Volvo S60 Tested May 2010

Rating Quick Summary Recommended. Volvo's new S60 might not be quite good enough to weaken the German stranglehold on the premium saloon market, but it's a worthy effort and marks a return to form for the manufacturer.

Full Road Test

The previous generation of S60 was reasonably successful for Volvo, which still believes it must continue to compete in the premium saloon sector if it is to flourish.

The Swedish manufacturer could hardly have picked a tougher fight - the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class sit atop one of the closest fought segments in the industry. And all three were resolutely named as the S60's closest rivals.

The saloon is built on a heavily modified S80/XC60 platform, and this year's total volume will be neatly divided between Europe, Asia and America. However, some continents are more equal than others; Europe will get what Volvo calls the 'dynamic' chassis setup, while Asia and America share the softer 'touring' version of the car. The idea behind this is that a small saloon cannot succeed here if it is not rewarding to drive. As such, Volvo spent a lot of time fine-tuning the S60 - even going as far as employing former racing driver John Cleland to provide feedback - and insists that it is the sportiest car in the current line-up.

That's not something you could ascertain just by looking at the engines available in the UK from launch. Two versions of Volvo's familiar five-cylinder diesels will be offered, but the 304bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is the only petrol on the spec sheet. A new 2.0-litre turbocharged engine will join the range six months after launch, as an ultra-frugal 115g/km CO2 1.6-litre DRIVe version.

Of course for some premium customers it won't really matter which engine is under the body - they'll make their minds up based on the styling and perceived quality. On this front the new S60 does particularly well. Volvo has ditched the staid design of its predecessor for a sleeker appearance, but has done so without sacrificing brand identity.

Inside, there's a neat, brushed aluminium focal points on an attractive dashboard with a new 5-inch or 7-inch infotainment screen which is a welcome replacement for the old flip-up sat nav system. Volvo's aging instrument display remains a gripe, but otherwise the company should be applauded for hitting the premium nail squarely on the head.

And on the road? Well, the S60 never feels less than firmly planted, and over smooth surfaces it is more than capable of fast, fluid process. The higher performance models will be available with Volvo's AWD system, but frankly we'd opt for the lighter front-wheel drive version which seemed to have more poise, and made up for its comparative lack of traction with a more engaging character.

There are some shortfalls - the S60's steering has improved, but it is still someway short of the class leaders in terms of feel; the diesel engines are strong, but noisy, and have a habit of delivering their power in narrow globules; the firm ride quality suffers over poorly surfaced roads and the elderly automatic gearboxes will snatch at changes and hesitate over the appropriate ratio. Nevertheless the overall impression is of a vastly improved car, and while it may only be able to grope at the dynamism of the 3-Series it is a match for the benign drive delivered by the Audi A4.

Ultimately it would be difficult to argue that the S60 is as accomplished as its closest rivals - there are enough niggles for it to fall short of the stellar benchmark set by the Germans - but it remains a handsome, spacious, capable alternative to the class leaders, and is fine step in the right direction for the brand.