2011 Volvo S60 Car Review
In many circles the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD is being hailed as the very first “naughty” Volvo. And while that may be true in terms of Volvos of the past, I wouldn’t say the S60 I tested for a week was naughty in any way. But perhaps that is just a testament to my obsession with verbiage and a history of owning some really “naughty” cars.
You see, I used to own a bright red Alfa Romeo Spider Convertible that was sexy, sensual and flowing much like the exterior appearance of the admittedly lust-worthy 2011 Volvo S60. But my Alfa was really “naughty” in the more traditional sense. While I think an S60 in the more flattering “Flamenco Red Metallic” (my tester was a little too extroverted for my taste in “Vibrant Copper Metallic”) can seriously pull off sexy like my old Alfa, this Volvo was different in that it never suffered a mechanical breakdown nor did the handling ever try to kill me when the roads got wet.
This sort of bad behavior is what true automotive naughtiness means to me but I suppose most people haven’t had the misfortune of Italian car ownership. It can be traumatizing to say the least. For example, whenever it would rain I had to cover the Alfa’s leaky convertible top with a tarp, if the outside temperature got over 85 degrees the engine would overheat and rolling stops were a requirement thanks to a first gear that very often refused to cooperate.
But if you take naughtiness and apply it to the S60’s deliciously detailed exterior styling, the prodigious performance from the 3.0 liter 300 horsepower/325 lb. feet of torque turbocharged in-line six cylinder engine and one of the most finely balanced ride/handling/steering feel calibrations I have ever experienced then I guess it is kind of a bad-ass luxury sport sedan.
A “bad-ass” Volvo? Well, that sounds like an even more radical notion than a “naughty” Volvo! But the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD sedan that I recently tested proved to be fast, sexy, fun to steer and tremendously agile around corners to such a degree that I think it bested an A4 sedan that I drove a week later. It is also a technology lover’s Shangri-La—if you love gadgets, you will love what the 2011 Volvo S60 T-6 AWD can do for you.
In fact, some of the gadgets made me wonder if the car even needed me to be there are all. Yes, the worst complaint you could levy against the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD is that it doesn’t frighten you in the slightest even when driving at ridiculous speeds. It’s just so composed, there are so many brilliant safety features and the interior just always makes you feel warm and safe. That in and of itself doesn’t exactly scream “naughty” but they are positive virtues nonetheless.
The S60’s Unique Interior
Whether it was the driver’s seat that proved more comfortable than any automotive perch I have ever experienced or the deliciously detailed metal trim scattered about the cabin, the interior architecture of the S60 proved to be a showcase of Swedish minimalist modernism. I do, however, think Volvo is the last true practitioner of this dark interior designing art. That truly is a shame given how cluttered most luxury car interiors look with the BMW 5-Series being a serious case in point.
Quirkiness did, as you would expect from a Swedish car interior, rear its oddly shaped head at times. The dash layout looked gorgeous and clean but when I turned the knob for the iPod control it always threw me off as it made the songs on the center screen move in the direction that is opposite what I experience in most other mainstream cars. Or maybe that trouble had something to do with my control switch dyslexia. There’s also a button on the dash whose only function is lowering the rear headrests out of your line of vision. Useful, I suppose.
But I dare not call this uniqueness a bad thing because it is part of what keeps the quirkiness alive in the heart of this drop dead sexy 2011 Volvo S60 that I was fortunate to call my own for one week. I just wish I’d had another week to finally get used to how everything worked.
Volvo’s Unparalleled Reputation for Safety Innovation is No Joke
Safety features, as you might imagine, are a big part of the experience in any Volvo and the 2011 S60 is no different. My tester was equipped with Volvo’s cutting edge Pedestrian Detection System which can detect if a person steps in front of the car and will automatically hit the brakes until you come to a complete stop.
This same full braking function is also used if the vehicle detects you are about to have a collision with the car or object in front of you. The brakes themselves also proved to be tremendously strong and reminded me of the firm stoppers in my father’s old bulletproof 1985 Mercedes S-Class. But even beyond this safety features abound in the 2011 Volvo S60.
To help the driver keep track of their distance from the car ahead of them, Volvo also uses lights on top of the dash that flash in varying strengths of red depending on how close you are getting to the aforementioned vehicle up front. There are also headlamps that swivel as you turn the wheel for better visibility and a lane departure warning system that essentially forces you to do the unthinkable and always use your turn signal when changing lanes or face a very loud beep.
If all of this “Nanny State” business annoys you, do realize most functions can be adjusted or turned off and some of the highest tech systems are part of an extra cost Technology Package. So you can either turn off the safety systems you don’t want to use or can order your S60 without them.
But what is the point of buying a Volvo that could potentially have an accident? The only safety feature missing from my tester was Volvo’s excellent (and optional) BLIS Blind Spot Warning System which negates the need to ever have to crane your neck when changing lanes. Nice.
Verdict
Usually at this point in a car review I talk about how dog friendly a certain car is but as Volvo has been highlighted by BarkBuckleUp.com for its attention to canine safety, I think I can skip that part. The S60’s interior feel is luxurious but it feels better equipped than most luxury cars to withstand the damage stemming from daily family life. A nicely sized 12 cubic foot trunk also helps its case as a very family friendly luxury sedan.
Now, whether or not you buy into the notion that the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD sedan is “naughty” or not, it is impossible to deny that it makes for a very appealing alternative to the Acura TL SH-AWD, Audi A4/A6 and various competitors from Lexus, Mercedes and even BMW. The S60 T6 AWD’s performance capabilities truly now are capable of pitting it head to head with cars like the 335ix.
Do note, however, that if a $37,700 base price is too rich for your blood there is also a front wheel drive $30,975 S60 T5 model available with a less potent 250 horsepower/266 lb. feet or torque turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. But then if you are trying to be “naughty,” what’s a small $7,000 price difference?
That decision, however, is between you, your conscience and perhaps your spouse or significant other. And if you need another way to sell yourself or someone else on a new 2011 S60, don’t forget that all Volvo models come with a 5 year/unlimited mileage coverage plan on maintenance, warranty items and even wear items.
Vehicle Tested: 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Sedan
Base Price: $37,700
Price as Tested: $46,200
Options on Tester: Premium/Technology/Climate Package: $4,400—(power glass moonroof, power passenger seat, Xenon headlamps with beam bending technology, adaptive cruise control, collision warning with full auto brake, pedestrian detection with full auto brake, lane departure warning, distant alert control, driver alertness function, heated front seats, headlamp washers, IAQS-Interior Air Quality System, automatic windshield wipers, Volvo 650-watt 12 speaker premium Dolby MultEQ XT audio system, Back-up camera assist, navigation system with two complementary upgrades.)
Engine: 3.0 liter turbocharged 6-cylinder
Power: 300 horsepower/325 lb. feet of torque
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
0-60: 6.2 seconds
EPA Fuel Economy: 18 city/26 highway
Economy as Tested: 21.6 miles per gallon
Gas Tank Size: 17.8 gallons
Trunk Size: 12 cubic feetCurb Weight: 3,307 pounds
Turning Radius: 39 feet
Crash Test Ratings (IIHS): “Top Safety Pick”
(NHTSA): Five Stars (All Around)
Warranty: 5 years/Unlimited Mileage bumper to bumper
5 years/Unlimited Mileage free maintenance
5 years/Unlimited Mileage on all wear Items.
Vehicle Assembled in: Ghent, Belgium
Vehicle Provided for Test by: Volvo USA
