volvo s60

Review: 2013 Volvo S60 T6 R-Design

February 4, 2013 by Tom Williams 3 Comments

In the Volvo family of cars, the S60 T6 R-Design sits at the top of the performance food chain-in other words, this is as hot as it gets. Even today, most people rarely think of Volvo’s as quick or entertaining cars, with safety being the first thing that comes to mind when Volvo is mentioned. But the truth is, Volvo has been dabbling with hot rod versions of their cars for years. As an awkward fifteen year old, I have fond memories of being catapulted down the scenic Merritt Parkway by my neighbor, and boss on our way to work in mega-wealthy Old Greenwich, Connecticut in his 1984 Volvo 240 Turbo wagon. Well, I’m 40 now, not quite as awkward, and I do the driving now, thank you. So it was time to sample Volvo’s current hot rod.

Not that The Garage is any stranger to the Volvo S60. Last fall we reviewed the base T5 AWD, and came away very impressed. The S60 is arguably one of the most handsome luxury sedans on the market, and without a doubt the sexiest Volvo ever built. It will, however, take a true Volvo fanatic to recognize you are piloting the R-Design. Unique 18″ wheels, front and rear spoilers, rear diffuser and polished exhaust pipes. In other words, the changes are very subtle. Not so subtle was our test car finished in Rebel Blue, a color nearly every person I asked disliked. Color is a personal choice, but since the R-Design is so subtle against its less powerful S60 siblings, a milder color would make this the ultimate Q-Ship.

If the changes to the exterior are subtle, then the interior is even more so. Special sport seats, steering wheel, shift knob, blue watch dial gauges and aluminum pedals are all that differentiate the R-Design from other S60’s. And that is not a bad thing, as the S60 has an open, airy cabin that is exceptionally comfortable, especially over long distances. As before, most controls are fairly intuitive, but the S60 seems to be a step behind the competition with its infotainment interface. Even so, the S60 R-Design sports some of the best seats in the business.

So while we all agree the R-Design does not do a lot to distinguish itself from outside/inside, the biggest difference is what lies in the engine bay, where you will find a 3.0L turbocharged inline six rated at 325hp, paired to a six-speed automatic. All R-Design S60’s are all-wheel drive. Sadly, no manual transmission is offered. The R has 75 more horsepower than the five cylinder T5, and Volvo claims a 0-60mph of 5.5 seconds, which is over a second quicker. Suspension and steering have also been tightened up for the R-Design. Yes, it is quick and tight, but as I drove the R-Design, I kept thinking back to the sublime Audi S4. Boasting only eight more horsepower, the S4 will toast the S60 1.1 seconds to 60. While the S4 is intense and engaging, the R-Design has the goods but the speed is delivered in a far smoother, relaxed manner.

But where the R-Design trumps its competitors is price. And not because it is lacks features or suffers from inferior build quality and materials-far from it. The Volvo S60 easily matches its Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals. This top-spec S60 has a starting MSRP of $43,900. Our test car included the Platinum package (navigation, premium sound, rear view camera), and Climate package (heated front seats, interior air quality system, heated windshield washer nozzles). Including delivery, our S60 T6 R-Design had a cost of $48,195, which is about $12,000 less than the Audi S4 we tested with similar content. If you don’t demand a manual tranny, and for normal daily driving, the R-Design is by far the better buy.

If you view Volvo owners as New England types working at prestigious universities, well, you would not be far off. Owning a Volvo is not to show off your car to brag to your friends about, that’s what BMW’s are for. And despite Volvo’s heritage in turbocharging cars, public perception still perceives Volvo has a brand that places safety above all else, and that is true. What most do not know is that you can be enveloped in an extremely safe Volvo, and have some fun as well. If your perception of Volvo owners is the college professor, then the S60 T6 R-Design is the cool college professor you had that played in a blues band on weekends. Fun, passionate, yet mellow. In other words, a long term friend, for which Volvo’s have a strong reputation for.

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Review: 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD

November 13, 2012 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

I would forgive you in an instant if you hadn’t noticed the changes happening at the entry-level side of Volvo’s offerings in North America. The compact S40/V50 sedan and wagon quietly departed here two years ago, replaced with the sublime V40, which is not available here. Now comes news the two door hatch C30, which had hoped to steal sales away from the MINI Cooper but barely made a ripple here will also be exiting the stage. So, what then is the entry-level Volvo?

Well, that leaves the S60, which for many years was comfortably positioned as Volvo’s mid-level, bread and butter sedan, positioned above the smaller S40 and luxurious S80. The Garage reviewed a 2011 Volvo S60 T6, and we came away impressed. That was the sole S60 for 2011, but in 2012, Volvo added the S60 T5. A less powerful S60 that would ultimately wear the dubious crown of being the ‘starter’ Volvo. Was any luster lost? Read on…

I’ve been staring at my pics of the T5 and T6, and I cannot tell any difference between the two. Apart from the T5 badge on the rear, no one will know you went with the base model. Two years on, the S60 still looks fantastic. Volvo still marches to the beat of their own drum while other competitors relentlessly chase the German marques. In place of our T6’s eye searing copper paint, our T5 was finished in a soothing Ice White. All S60’s come standard with 17″ alloys, but our test car was equipped with an alternative, optional Kjord Design, which look far better than the stock wheels for only a little extra money. Style-wise, this is one sophisticated looking car, handsome, contemporary, and in a class of its own.

I confess, on my first encounter with the S60 the Beechwood leather seating surfaces left me cold. Second time around, I was warming up to them. Yes, it is a bold color, but without the copper exterior, it was much easier to swallow. After a 500 mile round trip from Connecticut to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I actually started to like it. The seats offer comfort that are best in class. Controls are easy to use, gauges simple and elegant to look at. I relished attention to details, such as an illuminated shift knob showing your gear. Offered a choice between an S60 or BMW 3-series for a long distance tourer, I would pick the Volvo in a heartbeat. The only downside was a smallish trunk. We’re a family of three, so we could fit items in the back seat, but a larger family would find the S60 a challenge for long trips.

For the gearheads, the real question is what is the trade-off by going with the base engine? The T5 is powered by a 2.5L inline-five cylinder rated at 250hp, paired to a six-speed automatic. That’s down 50hp from the T6 we last reviewed. The T5 is offered in front or all-wheel drive. Our car was all-wheel drive, and Volvo claims a 0-60mph time of 6.6 seconds. That’s about a half second slower than the T6, while delivering 20/29 MPG city/highway mileage. Bombing down the interstate at 80mpg the S60 T5 was showing 27MPG on the trip computer. It’s no scorcher, but the power is always there when you need it, and passing is done with ease. The T5 is the smoothest five cylinder car I have driven to date.

The ride quality is exceptionally comfortable. Steering is direct, with just enough feel to keep me happy. I found the handling to be confidence inspiring. It’s these Connecticut-Pennsylvania trips that really tell me the story of a car, especially when my son and wife doze away, it is just the car, the road and me where I truly get a feel of the car, and in this case, the S60 was positively one of the most stand-out cars of the year. That I can point the S60 at rapid pace without disturbing my passengers as they nap is the mark of an excellent automobile.

The Volvo S60 T5 starts at $31,900USD. Our test car added all-wheel drive, the Premier Package (power moonroof, leather seating, auto dimming rearview mirror, power passenger seat, keyless entry), Climate Package (heated front seats, air quality system, heated windshield washer nozzles), rear spoiler and upgraded wheels, with an as delivered charge of $38, 178. Yes, I scoffed at the price of the car with the absence of of GPS navigation (which is available), but reminded myself the four banger BMW we reviewed cost over $50,000 which offered only a few extra bells and whistles. In that light, the Volvo is a virtual bargain.

In the world of cars, entry-level and base model often provoke fears of decontented, weakly powered cars, but with the Volvo S60 T5, that is hardly the case. Odds are, if you are a potential buyer, you have a phone with GPS. If you demand a stick shift and slightly sharper handling, the BMW is your car. But again, if long distance touring is your thing, and you prize a roomier interior and a calmer demeanor with a distinct Swedish flair without giving up anything in speed and handling composure, a look at the Volvo S60 T5 is worth a look, and will never leave you with the impression of driving a base model.

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Review: 2011 Volvo S60

June 8, 2011 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

I believe there is truth that cars and people can go together, and in the journey of life, sometimes you meet someone you simply associate with a certain make or model of car. When I received the all-new 2011 Volvo S60 T6, I recalled my neighbor Chuck Peterson. I met Chuck when I was 12 years old as his paperboy, and from then until his death a few years ago, Chuck always had a Volvo parked in his driveway. A consummate Volvo guy, I’d have loved to get his opinion on the swoopy, so-called ‘naughty’ S60.

With barely a hard edge to be found, it’s almost impossible to believe that the S60 can trace its ancestry back to the beloved, and unapologetically boxy 240. The first generation S60 represented a major departure for Volvo’s mainstream sedan, but here’s the problem. That car debuted as a 2001 model, and for a staggering decade that car soldiered on, largely unchanged. In the car business, that’s normally two generations of cars. And with little development during the span of ten years, you risk two things-the media have nothing to report on or review to keep you in the headlines, and worse, car buyers simply lose interest altogether. When you compete in a class occupied by the BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-Class,whose makers spare no expense to outdo each other, you will be eaten alive. So, the question is, has Volvo delivered a viable contender in this white-hot premium sport sedan market? Read on…

The new S60 is an evolution of the first generation car, and it goes even further for the coupe-like appearance. As swoopy as the S60 is, there is still no mistaking it for anything but a Volvo. And I applaud Volvo for having faith in their own design team to create a look unique to themselves. Does this car compete against the German stalwarts? Absolutely. But the S60’s exterior design is Scandinavian to the core, and is proud of it. Our test car was painted in Vibrant Copper Metallic, a striking, but controversial color. During my week with the S60, I could not find a soul who had anything positive to say about the color of our test car. What plays well on the auto show stand doesn’t always work in the real world, even here in New England where Volvo’s are adored.

Inside, the S60 offers a superbly isolated, quiet, comfortable cabin. The quality of materials are excellent-everything you touch feels high quality. The seats are supremely comfortable, and I’m tempted to say the most comfortable in this class. You actually feel better after just sitting on the high quality leather seats as soon as you get in the car. Yes-they are that good. The driver is faced with a gauge cluster so clear and simple, it borders on shocking given the amount of info the competition tries to cram into the same space. Again, Scandinavian simplicity is the theme here. My only complaint is that the navigation and audio controls felt years behind the better systems available today. Consistent with the controversial copper exterior, our test car’s interior was Beechwood Brown, or, what I call, orange. Not my personal choice, and the interior color failed to win anyone over during my week with the S60.

Our Volvo S60 T6 is motivated by a turbocharged 3.0L inline six rated at 300hp, paired to a six-speed automatic, and equipped with all-wheel drive. Volvo claims a 0-60mph time of 5.8 seconds, which is fairly quick for an all-wheel drive car in this class. In the late 1980’s, Volvo advertised that their 740 Turbo wagon was as quick to 60mph as a Porsche 944. To put the performance of the new S60 into perspective, this car is only 3/10th’s of a second slower to 60mph than a 2011 Porsche Boxster. Quick indeed. But in reality, no one who buys an S60 will be drag racing Boxsters. What the Volvo offers is good acceleration off the line, and more than adequate passing power. The standard six-speed automatic was smooth and seamless in operation. No manual tranny is available. For 2012, Volvo is adding a turbocharged 2.5L inline-five cylinder S60 rated at 250hp to slot under our T6 test car. No one will rave about the 18/26mpg city/highway fuel economy, but such is life with an all-wheel drive luxury sedan.

The Volvo S60 T6 AWD starts with an MSRP of $37,700USD. Our test car had every conceivable option package on it. The Premium package adds a power moonroof, power passenger seat and xenon headlights. The Technology package, which best showcases Volvo’s reputation for safety innovation, adds adaptive cruise control, collision warning with full auto brake, distance alert, driver alert control, lane departure warning, and pedestrian detection with full auto brake. Throw in heated seats, surround sound audio, navigation and rear view camera, the tab rings up at $46,200, including delivery charges.

In sum, the Volvo S60 is a fine car with no serious flaws. No, it may not be the driver’s car that the BMW 3-series is, but face it, not every buyer looking for a premium luxury car wants that. What the S60 offers is superb comfort, innovative safety features, and good performance with the added confidence of all-wheel drive. A definite must-see if you are shopping for a premium sport sedan. As for my friend Chuck, a Volvo diehard, I don’t doubt he would approve.

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A ride Mr Toad would approve of

May 25, 2010 by Gary Grant 3 Comments

I have been fortunate to drive some pretty exciting machinery over the past couple of decades, but not a single one of them prepared me for the ride I took this weekend. A handful of writers and photographers were asked if they wanted to go for a couple of hot laps in a World Challenge car. There was Kuno Wittmer in the Viper, Peter Cunningham in the Acura and I was more than happy to ride shotgun with Randy Pobst in the K-Pax Volvo S60.

First off, I have to mention that there is no fear involved. I have met Randy before and he is a friend of Gary Faules. I’ve seen enough in car footage to know that he is nothing short of a world class driver. Fear doesn’t even enter into the equation.

Perhaps shock and awe would be a better description.
[Read more…]

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