Despite selling cars in India since 2007, Swedish car maker Volvo has gone pretty much unnoticed. All this could change, however, with the launch of its most affordable model, the all-new S60.
Like all modern Volvos, the S60 is designed with a very aggressive, almost rakish profile. The car is built on the same EUCD platform as the Ford Mondeo. The steel monocoque chassis uses MacPherson struts up front and multiple links at the rear, and the engines are located transversely, placed well back in the engine bay for better weight distribution. Volvo claims this is its best driving car ever, its engineers having made a number of improvements to the S60's chassis. These include a stiffer front sub-frame, stiffer strut mount tops, stiffer bushes, a 10 per cent quicker steering rack and a new steering column that is twice as rigid.
The petrol T6 also gets a Haldex four-wheel-drive system, which has a combined rear differential and clutch. Incorporated into this system is a unique ‘torque vectoring' system, which works in conjunction with the yaw and roll sensors of the ESP or stability control programme.
Volvo, in all probability, makes the safest cars in the world, and while this car is its entry saloon in India, the S60 comes with a suite of safety features, some of them unique to this car.
A shocking omission, however, is the lack of a spare tyre or run-flat tyres. Volvo only provides a puncture repair kit, not much use if you get a slashed tyre wall, something that's quite common in India.
The straight lines and simple form of the cabin maybe a bit too boring, but there's an appealing blend of high quality and robustness that makes it special. Swathes of brushed metal, especially on the doorpads and steering wheel, look really good and the ‘floating' central console — a Volvo signature — stands out. The Cyclops' eye vent at the top of the central console is also unique. What also add to the funky appeal of the cabin are the two-tone seats, with their tall anti-whiplash headrests.
As on all Volvos, the seats are among the best around, and thigh support and bolstering are good. Rear seat comfort too is impressive.
The quality of the leather, plastics and metal bits is notable. You get a pair of large-size cup-holders in the elbow box and the S60 has a front parking camera as well, which is exclusive. This video screen-based parking system also has a fantastic graphic overlay that tells you exactly how close you can park; an excellent feature for our congested cities.
The safety systems do their job, but also feel like an overkill. While the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) works well, flashing away to warn you about bikers darting down the left, the Lane Departure Warning is largely useless (as lane markings are far and few between!) and the Collision Warning is a bit too trigger-happy and beeps at the slightest provocation.
Volvo has two powerful motors on offer for the S60, and we've tested both. However, it's the T6 with its 304bhp turbocharged, transversely-mounted, straight six that won our heart. Mated to a four-wheel-drive system via a six-speed automatic, this potent motor delivers brilliant performance from anywhere in the powerband. The four-wheel-drive system is quick to channel power optimally to all four wheels and the motor belts out a thick wad of torque, which is delivered with a sporty snarl. Acceleration is strong enough to make passengers initially gasp, and this turbo-petrol's mid-range is nothing short of explosive.
What makes the T6 even more impressive is the fact that this motor is very driveable at city speeds. There is very little lag, and the engine feels responsive and always alert. The only fly in the ointment is the gearbox, which feels slow at times and blunts performance. In ‘D' the transmission hesitates quite a bit, and you need to leave the lever in S mode if you're driving in a hurry.
The 2400cc D5 diesel motor is less impressive. This five-cylinder diesel throbs more than a bit at start up, and it certainly isn't as silent as expected from a car in this class either. However, it does spin enthusiastically and smoothens up a fair bit, but you are always aware of the odd number of cylinders firing under the hood.
As on the bigger S80, the D5 engine uses a pair of sequential turbos to force-feed the cylinders, and the result is a class-leading power output of 205bhp. The surge of power in the midrange from 2000 to 4000rpm is truly impressive, and this makes the car effortlessly lunge forward with just a dab of the pedal. Again, it's the quickest car in its class (if you don't include the potent but far pricier A4 3.0TDi) and takes a scant 8.19sec and 17.9sec to get to 100kph and 150kph respectively. The strong midrange also makes it a very good highway cruiser, and passing other cars is just a prod of the throttle away. We just wish it was more refined and came with a slightly faster-acting automatic gearbox.
Power is nothing without control. Volvo seems to know this better than most and as a result has done a stellar job of harnessing and channeling powerful motors in the S60 effectively. The stiffened chassis of the car is more than up to the task, the torque vectoring on the four-wheel-drive system works like a charm and both the suspension and the steering are well resolved too. As a result the T6 feels well balanced when you corner it hard in ‘Sport' mode, and the car points into corners very nicely, even holding onto the line on application of the throttle. There is no front engine, front-wheel-drive nose heaviness or understeer and this is most evident when powering out of a corner. The S60's electro-hydraulic steering lacks a fluid feel. The high-geared steering gives the baby Volvo amazing agility, and you can string it through a series of corners with ease.
The T6 also comes with different suspension settings — Comfort mode and Sport mode. At lower speeds, the S60's suspension can be quite jarring. The lack of sufficient rebound damping and the 215/50 low profile tyres are the most likely culprits. Also unimpressive were the brakes, especially at higher speeds.
Without the adjustable damping and the four-wheel-drive system, the D5 diesel feels different. The suspension is quite pliant and it cushions passengers well but if you jump into the D5 after the T6, you're in for disappointment.
The ride quality is nowhere as well resolved, and the D5 feels lumpy on bad roads. The steering feels lethargic, which accentuates the nose-heavy handling.
In the city, T6 returned 6.9kpl in the city and 11.1kpl on the highway, if you drive normally. Like most turbo-petrols, fuel efficiency is very sensitive to driving style.
The D5 diesel was pretty efficient again returning 9.5kpl and 13.4kpl for the city and highway cycles respectively.
If you're looking for delightful driving experience and isn't distracted by fancy stuff, the S60 could be the car for you. The S60 has powerful engines, unmatched safety equipment, and despite being an import is well priced.
The base diesel comes at Rs. 27 lakh while the high-end petrol comes at Rs. 34 lakh.
