation S60 that used the Ford EUCD (for "European Class D") platform and didn't get much attention from Indian buyers for various reasons like brand identity, high price point, ordinary looks and more. Volvo India decided to pull the plug on it sometime in July last year. Since then, the S90 was the sole sedan in Volvo's portfolio.

In June 2018, the third-generation S60 launched in the USA, but its taken unduly long to bring the car here. The official launch and price reveal would be in Q1 2021. The third-generation S60 uses Volvo's latest Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform that it shares with the flagship S90 sedan. Hot-formed boron steel is used extensively in the frame to add strength. So much so that this hot-formed steel is 33% of the S60's body weight. No wonder it secured a 5-star safety rating at the Euro NCAP (detailed report)



Unlike the previous generation car, this S60 will not have a diesel engine on offer. That is a major disadvantage! At the time of launch, the S60 will have a single T4 Inscription variant which is powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 187 BHP and 300 Nm of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox that delivers power to the front wheels (note that the C-Class & 3-Series have the more fun RWD layout). The powertrain is shared with the XC40 which also ditched its diesel engine last year (Related News).



First glance at the car in the flesh, and you don't need a spec sheet to tell you that the S60 is the longest car in the segment at 4,761 mm and it also has the longest wheelbase at 2,872 mm. It's 2,040 mm wide (including mirrors) and has a height of 1,431 mm. Also among its rivals, the S60 is the only car that has a horsepower rating south of the 200 BHP mark. This will be a put-off for some, but we'll get to that soon.

As you would expect from a Volvo, the S60 has a lot of features like 4-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, 12-way power-adjustable front seats with power cushion extension, Harmon Kardon sound system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, wireless charging among others. Safety-wise, you get driver & passenger airbags, inflatable curtains, SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) airbags, ISOFIX, Emergency Brake Assist and IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) which is what Volvo calls an 'electronic secretary' that delays incoming phone calls and other information until the driving situation is calmer. Also, as is going to be the case with all future Volvo cars, you will get an orange Care Key through which you can set the speed limit on your car if you are lending it to someone (Source). There are a host of driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, pilot assist, lane-keeping aid, collision mitigation support (Front), etc. You can read about the driving aids in detail in our XC60 review (Click here). Do note that the Indian version of the S60 doesn't get Park Assist pilot and Blind Spot Information System. We also miss out on a 360-degree camera and cooled seats which an expensive car like this should definitely have had.

Exterior

For starters, the face is well-shaped & very handsome. The styling isn't overdone and has the right amount of bling, while being classy at the same time. Yes, you get plenty of chrome bits here, but even ardent chrome haters wouldn't be too offended by this front end:


The rear looks very stocky, which is unlike the front. We like the design & feel that it stands out from the usual fare. In comparison with the S90, this looks a little better with some curves on the trunk and haunches:


The long bonnet and sloping roofline give the S60 a sportier stance:


Volvo has come a long way from making straight-edged boxy & boring cars. However, there's no denying that the S60 looks like a mini S90, and that's not particularly a bad thing. It looks stunning and grabs eyeballs like any of its German competitors on the road:


The car is well built and has a solid feel all around. Heavy doors, minimal flex in the panels and sturdy construction make it a tijori (vault) on wheels:


Trapezoidal chrome grille gets vertical slats in gloss black and chrome. The grille is just the right size and seems proportionate with the overall dimensions (unlike the new BMWs). The air dam at the bottom expands into a diffuser-like chin:


All LED headlamps with Thor's hammer LED DRLs. The DRLs are bright and also double up as turn indicators; quite the attention grabbers on the road. The full LED headlamps have active bending and even an active high beam system which works brilliantly at night, lighting up the right areas. Below, you will find big digital 9-shaped fog lamp housings with tiny LED fog lamps:


Just two sharp creases on this long bonnet. Notice the wiper blades at the top of this image, the water outlet is integrated into the wiper blade so you don't have a spray that throws water all over:


10-spoke black diamond-cut 18-inch alloys look good, but the 5-spoke alloys on international variants look better IMO (reference image). The alloys are shod with 235/45 R18 Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres:


C-shaped LED tail-lamps are big and neatly integrated with the fender line. They are bright at night and look awesome on the road:


The bumper exhaust outlets would've looked much cooler if the exhaust was integrated:

[Omkar]

Interior - Front

Step inside the cabin and the S60 is a good place to be. The dashboard is very well put together with high-quality materials and soft-touch elements all around make it look and feel premium. Yes, there are a lot of elements that are in common with other Volvo cars, but heck, why try to reinvent the wheel? I must add that while the cabin quality is good, some parts are harder than you would expect in a CBU. The all-black interiors do rob you of the sense of airiness in the cabin. If that's the case, you do have all-white and brown interior options to choose from:


The steering wheel is chunky and nice to hold. In terms of design though, it's plain jane and simple - no flat-bottom or perforated leather. The quality of the buttons is satisfying and they have a nice tactile feel to them:


The 12.3-inch all-digital instrument cluster looks great and displays traditional gauges crisply. It displays loads of information. Tachometer changes to an Eco gauge in Eco drive mode. Car points out which occupant hasn't buckled up (driver seat in red here):


A close look at the soft-touch dashboard top with contrast stitching. The driftwood panel below looks and feels premium:


The doors are heavy and open wide. They close with a reassuring solid thud. Everything on the doorpad is soft to touch, and even the bottom part of the door isn't made of hard / scratchy plastic:


First look at the front seats and you will notice that they are quite thin (from the side). However, they provide excellent overall support. The bolstering at the side and the base is on point and hugs the driver nicely. The driver seat has memory function, 4-way lumbar adjustment and you can even extend the seat base electronically:


The panoramic sunroof isn't very big in size and doesn't cover the entire roof. However, it does let a good amount of light in the cabin which makes the all-black interior feel a tad bit airier:


No Bowers & Wilkins system here. Instead, you get a 600W, 14-speaker Harman Kardon system that has TERRIFIC sound quality. Punchy bass from the subwoofer too:


The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit is shared with the XC40 and you can read about it in detail here. The screen is tilted towards the driver and has inbuilt navigation, driving details and Android Auto / Apple CarPlay connectivity. Overall, the screen is responsive with no lag and has a clear display with good visibility (even under direct sunlight). The buttons below the touchscreen are for media control. There are no physical buttons to control the A/C which is so-not-cool (pun intended). You have to adjust the A/C via the touchscreen which really sucks. Manufacturers should retain physical control knobs for such important functions:


There's a plethora of information and options in the touchscreen infotainment. Apart from the preset driving modes, you can customise your drive mode by selecting various parameters as per your choice. You also have access to the owner's manual and the user interface is very much like reading the hard copy. You can also choose various options for the IntelliSafe Assist features. Apart from all these, you can easily access some of the quick commands by swiping left from the home screen. These include toggling between traction control, active bending lights, cruise control options etc. The driver can even adjust the passenger seat so that the boss in the back seat has more space:


The centre console is shared with the XC60, with the addition of wireless charging. Appreciate the attention to detail with the knurled knobs for drive modes and the start/stop button that needs to be twisted to start the car. Simple, unique and feels nice to operate:

Interior - Rear

This is a low-slung sedan, so getting in and out of the rear seat is a task. The seat is set low, so you drop down on to them to get in. The seats themselves are well made and the cushioning is on point. You have decent legroom thanks to the long wheelbase, and the car can accommodate two 6-footers one behind the other. On the downside, since the seats are placed low, under-thigh support is lacking and you will have your knees up. While the backrest angle is comfortable, the headroom was just about adequate for 5'10" GTO (6+ footers will brush their hair / head against the roofliner):


Passengers get a wide centre armrest with a phone holder, cupholders and a flat storage unit:


The transmission tunnel is huge, making the middle position best suited to a kid. Do note the AC vents above, which are controlled by a small touchscreen. The flap below covers two type-C charging ports:


Useable boot has 436 liters of space:


Lift up the floor and you will find a space saver below. Sucks, but its the trend with most European luxury cars. These brands need to realise that India has neither the kind of roads seen in Europe, nor the fast roadside assistance:

[Omkar]

Driving the S60 2.0L Turbo-Petrol AT FWD

Powering the S60 is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 187 BHP @ 5,000 rpm and 300 Nm of torque. The engine is shared with the XC40 and is made up of lightweight high-pressure die-cast aluminium crankcases and bedplates with cast-in iron liners + nodular cast iron bearing reinforcements. Power is transmitted to the front wheels through an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox sourced from Aisin.


Twist the start/stop knob to the right and the engine comes to life. The S60 starts in 'Comfort' drive mode which is good for day-to-day driving. Most people would appreciate the refinement levels of this engine. At idle, the engine purrs silently and the cabin is pretty much silent. Slot the gear lever into D, take your foot off the brake pedal and the car takes off smoothly. With a gentle foot on the throttle, you will be pleased with the refinement & smoothness of this engine. You will also notice that throttle response isn't super quick and the car won't be lurching forward at the slightest tap of the accelerator pedal. The engine is tuned for a smooth drive and power delivery is quite linear in nature. Even the AT moves through the gears smoothly as long as you are gentle with the throttle. In situations where you need that instant power for a quick overtake or to close a gap, the 300 Nm of torque comes handy. The gearbox does take a second to downshift and provide that surge of power though...with a hint of torque steer. In city driving conditions where you want a pleasant driving experience, the S60 will keep you happy.

Out on the highway, the S60 can be a real mile muncher. It builds up speed effortlessly and you can cruise at triple digit speeds all day long, staying under 2,500 rpm in a calm and relaxed manner. Put your foot down and the engine revs smoothly to the 6,500 rpm redline. The mid-range is strong (as is the case with all turbo petrols) and there's enough grunt at the top-end as well. With 187 BHP and 300 Nm on tap, performance is more than adequate to have fun. But it is nowhere as explosive as the BMW 330i that puts out 68 BHP and 100 Nm of torque more than the S60. That said, performance is more than enough for Indian roads & you can have driving pleasure on your favourite roads. The refinement levels are too good; in fact, we wish that the engine was louder in the top reaches of the power band. The turbo-petrol has a really nice non-Volvo like, sporty, racy tone at high revvs. As is the case with all recent cars from Volvo, the S60 is electronically limited to 180 km/h (Related thread).



Volvo has done a fantastic job in tuning this 8-speed gearbox. It's no BMW ZF, but it's a lot better than what you see in the likes of the Jaguar XE. If the BMW ZF gets a 10/10 rating from us, this one is a solid 8/10. We were frankly surprised. It's smooth, well-tuned and almost always in the right gear. What you will notice is that the gearbox isn't as snappy as BMW's ZF 8-speed. The Volvo takes a little bit of planning for a quick overtake if your window is narrow & you are in "comfort" mode. To solve matters, you can engage "sport" mode or manually downshift. And this is where you will sorely miss paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Totally uncool to delete paddle shifters on such an expensive car. The shifts in manual mode are fairly quick, although it won't allow for aggressive downshifts. Even in sport manual mode though, the engine will upshift at anywhere between 6200 - 6500 rpm, which is a shame because the turbo-petrol is really free-revving and we feel ~6200 is too early.


There are 3 preset driving modes to choose from - Comfort (default), Eco and Dynamic. There is also an individual mode where you can set various parameters of the car to your liking. These include the steering, powertrain and braking characteristics.

Eco Mode - Eco mode is tuned for efficiency...big time! The gearbox shifts up at the earliest opportunity to conserve fuel. The response from the engine is duller in Eco. That said, it is acceptable for moving around in urban traffic. In this mode, the steering is one-finger light and the dull throttle response makes for a very smooth riding experience for passengers (we would use Eco mode when a chauffeur is behind the wheel). One can use this mode even if you want to cruise on the expressway with a light foot.

Dynamic Mode - Engage Dynamic mode and it changes the car's characteristics. The gear shifts are aggressive, the steering weighs up nicely and throttle response is instantaneous + crisp. In this mode, the gearbox does not shift up as early as the other modes, keeping the engine on the boil. Dynamic mode gives you good engine braking as well. The difference between the Dynamic and Comfort modes is noticeably bigger than between Comfort and Eco modes. The braking too is sharpened. Dynamic mode has its negatives though. The steering feels heavy at parking speeds and the power delivery can get rather spiky / jerky for driving in stop & go traffic.

Ride and Handling

The S60 gets a double-wishbone suspension setup at the front and a multi-link rear unit. It rides on 18-inch wheels shod with 235/45 R18 Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres.

The suspension setup is competent enough to handle Indian road conditions. There is an underlying stiffness at low speeds, very much like almost all European luxury cars. It feels mature and gives a very "big car feel" to the S60, keeping it properly planted at all speeds. Yes, you have to be careful on broken roads, yet the suspension absorbs most bumps and potholes in a compliant manner. Large potholes do register themselves in the cabin with a big thud and over bad roads, there is side-to-side movement of the cabin. Go slow on bad roads and you should be okay.

As with all premium cars, ride quality improves as you gain speed. On highways, the S60 rides FLAT and feels like a damn tank! Stability is top class as is the body control. Small undulations and expansion joints are absorbed very well and not much of it is transferred into the cabin. There is no vertical movement either at high speeds and the car boasts excellent stability.

In terms of handling, the FWD S60 is typically Volvo and not a RWD BMW. It can handle quick lane changes, and the overall road manners are very sorted. But enter a corner at high speed and the S60 isn't in its happy place. The electric power steering is vague in the centre and feels disconnected in corners. You don't really have much clue as to what the front wheels are doing, which restricts the speed you carry in a corner. Almost 200 BHP going to the front doesn't make it easy for those tyres either. At the end of the day, the S60 is a FWD family sedan. It's handling characteristics are neutral, but if you are looking for absolute driving pleasure in fast corners, look at the 330i, which is far sharper and tighter.

The steering is light & friendly in the city. At speed in eco / comfort mode, we found it a level too light. Solution = engage dynamic mode which firms things up adequately.

Braking performance is impressive. The pedal has a nice bite and the car sheds speed effectively under emergency braking conditions.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Official Reviews. Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed doing this review with you, Omkar .

Whenever I drive any luxury car other than Audi / BMW / Mercedes, I always find something "lacking". The Lexus ES was too boring & lazy to drive hard, the Jaguar XE had an awful 8-speed gearbox and earlier Volvos didn't have that perfect engine + gearbox tuning or the engineering depth (driving experience) of the big 3 Germans.

No more. This new S60 left me very, very surprised because its engine & gearbox behaviour are spot on . If I was in the market, I would easily buy this over the A4, XE & C-Class, but not the 330i. The build is s-o-l-i-d and I absolutely love the styling. Found myself going to the balcony to admire its different lines & curves. A Volvo with loads of personality for sure. Happy to see Volvo sitting on the same bench as the Germans.

[landcruiser123]

Great review. Waiting for these cars to drop in price in North America. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of these pre-owned. Just a shame that the car is detuned for India.

Just FYI, the Volvo S60 shares the same 8-speed Aisin transmission used in many Toyota & Lexus models.

[NTO]

That was a fantastic review of the S60. I believe this is a worthy competitor and can question why Audi is launching the A4 further. Looks fantastic, drives reasonably well, loaded with safety tech and comfortable for a family. If Volvo nails the pricing (somewhere in the 2 series range), I am sure it can give the ageing C class and A4 a run for their money. I carefully am not bringing the 3 series into this because, the 330i is in a different league altogether and there is no diesel to compare with the 320d.

[DeathPig]

Great review. I love how Volvo have been steadily redefining themselves in the Indian market. They're really coming up as a competitor to the usual German trio, rather than as an afterthought for buyers (and more competition is always good). I'm seeing more and more of these beauties nowadays. The rear of their sedans, especially dark colors, are quite the lookers.

I had hoped that Volvo might step away from the European mentality of providing just a space saver and give a full size spare, but alas. Although, judging by how even Hyundai and Kia are giving R15 tires for cars that run R16 otherwise, I guess this is just company policy rather than shaving that umpteenth margin off the vehicle.

Looking forward to seeing this one on the streets.

[sidhu.algods]

For the same amount one can buy Octavia 2.0 TSI and Mahindra Thar together...that will be a wise decision too!

[ajmat]

Neat review, The Volvo ticks all boxes except ultimate performance and handling. it is a good match for the C class. I liked the S90 and it can manage 85% of my daily use except for press-on driving.

Originally Posted by DeathPig

I had hoped that Volvo might step away from the European mentality of providing just a space saver and give a full size spare, but alas. Although, judging by how even Hyundai and Kia are giving R15 tires for cars that run R16 otherwise, I guess this is just company policy rather than shaving that umpteenth margin off the vehicle.

Be thankful! The last S 60 initially came with no spare wheel, just a can of goo

[mudhasir]

A very comprehensive review, very well compiled. I am very impressed with Volvo designs and safety features.

The latest initiative by Volvo to limit top speed at 180 kmph is heart winning again. They believe that Volvo can keep their travellers safe upto a max speed of 180 kmph and this initiative is aligned with their vision - Our vision is that no one is killed or injured in a new Volvo by 2020

For my next change from A3, I am considering XC40 or S60. My decision will depend upon the pricing of S60. Considering Volvo now has only petrol cars, do you have any inputs on mileage of S60? My A3 diesel gives 18-20 kmpl easily and I cover close to 25k kms every year

[saiaarjay]

Great review and well compiled.

It is rather unfortunate to note the India bound S60 misses out on Blind Spot Information and Cross Traffic Alert System, which is pretty useful. These two features were present in the 2018 model S60. I was told the BS6 version of Volvo XC60 also misses out on these two features.

[BrakingBad]

Nice Review. Front look of this car is awesome.
one question - why are we having a rear wheel drive picture in the "Ride & Handling Section of the review"?
or am i missing something?

[FloatingCanvas]

I love the understated elegance of Volvo vehicles, be it sedans, estates or SUVs.

What is the reason for such a large transmission tunnel in S60 though? Especially it being FWD, can't understand why they have such a large tunnel that effectively makes it a 4 seater?

Also, wish they paid a bit more attention to the rear seats, with better seating support, because a significant number of owners will be travelling in the rear seat.. I so want Volvo to succeed.

[Omkar]

Originally Posted by BrakingBad

Nice Review. Front look of this car is awesome.
one question - why are we having a rear wheel drive picture in the "Ride & Handling Section of the review"?
or am i missing something?

Hey, didn't mean to create confusion.
The image is supposed to show the suspension system of the SPA platform.
Here are individual images for reference.
Double wishbone front axle:


Integral link rear axle