Used 2018 Volvo S60 T5 Inscription Sedan Review

After nearly a decade on the market, it would be easy for the 2018 Volvo S60 to look dated compared to its luxury-sedan rivals, but it's quite the opposite. Its looks are still classy, and all of the modern safety equipment you'd expect from Volvo is helping to keep this four-door Scandinavian competitor relevant.

Under the hood, the S60 is available with two four-cylinder engines, one that is turbocharged, the other turbocharged and supercharged. Front- and all-wheel drive are both available, and the multiple safety features offered give the S60 a range of modern technology. The handling has varying levels of sportiness depending on the trim level, and the ride is definitely a luxury-level quality. Interior trimmings, as unfamiliar as they may seem to owners coming from other brands, are upscale and pleasing to the touch. And while legroom is limited on the standard S60, there's an available extended-wheelbase model called the Inscription that adds about 3 inches of rear legroom. Essentially, the 2018 Volvo S60 has all the bases covered. Despite its age, it's a well-rounded sedan that has a lot going for it. We recommend taking one out for a test drive.

The 2018 Volvo S60 is available in four different trim levels. The two standard-wheelbase offerings are the T5 Dynamic and T6 AWD R-Design Platinum, and the long-wheelbase trim levels are the T5 Inscription and T5 Inscription Platinum. The T5 Dynamic comes with items such as power seats and Volvo's Sensus smartphone app integration. Work your way up to the Inscription or Inscription Platinum and you'll get the longer wheelbase, an upgraded sound system and a slew of safety features. The T6 AWD R-Design is the sportiest and most powerful S60.

The T5 Dynamic and T5 Inscription are equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (240 hp, 258 lb-ft) and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T6 AWD R-Design uses a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (302 hp, 295 lb-ft).

Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is an option on all trim levels, except on the T6 AWD R-Design, which comes only with AWD. Every S60 uses the same eight-speed automatic transmission.

The base T5 Dynamic comes relatively well-equipped with 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, xenon headlights, LED running lights, headlight washers, heated mirrors, automatic climate control, leather seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with lumbar adjustment), driver-seat 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, voice commands, and an eight-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a USB interface.

The midlevel T5 Inscription gets the longer wheelbase (which increases rear legroom by 3 inches), side rear window sunshades, a power rear window sunshade, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, a power front passenger seat, 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, turn-adapting headlights, revised seats, wood interior trim, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and Volvo's Convenience and Technology packages (explained below).

At the top of the ladder, there's the T6 AWD R-Design Platinum, which has all the Inscription Platinum features plus the more powerful engine, all-wheel drive, 19-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, special exterior and interior trim, navigation, sport front seats, adjustable steering effort and paddle shifters.

Available on all S60 Inscription models 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 air 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 are an automatic parking assistance system and a rear-seat entertainment system with dual displays.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2015 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Drive-E (turbo and supercharged 2.0L inline-4 | 8-speed automatic | FWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Volvo S60 has received some minor trim-level revisions. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's model, however.