The redesigned S60 compact luxury sedan is an under-the-radar choice among luxury compact cars. Its visually appealing exterior and interior design projects sophisticated luxury without being flashy.
The S60 competes against some impressive sports sedans, such as the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, but the Volvo lacks those cars’ ride comfort and handling agility.
This sedan has some standout qualities. Its quiet cabin is a nice place to be on a long drive, and the driving position is well tailored to fit adults of all sizes. The front seats are supportive and comfortable, but it is odd that Volvo only offers two-way only lumbar adjustment; a four-way lumbar adjustment is common among peers. The rear seat is roomy for the class.
Volvo’s minimalist interior is polished and refined, with clean lines, and tasteful applications of matte wood, chrome touches and piano black surfaces. Both the cabin and trunk provide plenty of storage.
We weren’t as impressed once the S60 started moving. Like in other Volvos, the S60’s suspension struggles to smooth out road imperfections, leaving passengers feeling all of the thumps.
Factoring in the slow-to-respond steering, the S60 feels neither sporty nor luxurious to drive. The Volvo feels quick in everyday driving, but its competitors—such as the A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class—accelerate faster. We got 26 mpg overall in our fuel economy tests. That means the front-wheel-drive S60 we tested is less efficient than some of its all-wheel-drive rivals, some of which cost less.
By far the biggest complaint about the S60 is with the infotainment system. The vertical touch-screen forces drivers to make too many swipes and taps in order to execute common tasks, and it also requires them to spend too much time with their eyes off the road. At least Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility is standard.
We like that forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB), and other advanced safety systems are standard, which isn’t surprising for Volvo. For 2021 blind spot warning and rear cross traffic are standard.