Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox
The Volvo S60 engine range starts with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder B5 mild hybrid (MHEV), which feeds all of its 246bhp to the front wheels. That’s enough for a 0-60mph sprint of 6.4sec and acceleration that builds from low revs then continues through the mid-range. It’ll be plenty quick enough for pretty much every situation you can throw at it, but if you fancy something even faster, the BMW 3 Series in 330i form and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce are even quicker.
The only element that lets down the B5 is the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox, which tends to hesitate for a second when you push the accelerator pedal. The T8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is better because it uses its electric motors to set off.
Opting for R Design trim on the PHEV or Inscription trim on the MHEV does away with the sports chassis and adds a more comfortable dynamic chassis instead. That offers a much better ride and easily copes with bumps and imperfections. We’d recommend going for a trim that gives you the dynamic chassis because it turns the S60 into a comfortable motorway cruiser.
Handling
The lumpy ride that comes with the sports chassis would be easier to accept if it made the S60 as fun to drive as the 3 Series and Giulia. Instead, it leans more through tight twists and turns, and is generally less willing to change direction in the first place.
