2023 Volvo S60: The Well-Rounded Swede
Volvo S60 Front View
Volvo has always been about providing families with safe, reliable and functional vehicles. These attributes are iconic symbols of the Volvo brand and have helped them carve a niche within the automotive landscape. When the original S60 was launched back in 2001, it set a new course for the brand as Volvo started to move away from boxy wagons and sedans, to more fluid and sexy designs. That first S60 was well received and the brand started a new renaissance, producing a more diverse lineup, that was not only more exciting but also more upscale. When the third generation of the S60 arrived for the 2019 model year, Volvo was in the midst of a major transformation. The brand had grown in sales volume and achieved their goal of developing themselves into a well-respected premium car maker. The new S60 was the first Volvo made at their new plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina and Volvo upped the ante, making the S60 more luxurious and sporty than ever before. This more appealing S60 was designed to rival more established competitors, while also keeping true to Volvo’s roots. The end result is a svelte Swedish design that is extremely attractive and competitive.
Safety has always been a big part of Volvo’s identity but over the years, design has become a huge part of that identity as well. Volvo has been on an absolute tear ever since the 2016 XC90 was launched and their current design language looks absolutely phenomenal on the S60 sedan and V60 wagon counterpart (another review for another day). The S60 has a strong presence and is proportioned very nicely. The front end features Volvo’s signature diagonal bar grille and the Thor’s Hammer headlight design. This is the nickname that Volvo has given their headlight design as the distinctive shape resembles a hammer. The side profile of this sedan is shapely in all the right ways. The lines and bulges work well and give the S60 a muscular look. From the back, the boomerang tail lights are unique and are integrated well with the rest of the design. Even though the 2023 S60’s basic design was launched in 2019, the vehicle has held its own in the competitive luxury compact sedan segment and its elegant Scandinavian design is still one of the best in its class.
Volvo has been producing some of the best interiors in the industry and the S60 is another great design by the company. It hits all the key needs that a compact luxury sedan buyer could ask for. First off, the seats can be easily adjusted to find that perfect seating position and they are firm, supportive and comfortable. The Steering wheel feels nice to the touch and in fact, I think Volvo has a really great looking steering wheel design. Materials are top quality, and the same can be said about fit and finish, simply superb. My tester used chrome, brushed stainless steel, faux wood and piano black trims that all seemed to come together well. All S60s come with a 9-inch vertically positioned infotainment touchscreen. I also really like how the touchscreen is integrated in the dash with the air vents flanked on each side. The new S60 receives a new Google based infotainment system with built in Google Assistant and Google Maps. There is also a new 12-inch driver information display that will show the driver all essential information. At first blush the infotainment system might seem a little confusing, but after the initial learning curve it becomes very straight forward and convenient. The S60 boasts a quiet cabin that is well thought out and distinctive. When trying to describe what makes the interior distinctive, the S60 uses a refreshingly modern, clean design that is very Scandinavian, that looks and feels unlike any other competitor. Simply put it, being inside the S60 in a nice place to be.
Volvo’s signature Thor’s Hammer headlight design
Volvo offers the S60 as either a gas mild-hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. The mild-hybrid uses the standard B5 engine which is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 247 HP and 258 lbs-ft of torque. Front or All-wheel drive is available with this version of the S60. The plug-in version known as the Recharge T8, combines the B5 engine with an electric motor to produce a combined 455 HP and 523 lbs-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard on the Recharge version. If you want to max out your performance potential, Volvo offers a Polestar Engineered software update at an added cost. Polestar Engineered will increase mid-range power, enhance control, heighten reactions and optimize the absolute best out of the engine and chassis.
Clearly the S60 is a beautiful car, but how does it perform on the road? Well, in terms of road manners, the S60 is typical Volvo in that it is comfortable, smooth and composed. My tester was the mild hybrid version that was equipped with AWD and also had Polestar Engineered included. In this particular model, when you switch into the added cost Polestar Engineered mode, the vehicle becomes even quicker, louder and more reactive. While driving the car in its normal drive mode, the S60 is quick and responsive. The S60 also has a surprisingly throaty engine and exhaust note, while also featuring a slightly firm ride. The transmission is smooth, always finding the right gear and if you want to toss the S60 around a corner, it’ll hang in there with minimal body roll. The vehicle is sporty for a Volvo, but does not match some competitors in performance. Then again, that’s not Volvo’s mission and while a BMW or Alfa Romeo may feel better balanced when pushed hard around a twisty road, the S60 was never designed to be the sports car of the segment. Volvo’s goal was to create a sedan that is both sporty and luxurious. They wanted to incorporate as many traditional Volvo driving characteristics as possible to retain conventional buyers, while adding new sporty elements to attract a new kind of audience. This combination is what makes the S60 so well-rounded and likeable.
Volvo S60 12-inch digital information display
Since we’re talking Volvo, we need to focus our attention to safety. The S60 like many Volvo’s are highly regarded for its safety and all Volvos are top safety picks. The S60 offers an array of advanced driver aids that aren’t offered in competitors within the compact luxury sedan segment. Blind spot warning and intervention is available as well as rear cross traffic warning. Forward collision mitigation (car applies front brakes if a collision is imminent) and rear automatic braking (car applies brake when a collision is sensed behind the vehicle) is also standard equipment. Lane departure mitigation is also available, which allows the car to automatically steer back into the lane if a lane change is detected without a turn signal. Safety comes standard in all Volvo’s and those who buy an S60 will be ensured that they will be well protected.
Volvo logo with sensor built in
Pricing for the base mild-hybrid S60 B5 in Core trim starts at $47,900 and rises slightly from there. The Plus starts around $55,000 and the B5 Ultimate trim starts at $62,500. If you are looking for the S60 Recharge, pricing for the Core trim starts at $59,950 and the Ultimate version starts at $67,750. Meanwhile a Polestar Engineered version of the Recharge is available for $75,300.
The Volvo S60 scores high in many categories such as value, comfort, quality and design. It looks and feels luxurious and has all the credentials to compete with rivals from Germany, Italy, Japan and America. The interior is first class and those seats are some of the best in the entire industry. The S60 finds a way to balance both comfort and sportiness in a way that only Volvo can do. Standard safety features are impressive and the amount of technology included in the S60 makes it a value leader in the compact luxury class. Not many cars in this class can offer as much as the S60 and excel in so many ways without trying to be too much. The S60 just does so many things right. It is a car that I highly recommend because chances are the S60 will leave a strong impression.
A Special thanks to the kind staff at Morrey Volvo in Burnaby for the vehicle.
Volvo S60 side profile
