People’s Test Drive: Loyal Volvo owner likes the latest version

My father is a wise man, so after he and my mother survived a major accident without injuries while travelling in their Volvo 760 he came to the decision that another Volvo would soon be residing in the family garage.

My parents were initially attracted to the Volvo brand by the company’s reputation as an innovator in passenger safety, but just prior to their up-close and intimate encounter with a large, speeding truck, they had begun shopping for a new automobile. The 760 had served them well since new, but the toil of a dozen years of daily use and the irregular wear brought upon the interior by a trio of rambunctious canines had begun to add up. It was time to shop for a new car.

Volvo brought the S60 to Canada as a new model for 2001. The car was the first modern Volvo to step away from the boxy designs that had dominated the lineup for the latter part of the 20th century.

The S60 represented Volvo’s new generation sports sedan, and it had been designed, engineered and packaged to compete against the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

My parents were drawn to the car’s coupe-like profile, distinctive styling, and manageable dimensions.

The 2001 S60 2.4T has proven reliable and fun to drive, but my father is still most impressed by the car’s efficient use of fuel. The 2.4-litre, five-cylinder, DOHC engine features a light pressure turbo and produces 197-horsepower and 210 lb.-ft. of torque, but the front-wheel-drive layout and smooth shifting five-speed automatic make good use of this power and the car never feels sluggish.

Recently, my father expressed an interest in getting a new car, so when the opportunity came to get behind the wheel of the latest version of the S60, he was excited to check it out.

Both my parents liked the fact that the Volvo design team has stayed relatively true to the original model with regards to styling and overall dimensions.

The S60 has been significantly revised for 2014, and the car has been fitted with all-new exterior panels from the windshield forward. There is a shapely new hood, wide front fenders, and an enlarged grille bookmarked by elongated headlights. A stylish new front fascia sports a larger air intake, bright accent trim, and horizontally mounted LED daytime running lights.

Styling changes to the rear of the car are less pronounced, but larger tail lights and a pair of integrated exhaust pipes set it apart from the 2013 model. Gone is the deeply stepped waistline that gave the rear of the first generation car much of its visual appeal, but the new version now features a pronounced character line that is carried the full length of the car bridging the fenders.

“I really like the look of the new car. It has a more modern appearance, but is obviously a Volvo,” offered my father. “I must admit, however, that I still prefer the look of the tail light treatment and fender curves of the first generation model as it really helped set it apart from other cars of the period.”

The interior has been updated so that the S60 will remain competitive. The S60 T6 AWD features a new Adaptive Digital TFT Display instrument cluster, paddle shifters (for the first time), and a 7-inch colour display screen to keep the driver apprised of various system functions.

A full suite of Volvo’s innovative safety technologies can be ordered at purchase, but the test unit featured the basic selection which includes a new radar-based Blind Spot

Information System (BLIS), Cross Traffic Alert with radar sensors at the rear end of the car to alert the driver to crossing traffic from the sides when reversing out of a parking space, and a Rear Park Assist camera.

My father had recently test driven a BMW 328i as part of a luxury hotel promotion. “The BMW seemed peppy and handled quite nicely, but the interior was really bland when compared to the one in this new S60.”

Both of my parents enjoy taking long road trips, so cabin comfort is a necessity.

“The seats are very comfortable and there is more room in the back seat area,” piped in my mother. “I think Volvo have done a very good job with this car.”

In his former life as a dentist, my father was a detail man and a craftsman, so he appreciates quality workmanship when he sees it.

“The level of fit and finish is really impressive, and I do like the design of the new dash and the high-tech display. However, there is one thing missing. The clever clip that Volvo used to put on the windshield pillar so that you could display parking passes seems to have been phased out. This is unfortunate. It was really handy.”

After exploring the entire interior my parents admitted that they liked the little storage cubby tucked under the dash behind the centre console, and both were happy to see that the front-mounted seat pocket is still present on the driver’s seat. The optional Urbane Wood trim was a miss however, as they felt it didn’t look real, and it appears to scratch easily.

During our test drive it became apparent that the Purcells felt at home behind the wheel of the T6, but my father wasn’t sure if he felt the need for the full 300-horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque produced by the 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine. I failed to mention that the test vehicle had the optional Polestar Performance software upgrade which increases the boost pressure of the turbocharger, re-optimizes ignition- and fuel-mapping, and sharpens throttle response. In short, there is even more power on tap. A full 325 hp and 355 ft-lbs. of torque to be exact.

“This car performs wonderfully on the road, and I do like the idea of the all-wheel-drive system given the fact that we live in an area with lots of snow and rain. It handles well, and there is lots of power, but I think I would appreciate a model with a little less horsepower in order to get better fuel economy.”

When I asked my parents if they had any concerns about the fact that Volvo was now owned by Chinese automaker Geely, my father was quick to answer.

“I would definitely consider another Volvo, although there is always some concern about the ownership situation. Hopefully, the decision-makers at Geely will let Volvo do what they do so well, and not cut corners on materials, equipment or production costs in an effort to maximize profits. That would be a real shame.”

My mother noted that there seemed to be fewer full-time Volvo dealerships in operation which makes access to service a concern. As a result, she felt that when she and my father decide to pull the trigger on a new car in the near future, they might be more inclined to look at something more mainstream. She always gets the last word in.

2014 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Premium Plus, as driven by Russell Purcell

2014 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Premium Plus, as driven by Russell Purcell