Car news! Volvo S60 Sedan

Volvo S60 Sedan

Full 2015 Volvo S60 Review

What's New for 2015

The 2015 Volvo S60 gets several changes, including a couple of new four-cylinder engines (one that is both turbo- and supercharged) and an eight-speed automatic transmission. New features debut for 2015 as well, such as fuel-saving automatic engine stop-start technology and available lane-keeping assist. Finally, midway through the year, "2015.5" models (those built after June 2014) see a few changes to standard and optional equipment including updates to Volvo's standard telematics system.

Introduction

The entry-level luxury sport sedan segment is something of an automotive Olympics. Here, athletic entries from Germany, Japan, America and Sweden vie not for medals, but for prestige and popularity. And from the country that gave us Abba and Ikea comes the 2015 Volvo S60. Already a player that could hold its own in this tough game, the S60 comes into this year sporting greater performance and efficiency thanks to a couple of new powertrains.

This year the Volvo S60 adopts turbocharged four-cylinder power like most of its rivals already have. The Volvo's base 2.0-liter turbo makes 240 horsepower and promises solid performance along with strong fuel economy. Indeed, with an EPA rating of 29 mpg in combined city/highway driving, this Volvois a front-runner in that respect. There is also a 2.0-liter four that is both supercharged and turbocharged, allowing this little 302-hp dynamo to provide both immediate response and admirable fuel efficiency. Although it rates just 1 mpg shy of the base engine's lofty combined estimate, according to Volvo, it is still capable of dispatching the 0-60-mph sprint in a speedy 5.6 seconds.

Other changes this year include a new eight-speed automatic transmission for those engines along with the adoption of fuel-saving automatic engine stop-start technology and a shuffling of features and trim levels. Unfortunately, these new engines and transmission only apply to front-wheel-drive S60s. If you desire the traction-enhancing benefits of all-wheel drive, the S60's less-efficient five- and six-cylinder turbocharged engines soldier on for another year.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2015 Volvo S60 is a midsize luxury sedan available in four trim levels: T5 Drive-E, T5 AWD, T6 Drive-E and T6 R-Design. Depending on when your S60 was built, it might have a "2015.5" designation (models built after June 2014). As such, the information contained in this review refers to the 2015.5 S60. See the end of this section for the notable differences on the earlier models.

Apart from its powertrain, the T5 Drive-E and T5 AWD are similar in terms of available equipment. They come standard with 17-inch wheels, automatic headlights, LED running lights, headlight washers, heated mirrors, automatic wipers, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver seat (with adjustable lumbar), driver memory settings, power-folding rear headrests, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, T-Tec cloth upholstery, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat with pass-through, a 7-inch display screen, "Sensus" smartphone app integration, WiFi capability, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and an eight-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.