VOLVO just makes good cars today; they’re stylish and elegant-looking, have a sophisticated-but-smooth powertrain and simply are nice to drive.
So good that when a new model is unleashed, we will be looking at next year’s potential “Car of the Year” winner.
Even so, they are not always quite as driver-focused, as Volvo cars are generally poised and inclined towards the comfort side of the ride.
With the all-new Volvo S60, the Swedish carmaker reckons that it is the most driver-focused car in the lineup today.
But is it any true, though?
ELEGANCE WITH DRIVING IN MIND
First, some background. The new Volvo S60 is offered in single T8 Twin Engine trim for the Malaysian market and is priced at RM295,888 on-the-road, without insurance.
It was launched fully-imported and the complete knock-down (CKD) variant is expected to be set up later - and Volvo Car Malaysia has said there will be no price change when it happens.
The T8 Twin Engine denotes that the car is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a powertrain that comprises a 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder engine that is aided by an electric motor with a 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery.
This setup churns out a system output of 407hp and 640Nm of torque and, yes, these are similar to those on the T8 XC90 and XC60 sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
The exterior styling wears the contemporary handsome Volvo design language, graced with R Design kits for the Malaysian market.
They include R-Design front grille, full LED headlights with active high beam, active bending lights and “Thor’s Hammer” LED daytime-running lights, gloss black side mirrors, dual tailpipes and 19-inch five-triple spoke Matt Tech Black Diamond Cut alloy wheels shod in 235/40 tyres.
It is hard not to like the appearance of the Volvo S60 as the body sheet is equipped with neat straight lines that deliver an attractive yet strong presence on the road — especially from the rear, since the road is already flooded with Beemers and Mercs, this is somewhat refreshing.
In the cabin, you get R-Design metal mesh dÈcor inlay dashboard, seats in fine Nappa leather and Nubuck textile, power-adjustable R-Design front seats with lumbar supports, R-Design gear knob and R-Design sports pedals.
Also typical of today’s Volvo is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the steering wheel, and a head-up display.
The centre console is a portrait nine-inch touchscreen head unit wired to a premium Harman Kardon sound system with 14 speakers. The interior as a whole was a lovely place to be in, with exceptional comfort and high quality materials everywhere you touch - from the door panels, steering wheel, as well as all the buttons, switches, and toggles.
The drive selector rotary dial where you roll forward or backward to select the drive modes is unique to the T8 variant.
Cubby spaces are aplenty, too, but since the hybrid battery is located right beneath the centre console, it eats up the centre storage space a little.
You will never get tired of being in the S60, be it in the driver’s seat or in the passenger seats, and I keep finding reasons to take the car out for a spin even if it’s just for a grocery run.
The only downside has to be the touchscreen application for even the basic controls such as air-conditioning, which I am not a fan of.
THE DRIVE
On paper, it is easy to nominate the S60 T8 Twin Engine as a true driver’s car Volvo can offer, since the other cars are the S90 large sedan and the SUVs.
In the real world though, I would say the car, despite being a remarkably good driver’s car, is not a true “driver’s car”.
The term can be defined as cars that are engaging to drive, accompanied by an intoxicating engine sound that delivers a kind of driving satisfaction.
The S60 is easily the most powerful car in its class, thanks to the faultless T8 Twin Engine powertrain. It effortlessly covered many kilometres in no time.
It is also super capable to handle straight roads or the twisties with its sophisticated chassis (bear in mind this car weighs over two tonnes) where it manages to “hide” its mass.
Even so, the car lacks that kind of sensation or involvement that you would get in cars like the BMW 330i.
Not that is a bad thing at all, but perhaps the Volvo S60 is too calm and composed for my taste.
Effectively an all-wheel drive (AWD) and with flat torque curve that peaks at 1,200-5,4000rpm, the car has no trouble keeping up with more dramatic cars like the Ford Mustang or the Mercedes-AMG C43 (don’t ask me how discovered this) and amazingly, keeping the pace in much more relaxed and elegant manner.
To make a comparison, from the way these cars do their business, if the Ford Mustang can be disguised as a Marvel superhero, the S60 is more like James Bond.
What’s more amazing is the S60 still returned over 12km/litre average fuel consumption.
Let that sink in for a moment.
There are five driving modes available to choose from — Constant AWD, Pure, Hybrid, Individual and Power.
I thought that Constant AWD will ensure that the car will always be in all-wheel drive with performance-oriented tuning. Turns out it is a mode for low traction situations such as on icy or slippery roads.
The most ideal mode for the car is Hybrid; with it, you will never have to juggle whether to use combustion engine or electric drive as it will handle all the power management for you.
Safety-wise, the Volvo S60 gets the brand’s latest Intellisafe safety arms — Preventive Safety, Protective Safety and Child Safety — all of which contain a long list of advanced safety features that, I assure you, are the best you can find out there.
VERDICT
Simply put, the Volvo S60 T8 is the most driver-focused car from Gothenburg today, but as a “true driver’s car”, it is not quite there.
Regardless, is it a showcase of ultimate performance married to pursuit of efficiency, enabling you to enjoy pure performance without hurting the planet.