A saloon with a powerful engine

Like all modern Volvos, the S60 is designed with a very aggressive, almost rakish profile. Volvo claims this is its best driving car ever. The S60 comes with a suite of safety features, some of them so unique, it could shame even a Mercedes S-class.

Sweden is famous for its classy and minimalist interior design and the S60 reflects its heritage. For Indian tastes, 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.As on all Volvos, the seats are among the best around, and thigh support and bolstering are very good. The seats, again feel a half-size larger than competitors, and we found the front seats to be extremely comfortable even after a long day spent behind the wheel.

Diesel and petrol
Volvo has two powerful motors on offer for the S60, and we've tested both. However, it's the petrol T6 with its 304bhp turbocharged 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. Acceleration is strong enough to make passengers initially gasp and its mid-range is nothing short of explosive. In a straight drag, the S60 eats the BMW 330i for breakfast and spits the Audi A4 3.2 out of its tailpipes. The C-class isn't even in the picture. Get this - 0-100kph in the S60 arrives in 6.3 seconds compared to 8.10sec and 8.05sec for the most powerful 3-series and A4 respectively and the gap only widens the quicker you go.

What makes the T6 even more impressive is the fact that this motor is driveable at city speeds. There is very little lag and the engine always feels responsive. The only fly is the gearbox which feels slow at times and blunts performance. The T6 also comes with different suspension settings. In Comfort mode, it feels particularly supple. In Sport mode, the S60 feels glued to the road, but it feels a little jiggly on uneven surfaces. At lower speeds, the S60's suspension can be quite jarring and sharp ruts and expansion joints can jolt the passengers.

Volvo s60
₹27.0-34.0 lakh
(Ex-showroom Delhi)
Warranty: 24 months/ unlimited km
Width: 2,097mm
Front track: 1,588mm
Rear track: 1,585mm
Trunk volume: 339 litres
Rear interior width: 1,400mm
Fuel Petrol/Diesel
Installation: Front, transverse
Type: 6-cyls in-line,
2,953cc, 5-cyls in-line, 2,400cc
Power: 304 bhp at 5,600rpm, 205 bhp at 4,000rpm
Type: AWD/FWD
Gearbox: 6-speed automatics
Construction: Four-door saloon
Weight: 1,680kg/1,570kg
Tyres: 215/50 ZR17