2019 Volvo S60 First Drive Review

Volvo cars have been getting stylish and attractive off late. And after the stunning S90, the new S60 sedan is no different... It is a brand-new car from the ground up and completes Volvo's 60-series family consisting of the new-gen XC60, V60 and now the S60. Also, this will be the first ever Volvo model to  not have a diesel engine option. We test drove the T6 all-wheel drive variant of the car and the T8 "Polestar Engineered" variant. As far as looks are concerned, there is an obvious resemblance to the S90. But there is also a low, sports sedan-like silhouette on the new S60. The red car, which is the S60 T6 AWD is dressed in the R-Design trim, which gets 19-inch wheels, and chrome bits on the grille. The signature Thor's hammer daytime running lights and the stylish looking 'E' shaped tail lamps provide the car its own signature. The new S60 is so handsome that we definitely recommend this to James Bond, if in case he ever gets bored of driving British cars. It suits his personality too, suave, elegant and sexy in a very masculine way.

Also Read: 2019 Volvo S60 Breaks Cover

(We drove two variants of the new-gen S60, the T6 and the T8. Needless to say, the T8 was our choice, thanks to extra power, sharper handling and it being a plug-in hybrid)

The Black S60 is the top-spec 'Polestar Engineered' variant which looks even racier, with the blacked out grille, gold brake callipers, lightweight 20-inch wheels and the Polestar badges all around. It also gets sporty yellow seat-belts and Volvo's patented crystal gear lever. To say that it looks gorgeous will be an understatement. It is easily the best-looking sedan in its segment which also has the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

(The dashboard on the new-gen S60 has an elegant, minimalist design)

Step inside and you will find that the cabin carries a minimalist theme, which is the case with all new-generation Volvos. The materials used inside the cabin look and feel premium and the dashboard get a 9-inch Sensus touch-screen infotainment system which is found on the other 60-series cars as well. You get all forms of connectivity and smartphone integration options along with a Volvo on call app as well.

(The all-black theme inside the cabin makes for a sporty look)

Also Read: 2019 Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Models Sold Off In USA Under 40 Minutes

The T6 all-wheel drive gets a 2-litre in-line 4 motor which is turbo-charged and pumps out 310 brake horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 400 newton metres of peak torque between 2,200 to 5,100 rpm. The power is distributed to all 4-wheels via an 8-speed automatic.

(The 2019 S60 will not have a diesel engine option globally)

The power delivery is linear and the car builds up speed nicely too. To go faster, you can select the dynamic drive mode, which weighs up the steering, throttle inputs are sensed quicker and the suspension too firms up for a sporty experience. But if you are looking for an authentic sports sedan experience, you might want to give the S60 Polestar a try.

(The 'Polestar Engineered' S60 T8 will be our choice. It looks so good in black and has rather enjoyable performance too)

The other model that we drove was the top-of-the-line T8 trim which gets a 2-litre petrol engine up front and an electric motor at the rear, making the car a plug-in hybrid model. On sheer electric power, the S60 T8 can go up to 45 kilometres. The combined power output is about 413 horses and the total torque output that is combining the torque output of the electric and the petrol motor is about 670 newton metres. It is a pretty torquey motor and this reflects in the drive as well. So right from, like 1,800 rpm, you have this massive surge of torque and mostly you will be driving this car on city roads and for that, the torque surge is spread across the rev range and you will never fall short of pulling power. The ride quality is really good, we have driven over some really bumpy roads and so far, the car has held up really well.

(The 'Polestar Engineered' S60 T8 gets Ohlins suspension and gold-painted brake callipers)

What really impressed us is how the Polestar Engineered S60 handles. We took the car on some twisties and found out that it loves to carve up corners. It responds very well to the steering inputs and has the right amount of weight as well. Plus, the S60 Polestar also gets better Ohlins suspension and the electric motor simply nullifies any turbo lag that a normal turbo-charged engine might have had. Plus, the grip offered too was pleasantly surprising.

(The new-generation Volvo S60 will be launched in India in the second half of 2019)

The all-new Volvo S60 will be manufactured the company's plant in Charleston, North Carolina and will come to India in the second half of 2019. Expect Volvo to price it competitively as the Swedish company will look to get a sizeable chunk of the premium luxury sedan segment in which the German manufacturers have a strong foothold. The new-gen S60 holds great promise as an overall package and we can't wait to see it in India.