The 2015 Volvo S60 T5 sees the pairing of the 2014 design overhaul and the integration of fuel efficient Drive-E engines new for 2015. This new pairing creates a Volvo S60 with a refined, unassuming exterior and a smooth, powerful, fuel efficient power plant. The overall impression of the 2015 Volvo S60 T5 is a comfortable, sporty looking luxury sedan with a smooth and quiet ride.
ENGINE & DRIVE
The Drive-E powertrains new to the 2015 Volvo S60 offer lower emissions, better fuel economy and exciting power all from a four cylinder engine. The front wheel drive 2014 Volvo S60 T5 is equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder engine producing 240 horsepower and paired with an 8 speed automatic transmission. The T6 adds supercharging to the same configuration increasing horsepower to 302.
So what does all this feel like when driving? The 2015 Volvo S60 T5 is quick to accelerate with fast response time and offers a smooth driving experience. Although the T5 has impressive power on paper, the acceleration suffers noticeably from the heavy weight of the vehicle. Although slightly underpowered, the T5 still drives like a luxury car – smooth and quiet with an overall solid feeling.
However, when auto start/stop feature is engaged (to increase fuel economy by stopping the engine when the car is idle and restarting when the brake is released), the acceleration from a stopped position is a bit jerky when you release the brake and start hitting the acceleration.
Also, at highway speeds while cornering, there is sometimes a steering pull that seems to rotate the steering wheel back into the turn when you are done turning. A bit scary to feel the steering wheel pull in a direction on its own, but the pull is not too strong.
Having driven the 2015 Volvo S60 T5 for just under 500kms of combined city and highway driving, I was extremely pleased to see the average fuel consumption sit at 8.3 L/100kms. This is very impressive for a turbo charged 240 horsepower sedan that weighs in at 3,433 lbs.
EXTERIOR
The exterior of the 2015 Volvo S60 was designed with smart-elegance in mind, leaving the prior boxy designs in the past. You can definitely tell it’s the body of a more expensive vehicle, without overusing accent lies, vents and chrome. The lower, wider stance also gives a subtle aggressive look to the car.
I found the styling cues inherited from the 2014 redesign, like the plainer headlights that seem to integrate more seamlessly onto the front end, tail lights that flow nicely into each other and the rectangular dual exhaust make the new 2015 Volvo S60 a more refined looking luxury sedan. Although some find the exterior blander for a sporty luxury sedan, I found the new design to be sleek, modern and a look that won’t go out of style.
INTERIOR
The cabin of the 2015 Volvo S60 does a great job of reducing exterior and engine noise, which is to be expected from a luxury car with thick and solid doors. Being a sporty car I was hoping for a bit more of the muted engine noise to come through at full acceleration.
The intuitive interior is built with the efficiency of the driver in mind, having the important areas easily within reach. If you’ve never driven a Volvo before, it will take a bit of time to get accustomed to the different way of accessing menus and trip information.
Although there is a difference in thinking when you navigate around the features and menus of a Volvo, there are still a few improvements that could be made. Upon first glance at the dash and center console, you’ll notice far too many buttons and dials, which do not belong in the cars of today when touch screens and digital controls are readily available. Front and center is a full keypad that is quite unnecessary and a lack of center console storage, until you feel around and find the hidden storage area behind the center console. I did like the driver having one touch up and down controls for all windows as well as the safety warning lights in the windshield when driving too close to the car in front. I also felt that a phone button on the steering wheel would be a nice addition since phone calls while driving are becoming more of a norm.
The large, snug, plush leather seating provides great back support and is very comfortable during longer road trips. Although the trunk space is a bit lacking compared to other cars in its class, it does have split folding rear seats to allow most items to fit.
My favorite part about the 2015 Volvo S60 interior was the wide range of customizable options. From tweaking the safety settings and car features to selecting the type of dash that will suit your driving, there are tons of options to personalize your Volvo. The dash selection offers 3 different displays depending on what type of driving you wish to do. Elegant is a clean, simple and typical dash with speedometer, tachometer and temperature gauge; Eco is a green styled dash that replaces the temperature with a fuel consumption gauge; and Performance is a red themed gauge with a large tachometer and digital speedometer front and center.
SAFETY
As Volvo has always been synonymous with safety, they offer a huge number of safety features including:
- Blindspot Warning
- Land Departure Warning
- Smart Cruise Control
- Follow Distance Monitoring
- Turning Headlights
- Active Highbeam Control
- Cross Traffic Alert
- Many more…
More information about these features can be found here.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With a base price of $37,750 ($51,050 as tested), the 2015 Volvo S60 T5 definitely offers great value for money when looking for a sporty luxury sedan. Crammed full of the latest technology, a smooth ride, a plush interior, superior fuel economy and an award winning safety reputation, can you really afford not to test drive a Volvo?
