2016 Volvo S60
Reviewed by Dom

Dang, I loved this car.

And no, I don’t open too many reviews with a sentence like that. The funny thing is, the S60 has been the car that my son has lusted over for the past few years, and I was always lukewarm when I saw one on the road.

Now I’ve driven the car for a week, and while that made my son crazy with envy, I came around to his way of thinking in a big way.
I still laugh when I think of a scene in the movie Crazy People, where advertising executive Dudley Moore enlists the help of people in a mental institution to create some honest ads. Their campaign for Volvo says:  “Buy a Volvo. They’re boxy, but they’re good.”

Well, the Swedish car line has come a long way. Not nearly as boxy anymore, they provide a fantastic entry to the luxury car market. And they’re still good. Consider them as a great alternative if you’re shopping for BMW’s 3-series, or an entry-level Lexus.

There are multiple trim levels to choose from with the S60; during my week I was tooling around in the T5 all-wheel-drive model. Several choices can be found in Volvo’s Inscription series, which adds a few inches to the wheel base and thus the overall roominess.

For starters, the sleek lines of the S60 suggest a little more giddy-up than we may have grown to expect. And the turbo-charged engine did indeed gallop along at a nice clip; I genuinely had a blast taking turns and moving around to pass.

Generous standard features make for a fun ride and a stylish cabin. Spring for a few of the options packages and you’ll see the price swell from the low 40s into the higher 40s and low 50s.

Inside, you’ll appreciate the fine wood details, and the other materials, too. It’s all about what you’d find on the earlier mentioned rivals, but somehow Volvo is able to make their interiors stand out a bit more. The seats are very comfy, visibility is excellent (adding to the S60’s perfect five-star safety rating), and all of the controls are intuitive.

Leg room in the back isn’t stellar, but overall it’s a good ride for your passengers, too. Plus, you’ll be able to fold the rear seats down for added storage.

Maybe I’ve been brainwashed by my son, but I instantly loved the ride. No, it’s not the sportiest car on the road, but the S60 has captured that perfect symmetry between sportiness and luxury comfort. I liked the zip and the handling.

Mileage will depend on the trim line you choose; for the T5 AWD it drops in around 23 as a city/highway average. Models without AWD will do a bit better.

My test car shows a base price of $43.5k, and with options topped out just over $48k.

Of all of the test drives I did in 2015, I’d put the Volvo S60 in my top three. It’s well worth a look.