Volvo S60 2011 Review

Who said the Swedes were a war-fearing nation? It made a mother of all warships in the 17th century and, to really scare the bejesus out of its enemies, the king loaded it up with 64 huge cannon. The result was a floating armament store, piled with all types of weapons to make life unpleasant for anyone who attacked. 

No-one did because on the morning of August 10, 1628, only 1300m after exiting the Stockholm harbour on its maiden voyage to the cheers of the Swedes, it promptly rolled over and sank. A hull too narrow, too much heavy-calibre cannon sitting high above the waterline and open lower gunports contributed to the Vasa's sinking and much egg on the face of King Gustav II Adolf. 

VALUE 

The four-cylinder S60 T5 costs $51,950 which is pretty good value compared with its rivals. Shoppers would probably hunt down a BMW or Audi first but really, in comparison, the feature list of the Volvo is longer. The Volvo's turbocharged engine will also give most similarly-priced rivals a real run for their money.

Standard gear includes a huge list of safety equipment, but closer to your fingertips are things like rear park sensors, electric park brake, auto wipers (but no auto lights), Bluetooth/iPod/USB connectivity and leather upholstery.

DESIGN

Grandma wouldn't recognise this as a Volvo. It's sleek, with a gently sloped roof ending in a neat boot line, and has a broad grille that hints at Simon Templar's P1800. It's not a big car - think Mazda6 or Camry - and has similar cabin space, though the full-grain leather is a treat and the dashboard is beautifully simple and has that look of quality.

True, there's no room for a spare wheel but Volvo will happily strap a space-saver to the cargo floor. Truly, if Hyundai can fit full-size spares in its light-car Accent, surely clever Volvo can find space?

TECHNOLOGY

The fact this is powered by a 2-litre four cylinder engine and yet is sprightly and even fun to drive, is remarkable in itself. Most of the news is in this car's safety technology starting with the standard City Safety which automatically brakes the car at low speeds when it sensors something ahead.

There's lots of no-cost gear on the T5 and if you want more, the safety package of  adaptive cruise control, collision warning with full auto brake, queue assist, pedestrian detection, blind-spot information system and lane departure warning with driver alert control will add a reasonable $5400.

SAFETY

Volvo and safety are synonymous. Aficionados of the marque reckon Volvo is Swedish for "safe" - in fact, it loosely translates as "I roll" - which is reflected in the car's five-star crash rating, a textbook list of passenger cell features designed to protect life, a chassis full of electronics and even the nimbleness to get out of the way of an impending accident. For the record, standard equipment includes City Safety, brake-ready alert, ESC and emergency brake assist.

DRIVING

The feeling of solidity has never left Volvo, even from the first time you open the door. The car is built strong, feels confident and safe and is always comfortable and quiet so it doesn't upset the occupants. On paper the 2-litre T5 has a few things against it - perceptions of power being one - but those quickly vanish.

The steering is a bit light and vague but it tracks corners perfectly and holds its line very well regardless of the road surface. The six-speed dual-clutch box allows some degree of sporty driving but overall, this is better as a cruiser. The dash controls are big, well marked and easy to use and the visibility is pretty good - all combine to package up the car as one that is simple and easy to drive. 

VERDICT

If you're still slagging off against Volvos you're a dinosaur. Get with the times and appreciate that Volvos are now stylish, affordable and even fun.

VOLVO S60 T5

Price: $51,990
Warranty: 3 years, unlimited km
Resale: 56%
Service Interval: 15,000km or 12 months
Economy: 8.6 l/100km; 204g/km CO2
Safety Equipment: six airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC. Crash rating 5 star
Engine: 177kW/320Nm 2-litre 4-cyl turbo-petrol 
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch auto
Body: 4-door, 5 seats
Dimensions: 4628 (L); 1865mm (W); 1484mm (H); 2776mm (WB)
Weight: 1542kg
Tyre size: 235/45R17 Spare tyre none

Others to consider

AUDI A4 1.8 TFSI

Price: $55,700
Engine: 1.8-litre, 4-cyl turbo-petrol, 118kW/250Nm
Trans: CVT auto, front drive
Body: 4-door sedan
Thirst: 7.2L/100km, CO2 169g/km
"Top quality but engine/gearbox combo is sleepy while rivals are
offering more value"

BMW 320i

Price: $56,100
Engine: 2-litre, 4-cyl petrol, 115kW/200Nm
Trans: 6-speed auto, rear drive
Body: 4-door sedan
Thirst: 7.6L/100km, CO2 176g/km
"Hard to see the value here. New model around the corner"

LEXUS IS 250

Price: $55,800
Engine: 2.5-litre, V6 petrol, 153kW/252Nm
Trans: 6-spd auto, rear drive
Body: 4-door sedan
Thirst: 9.1L/100km, CO2 214g/km
"Top quality, feature-filled sedan that's a nice drive backed by slick
service/warranty/customer care program. Winner"