With the 2012 Volvo S60, you can cast aside any preconceived notions about Volvos being bland, boxy or boring. Volvo's midsize luxury sedan -- curvaceous, modern, coupelike -- is one of the snazziest in its class. No "for a Volvo" qualification is needed; the S60 is a good-looking car bound to attract new folks to the brand.
Volvo redesigned the S60 just last year, giving it new styling, an updated interior and a powerful, 300-horsepower turbocharged engine. There are still some traditional Volvo strengths, though, including a comfortable ride, cosseting front seats and a focus on safety. Although the S60 doesn't lead the way in airbag count, it does have a variety of available driver warning systems designed to mitigate inattention in a world filled with smartphones and misbehaving children. Volvo's City Safety system, for example, is a standard feature that can automatically stop the car if a low-speed collision is imminent.
A subset of traditional Volvo buyers expect turbocharged engines, and the S60 offers two of them for 2011. Joining the 300-hp T6 AWD model is a new base T5 model fitted with a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 engine. The T5 is good for 250 hp and boasts class-competitive acceleration and fuel economy. Both engines have the energetic snappiness that turbo Volvos of old were known for, only without the wheel-wrenching torque steer.
We're impressed with the 2012 Volvo S60. It's priced competitively, often thousands less than the competition. And while it isn't a sport sedan like a BMW 3 Series or Infiniti G37, the Volvo S60 fits right in against more comfort-tuned entry-level luxury sedans like the Acura TL, Audi A4, Cadillac CTS and Mercedes-Benz C300. In other words, you no longer have to think outside the box to consider a Volvo.
The S60 has room for five on front bucket seats and a 60/40-split folding backseat. Fabric upholstery is standard and leather seats are available. The front passenger seat folds flat to make it easier to carry long items. The S60 also features Volvo's floating center control panel that can be finished in aluminum or wood. Interior features include:
- Standard dual-zone automatic climate control
- Standard CD stereo with an auxiliary jack
- Standard Bluetooth with streaming audio
- Standard satellite radio
- Available embossed sport seats and blue instrumentation (R-Design)
Volvo's quest to create something unmistakably Swedish begins with the S60's exterior design. So many of the styling attributes found on the Volvo simply wouldn't work on a traditional German sedan – things like the seven-spoke turbine-inspired 18-inch wheels, chunky headlamp design with LED fangs (Volvo's new corporate face) and thin-topped eagle's head taillamps. Even that Blazing Copper paint color ("fluorescent brown," as a friend called it) would seem off on a BMW or Benz, and the end result is a luxury sedan that is sleek and stylish in its own unique way. And it's even better in motion. If this Volvo passes you on the highway, you certainly won't mistake it for anything hailing from Germany or Japan.
At launch, the S60 was powered only by a 300-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder. This year, the new T5 model uses a 250-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder, and the T6 R-Design gets a 325-hp, turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder. Mechanical features include:
- Front- or all-wheel drive
- Six-speed automatic transmission
- Optional Four-C adaptive suspension
Upholding Volvo's sterling reputation for passenger protection, the 2012 S60 comes loaded with standard safety features that include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, whiplash-reducing front head restraints and City Safety. The latter can help the driver avoid rear-ending other vehicles or a stationary object at speeds of up to 19 mph by automatically applying the brakes if he doesn't react in time.
Optional (via the Technology package) is Volvo's new pedestrian detection feature, which can apply full braking force (reducing speed by as much as 22 mph) to help you avoid hitting pedestrians who are at least 31 inches in height. This package also includes electronic warnings for driver inattention, lane departure and impending collision, the last of which includes automatic braking. Other safety options include front and rear parking sensors and a side blind-spot warning system.
reference:www.cars.com,autos.aol.com,www.edmunds.com
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