2.26.2011

2011 Volvo S60 T6 Review



Volvo's been going out of its way to brand the new S60 as "The Naughty Volvo" (see video above). Guess it depends on your definition of  "naughty". The S60 is not for kids, it's fast and fun, it's shapely.....

Front 3/4 view of bronze 2011 Volvo S60
                                   
    
Rear 3/4 view of 2011 Volvo S60



The days of the boring Volvo are dead, let's give the marketing people that much.  And that's on looks alone. In a week at the wheel in an example provided by Sanderson Volvo in Phoenix, the S60 T6 AWD just got more and more desirable. The beauty here is more than skin-deep.

With 300 horsepower, the S60 is responsive and downright quick. Steering is direct and immediate. There is no tradeoff of ride versus handling...the balance is perfect.

Interior view of 2011 Volvo S60

And the interior is an exceptionally pleasant place to engage in all that pleasurable driving. A long way from the plain-jane interior of the old Volvo 240, the designers have managed to give the eye a constant level of stimulation without losing the functionality...everything is exactly where your brain and your hand expect it to be.

What about safety? Volvo's hallmark? Don't worry...it's there...from the basic stout structure of the car to the highest levels of technology that (unlike a lot of cars we've tested) manage to do their jobs without being intrusive.




And, unlike virtually every other car we've tried it in, the adaptive cruise control, which adjusts speed to maintain distance between you and the car in front of you, is flawless. It...and the other tech in the car...simply never put a foot wrong.

Price? The front wheel drive model (with 50 fewer horsepower) starts at $30.975...all-wheel drive at $37,700. Optioned like the one we drove...mid-40s and well worth it.

EPA mileage estimates: 20 city/30 highway for the FWD, 18/26 for the AWD.

So...go with "naughty" if you must. But we think the Volvo S60 T6 AWD is really @#$%! nice.

Did we just say that?