The 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD is one of the first releases from the revamped Volvo under Geely. If the S60 is a sign of what’s to come, we’re anxious to see what Volvo has in the pipeline.
Exterior
The new 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD sedan is one sharp vehicle. Our test model was wine red with sporty 18″ alloy wheels and all season tires. The design of the 2011 Volvo S60 is very curvy but hardly edgy. Volvo apparently gave its engineers and designers the chance to explore and with that they developed a refined and confident S60 for the 21st century. The S60 is sharp, but it doesn’t scream for attention with gimmicks. Rather, the car grows on you daily with understated aerodynamic muscular design and looks.
Interior
Volvo is known for safety innovation but over the past few years it seems like their interiors are receiving as much attention, if not more. The soft, black leather sport seats in the front and rear were some of the most comfortable seats I have experienced in any car I’ve driven as of late. The dashboard is crisp and precise without clutter and the center console is tilted slightly towards the driver for better views and execution. Our model had a 7-inch color LCD monitor, 8-way power driver seat, a thick and sturdy leather sport steering wheel, dual zone electronic climate control and Bluetooth hands free interface. The interior also has luxury details like its leather trimmed door panels and the high performance Volvo Premium Sound System with Dolby Pro. Going into spring in Ohio I was able to enjoy the power moon roof on some decent days.
Performance
The 3.0-liter turbo charged 6-cylinder alloy engine with DOHC, continuous variable valve timing, twin scroll turbocharger with 300 horsepower delivers a smooth and powerful drive. The Volvo S60 transmission made me appreciate the investment into 6-speed auto geartronic transmission tech with adaptive shift logic and AWD instant traction. The suspension was comfortable but sporty, a testament to the fully independent rear multi link suspension. The handling with the speed sensitive steering and selectable setting was another plus for those who prefer various driving experiences.
The awesome headrests boast Volvo whiplash protection system (WHIPS) in driver and front passenger seats for a total of five padded head restraints. The premium package in our 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD model included collision warning with full auto brake, pedestrian detection with full auto brake, distance alert with driver alert control (we like this system in both Volvo and Ford vehicles), lane departure warning and rear park assist camera.
Overview
The 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD is a very stylish and comfortable luxury sedan that is a gem in a crowded field. Even though the styling is a bit more aggressive than past S60’s, it’s still understated and conservative. When you add in the premium package for our test model the pricing came in at $46,200. Fuel efficiency is comparable to others in this segment with 18mpg city driving and 26mpg on the highway. Volvo is still a leader in automotive safety and if the new owner Geely can steer them into building more stylish models like the 2011 S60, we might see a real upswing in future sales.
