Volvo S60 review

Talk about a turnaround. In the space of just five years, Volvo has gone from a brand that built unremarkable also-rans, to the form of its life. Today it makes cars that can mix it with, sometimes even beat, the very best from the premium-badged competition.

So, theoretically, the Volvo S60 should give its executive saloon rivals, including the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Alfa Romeo Giulia, a jolly good run for their money.

The S60 is, in essence, a saloon version of the Volvo V60 estate. However, unlike that car, the S60 isn't available with a diesel engine – and Volvo won’t be offering one in the future, either. Given the declining popularity of diesel, that could be a shrewd move in the long-term, although there is a plug-in hybrid model (called the T8) if you're looking for seriously low CO2 emissions.

Over the next few pages, we’ll tell you how the Volvo S60 compares against its key rivals in all the important areas, including practicality, interior quality, driving dynamics and infotainment.

And if, after reading our review, you decide you want to buy an S60, then make sure you head over to our New Car Buying section to see how much money you could save on the brochure price.