There is something about Volvos that makes me predisposed to liking them. When picking out their list of priorities, Volvo got it just right. They’re not necessarily the cars festooning bedroom walls, but out in the real world, they’re the cars we need.
Obviously this brings up some concerns about an unbiased assessment of the new Volvo S60. But the car may have lost ground in the time it has taken to reach us, where it meets with some seriously capable competition.
The new S60 then, has the daunting task of being a great Volvo, but a worthy alternative to the big German giants of industry that it has steadfastly held its own against for decades.
It looks good. Not sensational, but pleasing to the eye. Like a Rembrandt in a room filled with Sydney Pollocks and Picassos, it doesn’t confound, provoke or inspire. Instead it comforts and assuages, and that is exactly what is needed in an era of oversized grilles, rims and air dams.
It is old-school handsome, this car, with just the right proportions, muscle and flair. The “Thor’s hammer” headlamps are the first bit of design that speak to you, followed by the tapering waistline and greenhouse.
If anything, the S60 has dialled-up the testosterone just a tad bit, when compared to its predecessor, in a bid to stick-it to all the crossovers and SUVs that seem to be flooding the market. Big ups for Scandinavian design.
The S60 is available in T4 guise only, for the moment. This means a 2.0-litre, turbo-charged petrol motor putting out 190bhp. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and remains front-wheel driven so a hooligan is not. Right from the word-go, this is a car that prioritizes comfort over outright speed.
That isn’t to say this isn’t an engaging car to drive. The seats are softer than what is standard for European cars, including the rear seats. There is a feeling of placidity that engulfs you the moment you settle into the driver’s seat, and it continues as you engage the gear shifter into ‘D’.
The gearbox feels effortlessly smooth, and only gets rattled when you floor it. It doesn’t like immediacy but it does its darndest to get up to speed. No, the S60 doesn’t like being rushed, certainly not with this inline-4 motor powering it.
The T5 gives it a healthier 250bhp, but there is no word on whether that will be coming to India. For the moment, we’ll have to make do with the T4’s pedestrian 190bhp.
That sort of power figure isn’t to be scoffed at, because the S60 does enjoy speed. It is just that its dynamism will always be its second most enjoyable attribute, because you’ll be just so grateful for the way it rides. Volvo has absolutely nailed the suspension setup, and that’s a key differentiator for a car in its class.
It is not bothered with Autobahn-worthy lane changing abilities, or B-road corner-carving. Although it displays no lack of composure in hard cornering, there is some body-roll, which only goes to prove how sensible it is. Because ultimately what is expected of it, more specifically, its suspension, is total disregard for self-preservation.
It is softly sprung enough to eat-up the horrors offered to it from our patchwork road surfaces, on a continuous basis. And it continues to drive on, completely nonplussed. The engine is quiet, refined and unobtrusive in a typically Volvo way. Even the “ding” of the speed limit indicator, is a gentle one.
If you’ve taken a peek into the interiors of the XC90, V90 Cross Country or any other Volvo, the S60’s interiors will feel familiar. A large, 12.3-inch portrait touchscreen unit breaks up the dash.
It is a tactile and legible unit, if not the most subtle one. What it takes away in terms of aesthetics, it makes up in sheer usability. The interface is intuitive, easy to operate, with all functions from music to toggling “cornering lights” “start/stop function” available on the three pages on display. If there is anything that takes some time to figure out, it is the car’s own SatNav display.
However, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both available, and the wireless charging tray is placed in a way that makes the phone easily accessible.
The S60, like all Volvos, switches the Bowers & Wilkins system for a Harmon Kardon one – not ideal, but with 14 speakers, it certainly gets the job done.
The speaker count aside, S60 manages to be on the right side of minimalism and by simply focussing on essentials – comfy seats, softly sprung suspension, it quietly dismantles any argument in favour of a gizmo-heavy affair. Safety being the brand’s USP, the front seats are whiplash resistant, in the event that your car is rear-ended.
The seatbelts have automatic pre-tensioners, should the car’s electronic systems consider a collision imminent. The car’s even designed to contact emergency services immediately, though I didn’t quite put that to the test.
And while Volvo isn’t going to deploy the full gamut of its autonomous tech, the T4 Inscription trim does get automatic brake mitigation and lane assist, both of which can be turned off using the dash-mounted infotainment screen.
Of course, the value of the S60 will be ascertained by its price, which is expected to be around the Rs 45 lakh mark (ex-showroom). If it does indeed undercut its Teutonic rivals by a considerable margin, it is the most obvious choice, because you’re getting so much car for the money. Because the Volvo S60 is everything you want a luxury car to be – quiet, understated, comfortable and sensible.
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