Day-by-Day Review: 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD

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2013 Volvo S60

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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It has been a rather long time since I have been behind the wheel of a Volvo for a week, so this week is a special event with the 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD in my driveway.

Of course I’m no stranger to small luxury vehicles, having recently tested the BMW 328i, the Cadillac ATS and the new Lexus IS. Volvo to me is more of a fringe player, though, and certainly typically overlooked in this market – we’ll see if that is warranted or if one should be shopping Volvo against the “typical” rivals.

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My tester is equipped with all-wheel drive that is a Haldex system, a $2,400 option on the base S60 T5 but converts an otherwise front-wheel-drive sedan into something a little more sporting and capable.

Powering the S60 T5 is a 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine that is turbocharged to offer a claimed 0-100 km/h time of just 6.4 seconds. Power is rated at 250 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, with an available overboost of 295 lb-ft of torque for up to 10 seconds.

The Volvo S60 T5 starts at $39,150 and offers a few option packages. My tester is a Premier Plus with AWD for a total of $47,150. Like the Mazda I had last week, this Volvo is loaded with features such as blind-spot detection, parking sensors (no camera), leather seating, dual-zone climate and a moonroof.

MSRP as tested (including destination): $ 47,150

For more information on Volvo and the S60 visit Volvo Canada

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Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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Well, since I haven’t driven a Volvo for a long time, the interior is all new to me. Starting from the back, there are some surprises for me. For one, this is a luxury car with 60/40 split folding seats, an innovative and clear way to drop them with clearly marked levers in the trunk, and the headrests also automatically drop forward!

The trunk itself is actually fairly large for a small(ish) car. With the seats folded down, four 17-inch tires fit easily in the back. When I folded the seats back up and sat down I was surprised by the comfort and room. The S60 is not large, but to me it felt adequate and spacious.

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The real action is in the front, of course, and in true Volvo style the seats are fantastic. It has always been a trait of Volvos, and with a focus on safety technology, one might think their superiority in this area would suffer. However, on a trip across the city, I was instantly comfortable and I noticed that even after 10 minutes had no pressure points.

The rest of the interior in my tester is a little drab, with one shade of grey throughout. However, the dash layout is unique, with a storage area behind the centre console stack and the HVAC controls that resemble a seated person.

The buttons for the radio controls I do find a little on the small side, but intuitive and easy to use. At this price the lack of back-up camera and navigation is disappointing, especially considering there is a large screen right there in the dash for it.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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I can now confirm that you can fit eight 15-inch tires into the S60 without a problem, probably even ten, without using the front passenger seat. But most buyers in this segment probably do not care so much about its cargo capacity.

A two-hour highway trip today to get the aforementioned tires brought out the good in this Volvo. Out on the highway the S60 is quiet and comfortable and wind noise is at a minimum. You really can soak up the road in the S60, but you do feel it as the suspension offers a nice blend of comfort and sport.

Of course with the cruise set, power isn’t really an issue, but getting onto the highway with our short on-ramps in Ottawa is a joy as the turbocharged five-cylinder engine offers great low end torque. As proven by the numbers mentioned on Day 1, this is a fast car, but it is also effortless with nearly no turbo lag.

Visibility is good all around and a button on the dash to drop the rear headrest gets a thumbs up from me. The blind-spot detection system (BLIS) keeps you safe during lane changes and the parking sensors actually work. What do I mean by that? It seems that most vehicles’ front parking sensors do not work unless you come to a stop, engage reverse and then engage drive, or hit a button on the dash to enable it. The parking sensors on the S60 work in all situations at lower speeds, even without intervention.

It is worth mentioning that the audio system is fantastic – crisp clean bass, just like I like it. My only disappointment so far with my tester is the price and feature content; with so many vehicles now offering so many features in both luxury and mainstream brands, at nearly $50,000 I like to see more toys.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

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Another week, another car, and another wrap-up. This week was a little different with the Volvo, which has its own unique quirks, but they and the vehicle work well as a luxury sedan and a sporty one, as well.

Fuel economy for the week was average for a vehicle of this power and size; I averaged 9.2 L/100 km. Despite having little need for the all-wheel-drive system this week, I’m sure it makes a difference compared to the front-wheel-drive S60 in terms of both dynamics and fuel consumption.

Volvo has it tough as a low volume seller in the luxury segment. It doesn’t quite have the cachet of some of the bigger brands, is slightly less known, and sometimes altogether forgotten. If you are looking to make a statement that you like to be different and not follow along like a sheep – perhaps the S60 is for you.