Volvo S60 and V60: 2019 Motor Trend Car of the Year Finalist

WE LIKE Looking at it, being in it, great base engine

WE DON’T LIKE Sport suspension, hybrid brake tuning, safety optional

Volvo has been on a tear since it earned 2016 SUV of the Year honors with the XC90. By offering consistent avant-garde styling, safety, and value, everything it’s sent since ends up in the finalist category. The 2019 Volvo S60 sedan and V60 wagon keep the ball rolling in an incredibly competitive segment.

The S60 and V60 both look handsome and distinctly Volvo. The look and feel of the spacious interior is better still, with each trim having a distinct personality. The base V60 Momentum delivered a fresh Scandinavian take—“light and airy with some contemporary ‘Swedish Plaid,’” Chris Theodore said.

The standard 250-hp T5 2.0-liter turbo-four is our favorite of the three powertrains, delivering solid all-around performance. Some thought the 316-hp T6 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged I-4 lacked refinement, but others liked its manic power delivery. But the 415-hp plug-in hybrid T8 displayed erratic acceleration as its electric motors, supercharger, and turbocharger individually kicked in. The T8 brakes were inconsistent, too—an issue with T8s dating back to 2015.

We’re less pleased with the sporty versions of the new Volvos. The S60 R-Design was a reasonably convincing sport sedan, but the sacrifice in ride quality wasn’t worth the handling gains. The S60 T8 Polestar felt “off-message and half-baked,” Angus MacKenzie said.

Further off-message: Volvo’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous safety system is left off the standard features list. We have zero doubt that the S60/V60 will achieve top safety scores, but we’re disappointed that the only standard active safety measure is its City Safety system. As Mark Rechtin points out, Honda has its semi-autonomous safety tech standard on the $23,725 Insight. Volvo should do the same across the board.

READ ABOUT 2019 CAR OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS:

READ ABOUT 2019 SUV OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS:

2019 Volvo S/V60 S60 T6 AWD R-Design S60 T8 Polestar V60 T5 (FWD)
Base Price/As tested $47,395/$55,490 $1,100/mo Care by Volvo $38,900/NA
Power (SAE net) 316 hp @ 5,700 rpm 328 hp @ 5,800 rpm (gas)/46 hp fr/87 hp rr (elec)/415 hp (comb) 250 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 295 lb-ft @ 2,200 rpm 317 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm (gas)/110 lb-ft fr/177 lb-ft rr (elec)/494 lb-ft (comb) 258 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 5.9 sec 4.5 sec 6.9 sec
Quarter-mile 14.3 sec @ 99.2 mph 13.1 sec @ 105.9 mph 15.3 sec @ 92.2 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 114 ft 110 ft 126 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.91 g (avg) 0.90 g (avg) 0.83 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 25.8 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) 25.4 sec @ 0.75 g (avg) 27.1 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 21/32/25 mpg 27/34/30 mpg 24/36/28 mpg
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door wagon
Engine/Transmission 2.0L turbo + s’charged DOHC 16-valve I-4 /8-speed automatic 2.0L turbo + s’charged DOHC 16-valve I-4 + 2 elec motors/8-speed automatic 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 /8-speed automatic
Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 4,000 lb (56/44%) 4,431 lb (55/45%) 3,774 lb (56/44%)
Wheelbase 113.1 in 113.1 in 113.1 in
Length x Width x Height 187.4 x 72.8 x 56.6 in 187.4 x 72.8 x 56.6 in 187.4 x 72.8 x 56.6 in
Energy Cons, City/Hwy 160/105 kW-hrs/100 miles 125/99 kW-hrs/100 miles 140/94 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.78 lb/mile 0.65 lb/mile 0.69 lb/mile

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