Volvo's compact S60 sedan takes Volvo's reputation for safety technology and adds their newfound style to the exterior and interior. It's been in the Volvo lineup long enough that the platform is still shared with some small Land Rovers, but it has seen styling and feature updates since then. The car still looks elegant, and the safety features have been updated more quickly than the sheet metal.
The S60 is a solid cruiser, but it's not a corner carver. It's less BMW 3 series and more Mercedes C-class. Think Scandinavian Cadillac ATS, but with a nicer interior and every safety feature that the engineers could think of. The front seats are some of the most comfortable in the industry, but the rear seat could use some more space.
Inside there are clean backlit gauges, excellent use of colours and design, with well thought out materials and textures. Once place the sedan does show
some age is here, where the displays are small and the buttons crowded.
For 2017, the engine choices have been cut down. Where there were previously nine models and three engines, there is now just one engine and two drive choices. The engine is a 2.0L four-cylinder. The base T5 gets a turbocharged version that produces 250 hp and 258 lb-ft. The T6 adds a supercharger, so the engine has both a turbo and a supercharger and makes 302 hp and 295 lb-ft. Finally, the high-performance Polestar version boosts that to 367 hp and 347 lb-ft. The base T5 has front-wheel drive, the rest have all-wheel drive. All use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The base T5 Drive-E FWD has power and heated front seats, 17-inch alloys, power windows, automatic wipers, T-Tec cloth seats, and LED daytime running lights. It includes Volvo City Safety which detects pedestrians or cyclists. It will automatically brake to avoid them, and will also brake if it thinks you are about to turn into another car. Xenon headlights are available, there is also a climate package that comes with a heated steering wheel, windshield and rear seats, and Volvo's interior air quality system that monitors the incoming air and will close the exterior vents if it detects too much carbon monoxide, ozone, and other gasses.
A blind spot information system (BLIS) package adds Volvo's blind spot alerts along with parking sensors. Park assist pilot can be added to this and will park the car for you.
T5 Premier adds leather seating. It makes has the climate and BLIS packages available, but also adds a convenience package option which includes power folding mirrors, accent lighting, rear-view camera, and homelink door opener. Premier also has a technology package option that gives radar cruise control with distance alert and stop-and-go traffic capability. A T5 Special Edition adds all-wheel drive along with all of the available option packages.
T6 Drive-E is all-wheel drive only and adds 18-inch wheels to go along with the more powerful engine. It has leather seating, a power glass sunroof, sports seats, and more chrome. The convenience, technology, climate, and BLIS packages are all available options, as is a Harman Kardon premium audio system. T6 R-Design is the sportier T6 model. It adds sportier springs and damping along with a unique front spoiler. There are special seats, instrument cluster design, and black and aluminum trim. The technology, climate, and BLIS systems are all optional.
Finally, the top trim Polestar is the one that Volvo is sending after the German sport sedans. To get the extra power, the engine has a new turbo, new camshafts, and a bigger fuel pump. It also gets modifications to the all-wheel drive system and eight-speed transmission to improve performance. It has bigger brakes and Ohlins dampers behind 20-inch alloys to help it turn and stop as well as it goes. Inside there are fake suede seats with big bolsters and carbon trim.
The S60 T5 is rated to get 9.6 L/100 km city, 7.0 highway. T6 models are rated for 10.9/7.7, and the Polestar is rated at 11.8/8.5.
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