Volvo S60 Just Keeps Getting Better
Okay, so I’ve fallen in love with a Swedish model. It’s something that usually happens to a fortunate few such as the rich, the extremely lucky, the famous, or the powerful, but hardly ever to a lowly auto writer.
This relationship has been ongoing for a few years now, going back to the day I was introduced to this lovely Goteborg model—Volvo’s S60 midsize sedan.
Our first date was a two-day drive through the mountains and high country north of Salt Lake City, Utah, and into Wyoming.
That experience was memorable; however, I came down with pneumonia after a week at altitude and then enduredsome overcrowded airports waiting for connecting flights home.Truth be told, it kind of took some of the excitement out of our relationship.
Now, several years later, I expected my next date with a Swede would be with Volvo’s just-introduced and redesigned XC-90 SUV. Volvo dealers have lusted after this long-awaited new SUV model, one they anticipate will “really be going places’’ both sales-wise and as a go-anywhere capable vehicle.
Instead,my date turned out to be a reunion with that old flame, the seriously refreshed 2015.5 S60 T6 Drive-E sedan. Our test car was a front-wheel-drive model with the new Drive-E 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that sends 302 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque through a new 8-speed automatic transmission.
The engine has both a turbocharger and supercharger, resulting in instant response while still returning fuel economy ratings of 24 mpg in city driving, 35 on the highway, and 28 combined.
An ECO+ feature offers a 5 percent improvement in fuel economy with start/stop technology combined with ECO-coast, which disengages engine braking while coasting, and ECO-climate, which disconnects the air-conditioning compressor to reduce auxiliary loads on the engine.
This luxury vehicle comes in 11 variants with our T6 Drive-E well up in the hierarchy. The starting price is $39,925 (including destination). Our test vehicle had a bunch of packages: Platinum, Technology, Climate, and Blind Spot, plus 19-inch diamond-cut wheels and metallic paint for a bottom line of $47,575.
Not many vehicles get a ½ designation after their model year. The one that comes immediately to mind is the iconic 1964½ Mustang. We all know what the Mustang did for Ford.
If Ford hadn’t sold off Volvo to Chinese auto giant Geely, this S60 could be sharing some of its envelope-pushing safety features with the products coming out of Dearborn, Michigan.
Instead, Volvo is following its DNA, which always has been safety.From its introduction of the three-point safety belt 55 years ago to rollover prevention systems to its current City Safety automatic braking system, Volvo always has put safety first, for years putting styling on the back burner and building boxy vehicles.Indeed, the company is on a serious quest to reach the future day when it can say no one will be killed in an accident “inVolvoing’’ one of its vehicles.
Safety systems on our S60 included pedestrian/cyclist detection and collision warning, both with auto braking; lane-keeping aid, lane-changing merge aid, extended-range blind spot warning, auto high beams, adaptive cruise control, distance alert and driver alert for tired/distracted drivers.
Back in 2003, Volvo noted that it had 500 documented members of a “Volvo Saved My Life Club,’’—owners who had written letters to the company (all documented) saying they credited their Volvo for saving them from a fatal accident.
As for styling, Volvo engineers have mastered contemporary exterior design. The current S60 is lower and wider with a larger Ironmark, the company’s signature bar and badge logo. Stylists continue to tweak Volvo’sfunctional and unique interior look, always adding to the driver-information technology that in many cases is related to its safety initiatives..
Volvo’s simple and very Scandinavian center stack long has been among my favorites, giving its vehicles a timeless style and functionality that stands apart from the competition. There are clearly marked buttons and knobs to control audio, navigation, and climate controls. Best of all, the way it works has remained basically the same.
Simple doesn’t mean inexpensive (think high-end Scandinavian furniture). Volvo’s interior is a classy combination of leather, wood, and metal. Getting behind the wheel is like visiting a good friend, and the semi-hidden storage space behind that slanted center stack is a great spot to stash wallet, phone, and keys on a long drive.
On the road, handling was a nice combination of comfort and firmness. If you want more of a sport sedan, there’s the R-Design performance version that amps up both power and sport suspension.
Volvo provided detailed instructions on downloading a smartphone app for its new Sensus connectivity system.
Unfortunately and unbeknownst to me, my iPhone downloaded a second app icon, and I spent six of my seven days with the car trying to access the system via the wrong one, easily managing to register the car in my name for roadside assistance and maintenance.
Mrs. G laughed at my ineptitude and refused to let me sit in the car “playing computer’’ for too long.
By the time I realized what had happened, my PIN had expired and I became a compute reject.
That’s a shame because the Ericsson mobile system offers an on-screen owner’s manual, and apps for music and services such as Stitcher, Pandora, and Yelp. There’s also Volvo OnCall with SOS, automatic collision alert, and GPS location tracking for emergency responders. The driver also can activate a WiFi hotspot for passengers. It was enough to make me want a makeup date with this “model’’ sedan.
2015.5 Volvo T6 Drive-E
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination): $39,925/$47,575.Fuel economy, EPA estimated: 24 city/35 highway/28 combined.Fuel economy, Globe observed: 28.2 mpg.Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged 4-cylinder, 8-speed automatic transmission, FWD.
Body: 5-passenger sedan.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 302.Torque: 295 lb.-ft.Overall length: 182.5 in.Wheelbase: 109.3 in.Height: 58.4 in.Width: 73.4 in.Curb weight: 3,472 lbs.
THE GOOD
Great new powertrain, top safety scores and features, luxurious cabin.
THE BAD
Confusing Drive-E designation; learning curve with Sensus infotainment system.
THE BOTTOM LINE
A significant upgrade to an already outstanding sedan.
ALSO CONSIDER
Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q50, Lexus IS 250, Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
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