Used 2020 Volvo S60

#3 in Best Small Luxury Cars of 2020

Luxurious, sporty and packed with safety hardware, the Volvo S60 is an enticing player in the midsize-luxury-sedan segment. It’s available with a T5 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 with 250 horsepower, or a T6 turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter with 316 horsepower.

The S60 also can be ordered with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that features a rear-mounted electric motor driving the back wheels. This T8 Twin Engine eAWD powertrain produces a combined 400 horsepower, and it’s available in the R-Design and Inscription models. In the rare Polestar Engineered Volvo S60 performance flagship, the T8 Twin Engine eAWD powertrain puts out 415 horsepower. All PHEV S60s have a pure-electric driving range of about 25 miles.

The 3rd-generation Volvo S60, built at the company’s factory in South Carolina, is about five inches longer than the previous S60, which contributes to a much roomier back seat. Available through traditional channels or via a subscription service called Care by Volvo, the Volvo S60 competes primarily with other European sedans like the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C 300.

Four 2020 Volvo S60 models are available: the S60 Momentum, the S60 R-Design, the S60 Inscription and the S60 Polestar Engineered.

KBB sampled an S60 R-Design, an all-wheel-drive (AWD) model equipped with a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter inline-4 that sends 316 horsepower to all four wheels via a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission.

First impressions: The S60 is handsome, a solid, quiet and roomy midsize sedan that has plenty of headroom, even with the large panoramic sunroof. Back-seat room is equally impressive, as a 6-foot-tall person can sit with ease behind a driver of the same height. The electric-assist power steering feels natural, and well-controlled body motions help this 5-seat Volvo stay composed on twisty and undulating roads. In those situations, it’s best to choose the Dynamic driving mode for its sharpened transmission and throttle response.

Volvo’s T6 engine makes great power with minimal turbo lag, and the all-wheel-drive powertrain means no torque steer is felt through the S60’s steering wheel during brisk acceleration. The 8-speed automatic, from Aisin-Warner, shifts smoothly and unobtrusively, and highway cruising in this new Volvo is both comfortable and relaxed.

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In Scandinavian fashion, the 2020 Volvo S60 has a handsomely uncluttered interior, one highlighted by large analog gauges and a 9-inch vertically oriented Sensus screen dominating the center stack. Swipe the screen one way and you can call up multiple vehicle functions, everything from ESC Sport mode and Active Bending Lights to cruise control and Road Sign Information; swipe it the other way for handy apps like Spotify and Pandora.

While Sensus helps to de-clutter the S60’s dash, it’s not for everyone. Some people feel the multifunction screen forces the driver to look away from the road far too often. On a positive note, the S60’s heavily bolstered seats are quite comfortable, and they’re available in a good-quality Leatherette (Momentum model) or attractive leather (all the others) with a fun little Swedish flag sewn onto a side seam of the S60’s front seats. All told, the S60 exudes luxury inside, and the thick rim of the 3-spoke steering wheel feels substantial in your hands.

In profile, the Volvo S60 sedan looks especially attractive, thanks to its long hood, sweeping roofline and short rear deck. Styling details that we particularly like include the sculpting on the hood and sides of the car, plus the S60’s distinctive T-shaped LED “Thor’s Hammer” front driving lights. In back, the LED taillights emphasize the width of the new S60.

A big badge in the middle of the S60’s diagonally bisected grille leaves no doubt that this is a Volvo, and a new color (Bursting Blue Metallic) is available for the 2020 model year.

CARE BY VOLVO SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
The 2020 Volvo S60 R-Design is available via Care by Volvo, a 24-month all-inclusive plan that takes care of maintenance, insurance and 24/7 customer care. For $750 a month, you get use of the vehicle (a max of 15,000 miles per year), all scheduled maintenance and other common vehicle ownership services.

CITY SAFETY
This safety technology, standard on all Volvos, combines automatic braking and other collision-avoidance systems to help keep you safe. Volvo says City Safety is the only system on the market that detects pedestrians, cyclists and large animals such as moose and deer.

Volvo sells four versions of the S60, each equipped with the Sensus Connect touch-screen multifunction interface.

The S60 Momentum, available with front- or all-wheel drive and the 250-horsepower engine, includes City Safety with Steering Support, which helps prevent accidents at intersections or collisions with pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. The Momentum comes standard with Leatherette seats, a panoramic sunroof and 18-inch wheels.

The S60 Inscription, available with the T5 (FWD and AWD), T6 (AWD) or the 400-horsepower T8 (AWD) PHEV powertrain, builds on that with a leather interior with 4-zone climate control, driftwood inlays and bright chrome window trim.

The S60 R-Design, also available with the T5, T6 or T8 PHEV powertrains, is equipped with a lowered sport chassis, shift paddles, upgraded Nappa interior leather and black trim on the windows, rearview mirrors and grille.

At the top of the S60 performance ladder is the Polestar Engineered S60, which is equipped with the 415-horsepower T8 PHEV powertrain and a super-sporty chassis with adjustable Ohlins shock absorbers, large Akebono disc brakes, forged 19-inch black alloy wheels, gold-colored seatbelts and a killer Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

As with the XC60 SUV, the S60 sedan is available with multiple paint and wheel choices, plus an Exterior Styling Kit and several other packages. The Advance Package, available on the Momentum, R-Design and Inscription, features the Pilot Assist safety suite, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree surround-view camera, a head-up display and LED headlights that swivel their beams into corners. Heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel are also available.

One of the most eye-opening options available on the exclusive S60 Polestar Engineered is matte paint, for a cool $7,000. A warning, though: Volvo says an S60 with matte paint, which does not have a clear top coat, can’t be put through a commercial car wash because it may damage the paint.

Volvo offers three powertrain choices in its S60 sedan. The T5 powertrain, available in the front- (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) S60, features a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and surprisingly good low-end torque.

The T6 powertrain, found exclusively in the AWD S60 and featuring a turbocharged and supercharged version of the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, puts out 316 peak horsepower and a stout 295 lb-ft of torque.

The T8 powertrain also is exclusive to the AWD S60, but it’s a PHEV powertrain featuring an onboard lithium-ion battery pack and a rear-mounted electric motor driving the back wheels. Total system output is an impressive 400 horsepower (or 415 in the Polestar Engineered S60).

One gearbox is used throughout the S60 lineup: a smooth 8-speed automatic from Aisin.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (T5)
250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/34 mpg (FWD), 21/32 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged/supercharged inline-4 (T6)
316 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 2,200-5,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/32 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged/supercharged inline-4 with plug-in hybrid (T8 eAWD Plug In Hybrid)
400 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm (415 in Polestar)
472 lb-ft of torque @ 2,200-5,400 rpm (494 in the Polestar)
EPA combined city/highway fuel economy: 30 mpg, 69 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent)