2012 Volvo S60 T4 Review and Road Test

The S60 is to Volvo what the C-Class is to Mercedes-Benz and the 3-Series is to BMW…but from $48,990, the Swede presents an alluring value-for-money story. Stylish, fast and fuel-efficient the Volvo S60 underlines just how good Volvo’s current range really is and a worthy contender in the European prestige compact sedan segment.

 

Now owned by China’s Geely, Volvo under the direction of its enigmatic German chief Stefan Jacoby, is showing steely resolve to be one of Europe’s best. With hallmark engineering and quality wherever you look, the Volvo S60 is an important chapter in the Volvo story.

Volvo S60 T4 Overview

Car Showroom tested the Volvo S60 with the latest T4 1.6-litre engine. This is the entry-level S60 model and, priced at $48,990, represents tremendous buying in the European prestige compact sedan segment.

The turbocharged 1.6-litre engine brings surprising performance and fuel economy to the S60 which stands-out in the Euro sedan segment thanks to its ground-breaking ‘coupe-like’ style. In fact the rakish S60 makes another bold statement about the ‘new’ Volvo – the Swedish giant now presenting a range of vehicles with cutting-edge looks and technology. 

And Volvo being Volvo, the S60 comes with a raft of safety features which could fill a book – City Safety, ABS anti-lock brakes with Ready Alert Brakes (RAB), flashing emergency brake lights, Side Impact Protection System with front seat airbags to supplement the dual-stage front and side curtain airbags just for starters.

Adaptive Cruise Control with queue assist and pedestrian detection is a $4,175 option, Lane Departure Warning is available for $2,075 and Blind Spot Information System can be added for $1,275.

Volvo S60 T4 Engine

As part of the most recent upgrades, Volvo boosted the S60 lineup with the addition of two new engines – the D3 five-cylinder turbo-diesel and the 1.6-litre T4 four-cylinder turbocharged petrol we tested.

Maximum power for the T4 is 132kW at 5700rpm and peak torque of 240Nm is delivered between 1600 and 5000rpm. Drive is via Volvo’s six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

Ever-toughening European standards for emissions and fuel-consumption see Volvo – like all the European brands – focusing engine development in these areas. Typically Volvo, the S60 T4 is impressive with combined cycle fuel consumption of 7.4l/100kms and exhaust emissions of 173g/km.

Bring all that together and you have a low fuel consumption premium European sedan and a pleasingly rapid Volvo – zero to 100km/h in 9.0 seconds is in the ball-park with more expensive BMW 3-Series and Audi A4.

Volvo S60 T4 The Interior

Wow, what a transformation. Some 10 years ago Volvo was probably at the back of the European pack for interior design – but today the opposite is true and the Volvo S60 illustrates the point perfectly. 

There’s a real driver-focused/sporty feel about the Volvo S60 which is evident as soon as you climb inside. It’s the good-looking leather seats and the way the instruments, audio and climate controls are all smartly laid-out.

As well as oozing Scandinavian design, the front seats are cleverly sculptured for support and with electronic adjustment combining with rake/reach adjustment for the stylish leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, a sporty driving position is easily achieved. We liked the classy look for the conventional gauges (another area where Volvo has really lifted its game). 

As part of the recent updates, Volvo fitted the S60 with improved audio – an eight-speaker DVD/MP3 system with Bluetooth compatibility, a seven-inch colour screen and inputs for AUX and iPods. Satellite navigation is a $4,175 option.

Rear seats are comfortable and match most rivals for legroom.

And the boot? Tick ‘large’

Volvo S60 T4 Exterior & Styling

Staid, conservative Volvo gave the European compact sedan market a jolt when the S60 first appeared. In a segment dominated by ‘corporate’ designs, the Volvo S60 stands out with its rakish good looks.

‘Coupe-style’ sedans are today’s automotive buzzwords and the S60 is clearly in that genre…but remember this is Volvo, the hitherto conservative Swede. 

The S60 has it all – it’s sleek and modern with highlights coming from that curved roof, prominent waistline curves and athletic rear-end.

And the front-end is up there with the best of the current designs thanks to prominent bonnet sculpturing, large, modern headlights and a very stylish blending of the grille and bumper.

Volvo S60 T4 rides on stylish 17-inch ‘Njord’ design alloy wheels.

Volvo S60 T4 On The Road

A baking hot Melbourne in late summer is about as far removed from Sweden in…well any time of the year really. But that was our week in the Volvo S60 T4 – tick the air-con it works well.

But varying seasonal European road conditions bring out the best in chassis and suspension engineering and Volvo is no exception. Over our high-speed mountain roads test loop, the Volvo S60 T4 knuckled-down to the tasks at hand with typical Volvo precision.

The MacPherson strut front/multi-link rear suspension is impressively tuned (remember the same basic set-up is also used for the high-performance T6 models) with usual European stiffness on compression for a firm/sporty ride. Volvo S60 still runs electro-hydraulic power steering (no pure electric system yet) – nevertheless feedback was good at both high and low speeds. 

Volvo’s 1.6-litre turbo four responded well when whipped and the ratios in the six-speed Powershift auto were nicely spaced and shifted with a reassuring solidity. Overall in the twisty stuff, the Volvo S60, while not quite as sharp as the BMW 3-Series, was still a car which enthusiast drivers (who proliferate in the European compact sedan market) will enjoy.

Back in the city (as it was in mountains) the Volvo S60 T4 was nicely refined with pleasant isolation from outside noise – in fact the Volvo felt more refined than some pricier rivals.

Volvo S60 T4 Challenges

But the stylish Swede was surprisingly cumbersome in our admittedly ridiculously tight CBD carpark where an 11.9-metre turning circle was at odds with its otherwise compact dimensions. Volvo does everything well and we were surprised when required to make hard work getting into tight confines.

Volvo S60 T4 Verdict

We love prestige European compact sedans, not only for their dynamic drives but also the contemporary technology and safety they bring to the table. By any measure the Volvo S60 belongs in this league and in that context its $48,990 sticker is a genuine bargain.

In fact there’s a lot to like about Volvo’s entire product range at the moment. 

So you consider the powerful/economical 1.6-litre T4 engine and all the safety technology which is the Volvo DNA…yep the S60 has all that and drives great as well.

But on top of all that the Volvo S60 just looks so damned good you simply must put it on your shopping list.

Volvo S60 T4 The Competition

We’re massive fans of the latest Mercedes-Benz C-Class – the most recent styling changes bringing much-need athleticism to the looks. The turbocharged 1.8-litre C200 marginally outguns the Volvo S60 with 135kW/270Nm but the starting price is almost $10K north at $58,600.

Same for the latest BMW 3-Series – arguably the driving dynamics front runner in this segment. BMW’s 2.0-litre turbocharged 320i matches the Mercedes-Benz C200 right down to the kilowatt and newton-metre but is $1,000 cheaper at $57,600 (still $8,610 more expensive than the Volvo S60 T4).

Audi’s A4 surprises with handy interior dimensions, but the entry-level 1.8T’s 118kW/250Nm is out-punched by the Volvo S60 T4. To match the Swede under the bonnet you’ll need the $58,900 Audi A4 2.0T with 132kW/320Nm from its turbo-four.