Volvo S60

The Volvo S60 is a four-door five-passenger luxury sedan or luxury sports sedan. Volvo, the Swedish automaker, introduced the Volvo S60 in 2001 as a replacement for the S70. It is built on the same P2 platform as these other Volvo’s - S80, V70 and XC90. It went through an upgrade in 2005 where the body was given moldings and bumpers of the same color as well as new matching headlamps. Volvo brought out the all-wheel drive S60 R model in 2004, returning to 1995 to revive their ‘R’ tradition. The 2004, 2005 and 2006, the models came with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The second generation S60 is due out in late 2009.

The trims available are the 2.4T,2.5T AWD and T5. Under the hood of the base 2.5T is a 2.5 L inline five cylinder engine that produces 208 hp and is paired to a five-speed automatic transmission. The Volvo S60 T5 has a turbocharged 2.4 L inline five engine the offers 257 hp. It comes with either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. The 2.5 T comes as a front-wheel drive or all-wheel-drive but the T5 is only available as front-wheel drive. The EPA fuel economy rating for the S60 with a 2.5 L engine and paired to a five-speed automatic transmission is 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

The interior of the S60 is a nice reflection of the exterior. Good attention to detail, comfortable seats, wood inlay for a touch a class, front door storage pockets and front and rear cup holders for traveling. The interior is roomy enough for five full-size adults and still has enough cargo space to meet most consumers’ needs.

Volvo S60 Features and Options

As with all the Volvo models, the S60 comes nicely loaded with popular features. Included are a tilt and telescopic steering wheel with both audio and cruise controls attached, cruise control, power heated mirrors, temperature gauge, four years of Volvo Roadside Assistance, electrically folded rear head restraints and even one touch power windows. Comfort features for this vehicle are also excellent and include an eight-way power adjustable seat with memory for the driver and for the rear seats fold and split to increase the cargo capacity. The 2.5 T models have 16 inch alloy wheels. There is an excellent sound system with an in-dash CD player and MP3/WMA functionality.

 Optional for the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive 2.5T, there is Homelink garage door opener, sport leather seating, a power adjustable passenger seat, extra classy interior touches, a power sunroom and leather seating. These models have a choice of three different sized wheels.

Other options include a trunk spoiler, headlight washers, front and rear parking assist, rain sensor, heated from seats, an Air Quality System, and even an upgraded audio system.

Volvo S60 Safety

Volvo has an excellent safety reputation and the S60s comes fully loaded because of that. Some of the included features are four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with hydraulic assist, dynamic stability anti-skid system, tire pressure monitor, and even daytime running lights. There are dual-stage front air bags along with front side-impact bags, side curtain air bags and of special note is Volvo’s Whiplash Protection System.

The 2009 Volvo S60 is a carryover from 2008. The 2009 S60 can be ordered in one of three trims. The base model 2.5T comes with a turbocharged 2.5 liter, 5-cylinder engine that produces 208 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. Greater traction is afforded by the 2.5T AWD, which combines the same engine with all-wheel drive. The most exciting edition of the 2009 Volvo S60 is the T5, which turns up the boost on a 2.4 liter, 5-cylinder engine to squeeze out 257 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Each of these drivetrains are rated at 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, and all three use a 5-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic manual control capability.