I’ve yet to be disappointed by a Volvo and the first drive of the all new S60 once more drives home my impression of the brand – premium performance at family level pricing. In other words, Volvo provides a great deal of value for the dollar.
Leaving the parking lot in our Newberg, Oregon launch headquarters, the torque of the new S60 was immediately evident. Turning onto the highway and pressing the accelerator produced dynamic results as I shot forward, then quickly glanced ahead and to the sides for traffic enforcement vehicles.
The 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline six instantly showed that modern six-bangers are far more peppy than vintage eights. This engine hid 300 horses and a galloping 325 lb.-ft. of torque under the hood.
I was hoping for some winding mountain roads with a trip through the Cascades so I could test the road hugging prowess of this new Volvo and was rewarded with a mixture of highway straitaways as well as more than a few fantastic hairpin turns throughout the adventure.
Passing, even up significant grades, was effortless with the ability to rocket from 50 to 90 mph close to instantaneous. Heading around hairpins billed as 20 mph max was a joy as this Volvo’s improved steering ratio, stiffened suspension, and traction control made the road grip certain at more than double the recommended speeds.
I did note a real “oneness” with the road where the surface differed from ironed glass. Any variation in roadway composition provided a subtle rumble that one does not expect in a luxury vehicle. The good news is that anyone wishing to avoid the sound and the “feel of the road” can easily avoid it by selecting the “comfort” setting rather than the sport or advanced mode made possible when they are driving a the model with the Four-C active chassis system.
Volvo compensates for different buyers with three completely different chassis choices. Consumers would be wise to test drive all three variations to insure their temperament is matched. A Touring, a Dynamic and a Four-C are all available on North American models. Both the Dynamic and the Touring are no cost options while the Four-C is an addition to the base model. For those unsure of which choice to make due to limited testing roadways, the Touring model is the one that is tuned to provide the smoothest ride on poor road surfaces.
While the styling is unmistakably Volvo, I was surprised at the large changes in this new generation versus the previous one. To me, the most striking difference is across the front of the vehicle, which seems to be smiling at oncoming traffic.
The eyebrow-style headlights wrap upward blending into the front sides of the vehicle from the front. The grill seems more than double the size of that on the previous model and the iron mark logo in the center remains unmistakably Volvo.
Technological advances and safety pre-eminence have always been synonymous with the brand and the newest S60 continues in that vein. No Volvo launch would be complete without journalists trying to mow down a pedestrian (a model rather than a real person) and a test of the newest pedestrian detection and auto braking system. Although accidents involving pedestrians are not everyday news, about 4,700 walking Americans are killed each year by motor vehicles.
The S60 is equipped with a radar and camera based pedestrian detection system. If anyone walks into the vehicle’s path and the driver doesn’t react, the vehicle reacts for them, activating the car’s full braking power. The system is foolproof at speeds up to 22 mph and lessens impact at speeds above that.
Other features such as BLIS, the blind spot information system which notifies the driver when another vehicle is in their blind spot, is continued on vehicles manufactured by the company that pioneered it. Adaptive Cruise Control, a Driver Alertness control, and Lane Departure Warning signals further enhance safety in the new S60.
Other features that enhance safety when driving include Bluetooth so one can operate their phone hands free, a voice activated navigation system, and an intuitive entertainment system that can be accessed with thumb movements on the steering wheel.
The interior is comfortable and has even been increased slightly in size due to a 2.4 inch increased wheelbase. While back seat riders will not be having card games, they will find reasonable length journeys much more enjoyable than in many competitive vehicles.
The S60 is competitively priced within its class at $37,700 and provides reasonable fuel economy in this new energy conscious world with 18 mpg anticipated in city driving and 26 mpg projected for the highway.
All in all, I’d have to say Volvo has continued its streak of providing exceptional vehicles for those who want value as well as a status symbol to park in their driveway. This new S60 continues to follow the Volvo tenet of safety first, family first sensibleness while also providing the driving excitement a driving enthusiast demands.
Safe. A Volvo must be safe. It doesn’t matter if the subject of the safety wand is a big sedan, compact wagon, or mid-size crossover like the XC60. Now gripped in Chinese automaker Geely’s chopsticks, the very-Swedish Volvo proves it has the spice and comfy rice that today’s youthful upscalers demand.
When Lexus, Acura, and others began introducing luxury crossovers, cautious Volvo wasn’t especially eager to hurry into anything new. Its cars still looked like the boxes they came in and it was quite happy to keep producing the turbocharged station wagons for which it was renowned. A jacked up V70 wagon became the Cross Country, the company’s first machine that could accomplish some semi-challenging off-roading (I once blitzed a power easement with aplomb). The XC90 three-row crossover, based on its large car platform, showed forever more that Volvo could build crossovers as good as any without losing anything that made it a Volvo. On a little smaller scale is the XC60.
I about dribbled my dungarees when I saw the voluptuous Passion Red R-Spec XC60 roll into my driveway. That wasn’t because I was all a-gunk over its side curtain airbags. Its mug and shoulders identify itself immediately as one of the Volvo pack, but dressed up with 20” alloy wheels, gray ground affects, and taillamps that follow body curves from roof to bumper look as ready for the track or Manhattan club as a convention of corporate health & safety managers. Some of Volvo’s classic design cues were melted for modern, but one can still recognize the XC60’s lineage from a continent away.
Interior design continues themes set by the S40 and S80, which is to say very Swedish. Major controls are wrapped around the driver, a thin center control stack clears room behind it for small items, and the climate control can be adjusted with a clever “seated human” chrome accent. The Dolby Pro Logic II audio system with 12 speakers and 910-watts of drenching audio thumped the Glee version of Teenage Dream until my partner threatened to ban the show in our home. Navigation, USB iPod input, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and stunningly beautiful blue analog gauges made travels easy. A full array of airbags also makes them safe.
Mother Mary herself must have invented Volvo’s seats. Soft as Martha Stewart’s down pillows, they perfectly support the contours of your back while plushing your plushier regions. They’re also designed to protect you in an accident with whiplash-reducing headrests. Heated cushions – front and rear - soothe in autumn and winter chills.
There’s also safety in performance. In our R-Spec, the six-cylinder turbo engine stamps at the ground ready to storm off in a huff, only held back by the driver’s desire to avoid expensive paper from law enforcement. With the aid of a twin-scroll turbo, the powerplant generates 300-HP and 325 lb.-ft. of torque, enabling a 0-60mph tear in 7.1s on the way to a 130-MPH top speed. A six-speed automatic transmission and torque-shifting all-wheel-drive put all of that energy straight to the pavement. Using all of the powertrain’s mighty force will yield somewhat less than the stated 16/21-MPG city/hwy.
In a crossover the size of the XC60, three centuries of equestrian gallop is more than adequate to get your heart pumping. Speed-sensitive steering, sport-tuned suspension, and large disc brakes ensure the rest of the vehicle is up to the challenge laid down by its engine. At Interstate speeds, the turbo is in its happy place, generating torque and thrust like The Fed prints IOUs.
Fort Knox probably has a patent on the super-thick Volvo doors, but one feels like a stinger missile wouldn’t faze the XC60 from the moment they close. It’s how The President must feel riding inside his Cadillac Beast. Working to prevent accidents are “BLIS” blind spot warnings, rotating headlamps to follow curves, rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive radar-enabled cruise control, and electronic stability control. Volvo’s new City Safe crash avoidance technology uses a laser to detect slow moving traffic. Up to 19 MPH, the brakes are pre-charged when danger rears, and if you don’t respond the vehicle brakes automatically. Your momma loves you no more.
Built by a Chinese-owned automaker, the XC60 eats with Swedish cross-sticks. What’s most important is that’s it is every inch a Volvo – ready for a more youthful and style-setting driver. And, safe. Don’t forget safe. Price as tested came to a touch over $48,000, making it competitive with the Mercedes GLK, BMW X3, Cadillac SRX, and Lincoln MKX.
2011 Volvo XC60 R-Spec
Five-passenger, AWD Crossover.
Powertrain: 300-HP 3.0-litre Turbo I6,
6-speed auto. trans.
Suspension f/r: Ind./Ind.
Wheels: 20”/20” alloy f/r.
Brakes: Disc fr/rr with ABS.
Must-have feature: Safety, Danger.
Fuel economy (city/hwy): 16/21-MPG
Manufacturing: Belgium.
As tested price: $48,000.
