The trip was long, the road tricky, the weather ominous and the car delightful.
What better trial for the current state of Swedish auto engineering than a nighttime run through twisting Arkansas highways in a relentless December rain? I am pleased to report that the 2016 Volvo S60 mastered the highway, managed the weather and made the time pass pleasantly.
The S60 is the automaker's entry-level sports sedan in a lineup that includes seven models. Competing in the same category as the Lexus IS, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A3 and Cadillac ATS, the S60 starts around $34,000 and can work its way up to nearly $59,000, depending on how fast you want to go, but the median sales price is less than $40,000
If you want to stop reading here, the short version of this story is that this would be a perfect car for someone with a long commute because it has all the Volvo DNA: torquey, buttery-smooth engines that deliver a sense of luxury, plenty of power and astounding fuel economy; comfortable and supportive front seats; good to great sound systems; a cleanly designed interior; solid craftsmanship throughout; award-winning safety.
Great powertrains
Though they have unmerged, Ford and Volvo still have a working relationship, and if I were CEO of Ford the first thing I would do is to go get Volvo's engines and put them in my cars.
The two turbocharged 2.0-L four-bangers are Volvo's future. Volvo engineers started working on this new modular engine architecture as far back as 2007 under Ford ownership, but it wasn't until 2010 when China's Geely Automobile bought the brand and invested heavily in the development program.
Eventually the company plans to manufacture eight gas and diesel engines that share many of the same components at a single plant in Sweden. Core features of the new engines align with the industry's best practices: lightweight, compact packages with aluminum heads, forced induction, balancer shafts, greater compression ratios, higher specific output, reduced friction and direct fuel injection.
Two versions of this engine architecture made their debut for 2015 on front-wheel-drive S60 models. The T5 puts out 240 horsepower and 258 lbs.-ft. of torque, with mpg ratings of 25 city, 37 highway and 29 combined. The T6 gets a supercharger and puts out 302 horsepower and 295 lbs.-ft. of torque, with slightly lower mpg ratings of 24 city, 35 highway and 28 combined.
The supercharger is mechanically linked so it starts to function immediately at low revs while the turbocharger kicks in when airflow builds up. This combination provides seamless power delivery that feels like a much larger engine with the benefits of small-engine fuel efficiency and weight reduction.
The T6 last month was named to Wards 10 Best Engines list, with the publication's editors calling it "arguably the new benchmark for high-output 4-cylinder engines," after it beat the pants off the 4-cylinder offerings from BMW and Cadillac.
The third choice is a wonderful engine that Volvo has manufactured for years, a 2.5-liter, inline 5-cylinder, with double overhead cam, 20 valves, turbocharger and with intercooler. It adds 10 horsepower and 8 more pound-feet of torque to the T6 numbers.
Our tester came with this powerplant. We made the 280-mile round trip with a quarter of a tank to spare, despite sucking the doors off log trucks and just about every straight stretch of highway we could find, as well as on some not-so-straight stretches.
Kidding aside, in more than 750 miles of combined driving, we averaged nearly 29 mpg. On the highway, we ran close to 36.
A 3.0 liter, inline 6-cylinder, double overhead cam, 24-valve turbo with intercooler kicks out 325 horses and 354 lb.-ft of torque. It's the most powerful engine offered by Volvo and goes in S60 R-design models, a performance oriented version that starts with a sports-tuned chassis and includes paddle shifters, sports seats, and software tuning of the transmission to create higher shift points during spirited driving.
R-Design models sell in the low to upper 40s. Am I the only one who remembers when that was a good price for a house? But I digress. Often.
A chief reason for these cars' excellent fuel economy is an all-new standard eight-speed "Geartronic" automatic transmission. Quiet, smooth shifts help to reduce noise at higher speeds while additional gears allow engines to operate at peak efficiency for optimal performance and maximum efficiency.
Also new is a start/stop feature, which automatically stops the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop. The engine restarts when the driver releases the brake pedal, which creates hesitation when taking off from a traffic light. We found this feature a nuisance in town and were happy when we located the bypass switch.
Standard on all S60s is ECO+ fuel-saving technology designed to optimize shift points, engine control and throttle response. When activated by the driver, ECO+ can improve fuel economy by five percent depending on driving style, temperature and climate.
Modern styling
You might be old enough to remember when "Volvo" was a synonym for "boxy." Those days are gone. Today's Volvos are sculpted in sleek, crisp lines. The cars are appealing but not avante-garde. The understated, clutter-free Scandinavian design still rules.
If you're looking to turn heads when you pull up to the country club, this isn't your car. If you're comfortable making a statement that is quiet and confident, this may be your ride.
We were pleased to note that stretching the car three inches, done on S60 Inscrption models, does not disturb the lines. The stretching changes the S60 from a small car to mid-sized one. Rear-seat passengers have room to cross their legs while reading a newspaper (not likely) or tapping on an electronic device (probably).
Confidence inspiring
In the cabin, what we experienced with the S60 was an interesting synergy between an interior of beautiful, simple shapes, and ride and handling that were equal parts competence and calm.
Inside, the attention to detail, authentic materials, such as wood and leather, and easy- to-use controls contributes to an in-command driving experience.
Instrument clusters help the driver stay informed of the S60's dynamic capabilities. The base T5 features a contemporary analog cluster. An adaptive digital display is standard on T5 Premier and Platinum trim levels plus all T6 and R-Design models. An easy-to-read Thin Film Transistor (TFT) design allows drivers to select from three different themes: Elegance, Eco and Performance.
On my afternoon drive out I discovered this little feature. A bit of inattention exiting the interstate meant a cross-country excursion. I found the performance setting allowed me to monitor speed and rpm nicely while I made up for lost time while pushing the car through tight, back-road curves. Body lean was well controlled, "stick" in curve was very good for class, and I had the sense that I never even approached the car's handling limits.
Back on the main drag, I renewed my appreciation for Volvo's long-standing tradition of supportive and comfortable seats to help reduce fatigue on long drives.
The trip back, in the dark and into the face of a powerful storm system, built new appreciation for Volvo technology.
The darkest and stormiest of nights was made far less frightening by high-intensity discharge headlights that bored a cylinder of illumination deep into the gloom. The lighting also revealed that the highway was lined with deer, ready to pounce.
The S60 has some safety features which may be helpful with our suicidal deer.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with Full Auto Brake, is standard. Volvo's radar- and camera-based system can detect pedestrians in front of the car, warn the driver if anyone walks out into its path and then automatically activate full braking power if the driver fails to respond in time. I'm guessing a leaping deer would activate the system.
There is also City Safety, aimed at preventing or mitigating collisions with a vehicle ahead occurring at speeds of 31 mph or less. It utilizes a closing velocity sensor to help determine whether a collision is likely and applies the brakes to help avoid a collision. I'm figuring a deer or cow standing in the middle of the highway would set it off.
Still, as the rains intensified, I decided to take the long way, a 20-mile trek through a winding mountain road to connect with the interstate, where four-legged creatures are mild and, I reckoned, the 18-wheel hazards would be parked.
I guessed right. Once I hit the big highway, the path was clear. Despite the downpour, the Volvo's traction control and stability control kept the car from even beginning to think about hydroplaning. I moved over into the fast lane and rolled through the tempest in absolute calm.
I turned up the lovely Harmon Kardon premium sound system, dialed up some soft jazz and reflected on how, on some days, it's cool to be me.
Bottom line: The world of entry-level luxury compacts is filled with great cars. The Volvo S60 is among them.