2010 Volvo S60 Reviews

Try as it might Volvo can't seem to shake its reputation for being boring and stodgy, even though the company is now part of the Ford empire and its cars are closely related to models carrying the blue oval.NEWUnder the Ford banner the cars carrying the Volvo slash are a far cry from the old Volvos, but still it seems the Volvo badge is enough to deter possible buyers from stopping off at its dealerships when out shopping for a prestige car.Take, for instance, the mid-sized S60 sedan, which is a well equipped, decent driving, attractive car by any measure, and yet it struggles for traction against rivals from BMW and Audi and the like that are the new aspirational makes.With the choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive the S60 chassis is capable of handling any type of road that comes its way with impressive aplomb. Equipped with ABS brakes and stability control there are no situations it can't deal with safely. Show it a flowing road and it comes up trumps.Not only does it handle impressively it also rides well, soaking up all sorts of road surfaces without fuss. If it drives nicely it also looks good with its distinctively Volvo front, smooth flowing lines and athletic profile.There's a good choice of petrol and diesel engines to give you the performance or economy you want, starting with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four through to a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, with a couple of five-cylinder turbo-diesels in the midst of the range. Some criticised the auto transmission, which was said to be slow reacting and was often found wanting in its gear selection.NOWThe S60 released in 2010 is still relatively new to the market having been on the road for only a couple of years or so, so it's to be expected that there will be few reports of problems and our research with Volvo service specialists suggest that there is little to report at this stage of the car's life.Even though it's early days for the S60 it's still important that any car under consideration for purchase be checked for condition. It would be unusual for a car so new to be neglected when it comes to servicing, but it's still better to check its service record rather than assuming it has been done. Check inside and out for any signs of wear and tear that might bring the value down.It's also worth mentioning at this stage that with the Volvo brand on the nose with many people, rightly or wrongly, the resale value can be adversely affected. That applies equally when you're buying and when you are selling.It also needs to be noted that the S60 doesn't have a spare wheel, and there's no provision for carrying one. The only option is to carry a can of puncture repair foam.SMITHY SAYSLook beyond the brand and you'll find a decent car in the S60. Take a look.Volvo S60Price new: $51,990 to $69,990Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 132 kW/240 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 177 kW/320 Nm; 3.0-litre V6 turbo, 224 kW/440 Nm; 2.0-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 120 kW/400 Nm; 2.4-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 151 kW/420 NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWD, AWDEconomy: 7.4 L/100 km (T4), 8.6 L/100 km (T5), 10.2 L/100 km (T6), 5.9 L/100 km (D3), 7.1 L/100 km (D5)Body: 4-door sedanVariants: T4, T5, T6, D3, D5Safety: 5-star ANCAPCOMING UPHave you bought a Great Wall ute? If so tell us what you think of it by sending your comments to Graham Smith at grah.smith@bigpond.com or Carsguide, PO Box 4245, Sydney, NSW, 2010.

It's "naughty". Apparently. Volvo’s new S60, that is. Well, that’s what they say.S'pose it’s all relative. The look and dynamics of this fairly sleek sedan are unremarkable next to the (mainly German) rivals Volvo pitches it against, but by its own relentlessly stolid standards, the S60 may indeed seem just a touch roguish – like wearing a yellow cardigan instead of beige.VALUELooks good initially. Not so good the longer you look.The range starts at $51,950 for the T5, $57,950 for the D5 diesel topped off by the T6 at $64,950. The first is front-wheel driven; the others get all-paw traction. Irritatingly the T5 (in fact, a direct injection turbo charged four with a twin clutch auto – not a five pot as the name suggests), isn’t due until early in the New Year.Those prices put the S60 right in among the 3 Series, C-Class and A4. Volvo reckon they hold the whip hand in terms of power for the price, but are prestige punters going to be swayed by kilowatts?   The options are many and varied. Tick a few and the driveaway price goes north fast. TECHNOLOGYThe S60 is bursting with tech, most of it safety related, almost all of it optional.Not all the wizardry revolves around stopping the car, however. Drive-enhancing devices attached to the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control variously vector torque in the ever alert all-wheel-drive system and even permit some loosening of the restraints, though the electronic chaperones are never entirely absent.On the whole, it’s a sound set up DESIGNHere’s a Volvo that invites you to look again. While the C30 is funky only from the C-pillar back, the S60 has flowing lines that, if hardly revolutionary, are something of a revelation for Volvo.It’s even better within; thrones made for grand touring comfort ahead of pews with more leg and head room than the pert rear third suggests from outside. The now familiar floating centre console is shrouded with too many buttons and dials for the sake of elegance, though materials and finish rival the Audi benchmark.SAFETYFor all the preening on its admittedly impressive (though costly optional), active and passive safety measures, there is no spare tyre. None. Not even a well in which one can be accommodated.Nor, as is the case with BMW, are the standard tyres of the run flat variety. These provide at least the possibility of lasting until civilisation is reached. The S60’s are conventional 17 or 18-inch Continental or Pirelli rubber.Your solution in the event of a flat or puncture? A can of sealant, a call to roadside assist and an indeterminate wait for a suitable replacement.No fog lights either, for any money. The electro hydraulic steering unit apparently takes up too much space.Against that, the standard fitting of City Safety, which automatically brakes the car to a halt if the driver fails to react to an imminent low speed bingle, is outstanding.Adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection system, blind spot information system and lane departure warning can be had in an optional $5000 package.DRIVINGDynamically are also an obvious step forward for the brand.You gotta have faith in your car to showcase it on Tasmania’s Targa roads. The S60 goes some way to rewarding it with AWD that sends all the torque either forward or aft, a quick-witted system that imbues you with confidence and permits rapid cornering with complete surety. The T6 makes by far the best of it, with almost instant response as it launches onto the straights.Even on its 18s, ride is exceptionally composed while delivering ample feedback through a fist-filling steering wheel that weights up meaningfully with speed. But the Geartronic automatic just isn’t with the program, reacting especially slowly with the diesel, hunting for gears in drive and not entirely satisfactory even when held in sport mode and prodded manually.Again you’re left wondering how the twin-clutch version would go.VERDICTA leap forward for Volvo that doesn’t advance the game.VOLVO S60Price: $57,950 (D5); $64,950 (T6)Engine: 2.4-litre 5-cylinder turbo diesel (151kW/420Nm); 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo petrol (224kW/440Nm)Transmission: 6-speed automaticThirst: 7.1L/100km (diesel); 10.2L/100km (T6)

The revolution at Volvo has stepped up a gear with the arrival of its new S60.