This is the car that shows Volvo’s mettle against an intensifying Teutonic pitch for world domination. Yes, C-Class, 3 Series and A4 buyers have never had it so good. But the S60 T4, introduced late last year, pulls the base end of the premium compact sector under $50K with a convincing mix of engineering, build quality and equipment. All wrapped in some of the best bent sheet metal in showrooms today.
Does the S60 match such fare, or Lexus’s IS? That’s not an easy call in a segment so brand driven. But as an exercise in engine downsizing, it’s a complete success. It came as a surprise to read Volvo’s official 0-100km/h acceleration figure of 9.0 seconds. It feels a good second or more faster.
Indeed, although it’s one of the better front wheelers this driver has sampled, there were times it could have done with the T6’s all-paw drivetrain on taking off. While it doesn’t extend to any great loss of traction, it sometimes feels as if the front wheels are struggling to keep it together under duress.
The powertrain basics come from former parent company, Ford. The turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder, a modified EcoBoost unit, gets off the mark with virtually no lag. For a little mill toting 1500kg (plus people and stuff) around, it pounces on throttle commands with remarkable enthusiasm. It’s calibrated to serve up its full 240Nm of torque from just 1600rpm. But nor does it mind revs – full twist stays on tap until 5000rpm, little short of the 5700rpm threshold for its 132kW power peak.
It’s easy to get the six-speed PowerShift DCT (also Ford-sourced) busy, too. Too busy if anything. It’s not shy of a shift – up or down – some way before the threshold of necessity. On occasion it shares that annoying Volkswagen DSG propensity for uninvited downshifts on downhill coasting.
Naturally, the usual DCT grumble applies: where are the paddles?
Some might be annoyed by its demand for 95 RON petrol, but it does offer decent fuel consumption. Even spending some time with a car full of grown-ups, our urban-only week yielded an average 8.9L/100km – a tidy margin down on Volvo’s official 10.1 city-cycle figure (7.4 combined cycle). As usual, that was without thought or effort in controlling our right foot.
The S60’s MacPherson strut front end and rear multi-links help make up one of the better sorted FWD handling packages you can buy. The ride is firm – it’s no Lexus when it comes to insulating you from bumps -- but the trade-off lies in the enthusiasm with which you can chuck it round corners. Nice and linear on turn-in, the steering is direct and talkative for a front-wheeler. The car stays flat and the stability control remains unintrusive. For its specs and price, it’s a surprisingly adept performer.
At least until you start loading it up, anyway. The engine downsize hasn’t come entirely without compromise. Put four big humans in it and it starts to feel the weight, dropping back a ratio or two at the threat of anything more than a couple of degrees’ incline.
If it really matters, an extra $3K gets you 45 extra kilowatts (177) and 80 extra Newtons (320) in the 2.0-litre T5.
For interior space, S60 stands up well against its competitors. Especially in the rear, which is wide enough for two grown-ups in comfort, or a third if the journey’s not too long. There’s decent legroom without forcing the front passenger into the glove-box, and decent ventilation care of vents on the B-pillar.
Past that, if you’ve read our coverage of the S60 before, you’ll already know that inside it is a nice place to be. Distinguished by Volvo’s hallmark floating centre console panel and a proliferation of soft-but-strong plastics. Ergonomics are generally excellent – they’ve long been a Volvo strong point (they’ve come a long way since those horrible bean-bag seats in early 240 models). With loads of adjustment scope for height and reach in the wheel, it’s easy for most anyone to find a decent driving position.
There’s good news here, too, in that the new base model doesn’t bring the S60 downmarket in any way. It’s beautifully screwed together, exuding that solidity the Germans and Swedes have always done so well.
Equipment levels match the costlier T5. This is to say it’s as well kitted out for the money as you’d expect in such a competitive environment. Inside, you get full leather with a power adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, an auto-dimming mirror and a decent audio package with Bluetooth streaming.
Outside you get 17-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers. All models now have regenerative braking and Volvo’s City Safety system, which uses a laser to detect obstacles uncomfortably close ahead and jam on the brakes to avoid them.
This is a Volvo, so five-star safety is a given, with front, side and full curtain airbags, front-seat whiplash protection and all the usual underbody electronics supporting a terrific set of anchors.
In true primo-Euro fashion you can gussy it up in all sorts of ways, too. And true to that sector’s credo, it costs. Some examples: lights that look round corners $2650; timber trim upgrades $700; premium audio upgrade $1425; sat nav $4175; electrically adjustable passenger seat $2075; reversing camera $795; electric sunroof $2650; heated seats, front and rear $325 each; adaptive cruise $4175; lane departure warning $2075; BLIS blind-spot monitoring $1275. Metallic paint? An unpleasant $1550. And so on.
Alternatively, an extra $5K gets you the Teknik package which bundles sat nav, trim upgrades, BLIS blind spot monitoring and cornering headlights. Do the maths: against the individual component prices, it’s compelling buying.
The 380-litre boot doesn’t top the class, but it’s big enough, and the rear seatback splits 60/40 for Ikea sprees. Beneath it, predictably, there’s no spare, just a goo bottle and an air pump.
Although it’s not without its compromises, the S60 T4 is a well developed, well balanced package of muscle with fuel economy, space, equipment, build quality and price, wrapped in sheet metal that’s pitch-perfect for its sector.
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