2017 Volvo S60 Review

Now in its fourth model year since its last major update, the 2017 Volvo S60 receives only minor changes. Despite its age, the S60 continues to be a relevant player in the small luxury sedan segment. Its gutsy powertrains have made a strong impression, and last year's introduction of the long-wheelbase Inscription version gave the S60 lineup's viability a shot in the arm.

What's more, the S60 has good looks and a long list of features including several safety items. It's tuned for comfort rather than sport, a choice that will suit many consumers just fine. The base Dynamic trim level even looks the part more than ever. The S60 turns and steers competently, though, and its comfortable seats are well-suited for long drives. The 3-inch-longer wheelbase of the Inscription model means your backseat passengers will enjoy the trip, too, whereas the base S60's backseat is on the tight side.

Overall, the 2017 Volvo S60 has an easygoing appeal that makes it worth your attention. The BMW 3 Series remains the standard-bearer especially at the enthusiast-oriented end of the spectrum, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a strong all-arounder. Among other comfort-slanted sedans such as the Acura TLX, Hyundai Genesis and Lexus ES 350, the S60 stacks up quite well and is priced attractively to boot.

The S60 comes with a raft of standard safety features that include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and whiplash-reducing front head restraints. Low-speed frontal collision warning and collision mitigation with automatic braking ( City Safety) systems are standard and can help the driver avoid a collision with other vehicles or a run-in with a stationary object at speeds of up to 19 mph by automatically applying the brakes if reaction from the driver isn't quick enough. Also standard is Volvo's On Call system that includes emergency assistance, automatic crash notification and stolen vehicle assistance.

Included in the optional Technology package (standard on the Platinum trim) is an upgraded version of the forward collision mitigation system that adds pedestrian and cyclist detection. This package also includes electronic warnings for driver inattention, lane departure warning and lane departure intervention.

Other available safety features include front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

In Edmunds brake testing, an XC60 T6 Drive-E stopped from 60 mph in 120 feet, which is average for this class of car.

In government crash testing, the S60 earned a perfect five-star rating for overall crash protection, with five stars each for total front and side crash protection. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2016 S60 (we expect similar results from the essentially identical 2017 model) received the best possible rating of Good in all tests, including the moderate-overlap front-impact, small-overlap front-impact, side-impact, roof strength and head restraint/seat design (whiplash protection). The IIHS also rated the S60's optional forward collision warning and mitigation system as Superior.

A midsize entry-level luxury sedan, the 2017 Volvo S60 is available in standard and extended (Inscription) wheelbase lengths. Trim levels have been simplified for 2017, shrinking to only four this year. The two standard-wheelbase offerings are T5 Dynamic and T6 AWD R-Design, and the long-wheelbase trim levels are T5 Inscription and T5 Inscription Platinum. All wheel-drive is an option on all trim levels, except on the T6 AWD R-Design, where it is compulsory.

The base T5 Dynamic comes standard with 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, xenon headlights, LED running lights, headlight washers, heated mirrors, automatic climate control, leather seats, an eight-way power driver seat (with adjustable lumbar), driver memory settings, power-folding rear headrests, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a 60/40-split folding rear seat. Standard technology features include a low-speed forward collision warning and mitigation system, a 7-inch display screen, Volvo's Sensus smartphone app integration, Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice commands and an eight-speaker sound system, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack, a USB audio interface and an engine stop-start system.

The T5 Inscription adds side rear window sunshades, a power rear window sunshade, a backup camera, rear parking sensors, a power front passenger seat, navigation, a configurable instrument display and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a multi-filter cabin air filtration system and additional sound-deadening material.

The Inscription Platinum adds a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, adaptive xenon headlights, revised seats, wood interior trim, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and Volvo's Convenience and Technology packages (explained below). As noted previously, the Inscription is the only S60 with the long wheelbase and extra rear legroom.

The T6 AWD R-Design has the Platinum features and adds a more powerful engine, all-wheel drive, 19-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, special exterior and interior trim, sport seats, adjustable steering effort and paddle shifters.

Available on all S60s and standard on Platinum models, the Convenience package adds power-folding mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, and a grocery bag holder. The Technology package features adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlight control, a more advanced forward collision warning and mitigation system, and a lane departure warning and intervention system.

Volvo's optional Climate package, available on all S60s except the Dynamic trim level, includes a heated windshield, heated windshield washers, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel and an active cabin filter. The Sport package (T5 Dynamic only) includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, adjustable steering effort and paddle shifters. Also available is the Vision package, which features blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park sensors, and keyless entry and ignition.

Other notable options an automatic parking assistance system and a rear-seat entertainment system with dual displays.

The 2017 Volvo S60 T5 Dynamic and T5 Inscription are equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway) for the base T5 Dynamic and T5 Inscription, while AWD variants drop to 26 mpg combined (23 city/31 highway).

The T6 AWD R-Design is all-wheel-drive and packs a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out 302 hp and 295 lb-ft. It, too, uses the eight-speed automatic. In prior Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive Volvo S60 with this engine accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, which is a slower than average time for a small luxury sedan with an upgraded engine. EPA fuel economy numbers are 26 mpg combined (22 city/32 highway). We found it difficult to match these numbers in our long-term testing of a T6 Drive-E, which is fundamentally similar to the T6 AWD R-Design save for our car's front-wheel-drive layout.