Volvo S60

Volvo S60 Models

Three Volvo S60 models are available: the 2.4, 2.4T and T5. The big difference between models is the difference in horsepower.

The 2.4 comes with a 2.4-liter five-cylinder engine (yes, five cylinders) that produces 168 horsepower and 170 pounds-feet of torque.

The 2.4T uses a low-pressure turbocharger to generate 197 horsepower and 210 pounds-feet of torque; and that torque comes on at a much lower engine speed (1800 rpm instead of 4500 rpm), giving this model much better acceleration away from those intersections.

The mighty T5 uses a high-pressure turbo to produce 247 horsepower and 243 pounds-feet of torque for quick, turbocharged throttle response.

All Volvo S60 models get a raft of safety and security items: front, side and head airbags up front; seats that move to reduce whiplash problems; an immobilizer and an alarm; a Safe Approach and Home Safe Lighting System; five head restraints; and anti-lock disc brakes. The T5 model comes standard with traction control; and a Dynamic Stability system is an option.

Convenience features common to every Volvo S60 include power windows, trunk release and door locks, illuminated visor mirrors, a trunk light, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a pollen filter, air conditioning, cupholders, and remote keyless entry.

Driving the Volvo S60

Bopping along a highway is where the S60's real role in Volvo's pantheon becomes obvious. The Swedes clearly mean for this car to be seen as a sports sedan in the same general class as the BMW 3 Series, which is the hallmark of this segment.

Like everyone else who takes a shot at the 3 Series, Volvo falls short. Exactly how short depends greatly on which engine you choose and how hard you like to push your car.

If you are one of those folks who likes to talk about driving at 9/10ths or 10/10ths or 11/10ths of your car's limits, then you are probably a man with the usual range of inadequacy issues. You probably also care that it's a front-drive car, since that cuts down on the ability to let the rear end slide out in a hard turn. There is some body lean in hard corners and the suspension is tuned more for a soft ride than for quick transient maneuvers. In that regard, it's no 3 Series.

The Volvo S60 does a great job of filtering out road vibration, an important feature where potholes and washboard surfaces abound. With its soft suspension, it should be a comfortable car on gravel roads, though we didn't test this.

If you drive it sensibly, you will find that the S60 is more competent in all situations than like-sized sedans from American or Japanese car companies. This can be reassuring, even if you don't drive hard. There's no sense that the S60's going to do something stupid if it hits a bump or a patch of ice and head immediately for the ditch. However, an exorbitant application of power can be a little tricky on some surfaces because the front wheels have to look after the propulsion and the steering at the same time.

The T5 produces prodigious thrust from its high-pressure turbocharger. Mash the gas and it takes off, with some slight turbo lag. It's fun. One of the great features of Volvo's turbocharged engines is that, if you're driving sensibly, there's little penalty in terms of fuel economy: When equipped with the manual transmission, the T5 gets 28/23 mpg, which is the same as the 2.4T, and just one point down from the highway rating for the 2.4.

The shifter is a bit clunky. And the brakes are on the spongy side, making it hard to coordinate heel-and-toe downshifts.