Volvo V60 road tests and consumer car reviews

I rented this car for several months for a long holiday and drove it from Italy to the UK and back. It was nearly new, with less than 2k on the clock. The engine was smooth, silent and had plenty of power. I can’t fault the handling either, and the massive tyres provided incredible grip in the corners. Initially I thought it would be a good car to buy later on, but several niggles that dissuaded me: The turbo has the most god-awful lag. I would put my foot down and it would take a couple seconds before any noticeable power was delivered, and it came all in one big "lump". Fuel economy is highly dependent on the incline. Consumption was sometimes up to 150mpg if the road was level, as it shuts down 1, 2 or 3 cylinders if not required. But on steep grades and twisty roads (through the Stelvio Pass into Switzerland) the mpg dropped to below 5. I did not carry out any detailed checks verifying the trip computer, however generally speaking I was having to fill it much more frequently through that part. The only other driving that came close to using that much fuel was on the German Autobahn, where at 150MPH it got close to it, and you could almost see the gauge dropping. But THE MOST atrocious thing was the built-in navigation. It was absolutely useless most of the time. Setting a destination that was not in the "recent" list takes forever; you have a wheel to select letters, but after each letter you select it takes several seconds to digest the information and present you with the next choice. Couple that with a voice that kept insisting "make a right turn immediately" while on a highway bridge, lost the GPS lock through north Italy and Switzerland, and could not find its way out of London. I must have defaulted to using my iPhone’s GPS instead of the car’s system about 70% of the time. It was a beautiful car and I could have lived with the rest of the issues, but if I had bought it instead of renting, the satnav alone would have made me return to the dealer and demand they remove it completely or I would reject the car. I wonder if others have found the same issues, or did I just get a possibly faulty model?

This is my 8th Volvo from an early 360 through 440, V70, 850, S80, XC70 and XC90. Now the best so far the V60. Gone is the traditional estate, this is a true touring car with enough power to make long distances a treat to drive. Roomy inside and the driving seat is like an armchair. The powerful 2.4 engine is economical, but powerful enough for anyone other than Button or Hamilton. The driver’s pack, which includes front and rear cameras and sensors, automatic braking and lane sensors make this a joy to drive. Out of ten I give it eleven.

My first Volvo and replacing a Mercedes CLK 320 CDI which my eldest son has grown out of in the back. First the good points: This is the only Volvo I have driven with decent steering, it is sharp and accurate and the grip from the fat 235 low profile tyres is excellent. The ride is firm but not uncomfortable and the gear box is slick. I was worried it would be underpowered but it has just enough go although can struggle when four up especially overtaking where it is often necessary to go down two gears to gain sufficient acceleration. The power delivery is smooth and the engine is very quiet apart from a strange ticking noise under load (direct injection?) but the top end feels constrained. The car looks stunning in white with the 18inch wheels, body kit and twin exhausts really making it stand out. There is plenty of room for passengers and the boot is big enough although not massive with a high floor. The interior is well finished lifted by the white streaks in the seats but does not feel as solid and well built as my previous Mercedes or BMW. Seats are comfortable but don’t hold as well as the Mercedes and seem to be designed for someone of broader beam. The stereo sounds fine but extras such as DAB and Bluetooth require the premium pack. These should be standard. I have a few issues with the car, the first is the stupid electric handbrake. This is located to the right of the driver tucked away at the bottom of the dash and is easy to forget. You push to apply and pull to release which seems to be the wrong way around, and it does not always seem to engage. I am used to push button starters but this one is extremely fussy often asking to be pressed multiple times. The seatbelt warning bongs loudly at the slightest provocation and once would not shut up at all even with my son belted in the rear. The worst fault however is the economy. Despite a 1.6 engine, stop start and high gearing is is struggling to manage 33mpg on the motorway and dipping below 30 on cross country trips or commuting. It is not close to being as economical as by previous 3 litre Turbodiesel Automatic or my previous BMW 318i and 320i petrols despite better official figures than all of them. However despite these niggles I do like it because it isn’t a BMW or Mercedes. It is good looking, reasonably practical, drives well and is a good compromise between ability and comfort. Many testers don’t seem to get the R Design package saying the SE has a better ride. Having driven both I think the R Design is just right and would gladly trade a little comfort for sharper steering, and more attitude inside and out. I may drive a Volvo now but I haven’t given up yet!

Firstly, yes as said by others the turning circle isn’t great, but you soon get used to it. This is my second S60 (previously a 2002 2.0 SE) so that should say something. The seats in the S60 are by far the best around (possibly only matched by the Saab 9-5). The T5 has a 2.4 V5 engine with 260 bhp and a 0-60 time of just 6.5 seconds - why do you think the motorway police use this engine! The S60 handles great, with good feedback, and it is at home on A and B roads as much as cruising the motorway. I have driven both BMW and Lexus (as hire cars) before now and the S60 is so much better. This is a drivers car, the sort you want to take out on a driving run for pleasure. Excellent!