Volvos have a reputation for being safe ... and stodgy. Don't believe the latter. Not anymore.
Thor is Swedish, remember. So is Agnetha Faltskog. Combine the two and you've got the new S60, the fiercest, sexiest and probably safest sedan in its class.
What It Is
The S60 is Volvo's war hammer assault on the longstanding German dominance of the entry-luxury sport sedan market.
It's about the same size as a BMW 3 Series sedan, but it costs about $4k less to start. It's also about $3k more expensive than a Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan, but it has 8 inches more back-seat legroom and comes standard with 250 horsepower, whereas the Benz has 208.
Other S60 draws include the only turbo-supercharged engine on the market, a standard 12.3-inch configurable LCD main gauge cluster and as much as 415 fuel-efficient hybridized horsepower.
Prices start at $36,050 for the base front-wheel-drive T5 trim, which comes with the 250 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
T6 models get the turbo-plus-supercharged version of the 2.0-liter engine, with output boosted to 316 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard with this one, too.
Prices start at $40,550.
A top-of-the-line Polestar T8 comes with the 415 horsepower hybrid drivetrain, standard AWD — and a plug. It can travel about 21 miles on battery power or get you to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
Thor smiles.
What's New
The 2019 S60 is new from the wheels up.
What's Good
A fast and sexy Volvo is like having ice cream every night and not getting fat.
It has an exceptional Bowers & Wilkins audio rig.
There is much more back-seat legroom and headroom than that of rivals like the Benz CLA.
What's Not So Good
It has a small trunk (11.7 cubic feet).
The touchscreen-only interface system takes some getting used to ... if you're over 40.
There are no USB ports in the back.
Under the Hood
The 2.0-liter engine starts out as one of the most powerful standard engines in this class. It has 250 horsepower in the T5 trim, which is the only version that's front-wheel drive.
The AWD-equipped T6 trims get the 2.0-liter engine with a turbo and a supercharger.
Why not just use two turbos, like pretty much everyone else? Because turbos don't build boost immediately. Exhaust pressure has to build up first. But superchargers are mechanically driven and therefore build boost immediately. No waiting to get the 316 horsepower this engine belts out.
If that's insufficiently exciting, there's the T8. A pair of electric motors plus the turbo and the supercharger quadruple-down on the power production, which rises to 400 horsepower and 472 foot-pounds of torque.
And if that's not sufficient, the highest-performance Polestar T8 gets you another 15 horsepower for 415 total and super-car acceleration with the potential for very good gas mileage.
If your trip is within the battery pack's 21-mile range, you might get there using no gas at all.
On the Road
The S60 isn't just athletic and efficient. It's also exceptionally comfortable, in part because of its exceptional seats. Lots of attention went into these, and to appreciate them you will need to sit in them, for four or five hours, ideally.
If you do that, you may not want to get out of the S60, especially if it's a T6 and it has the double-boosted engine. The surge of power is immediate, the characteristic boon of supercharging.
All that's missing is the gear whine. But Thor is there, rest assured. To summon him, just step on the gas pedal.
At the Curb
The S60 is both a looker and a runner. It's still distinctively a Volvo but a new kind of Volvo. No more Mrs. Doubtfire. It's Agnetha in her prime.
Inside are two very large, very slick-looking LCD displays: the main 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a secondary 9-inch display that is entirely touch/swipe, which eliminates almost a dozen different knobs and buttons.
The array can be intimidating ... if you're over 40 and you didn't grow up with smartphones.
But Volvo is targeting young buyers both in terms of tech and styling.
The Rest
Volvo still emphasizes safety, so the S60 comes standard with many of the latest collision-avoidance systems, including some features and tech not even offered in rival models, like Run Off Road Mitigation. This helps avoid loss of control due to driver overcorrection when an outside wheel dips off onto a low shoulder.
The Bottom Line
Safe cars are common cars, which is why Volvo engineered the S60 to be an exciting car, too.
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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