The general consensus is that you have to be flipping senile to look at an established hierarchy and go, ‘No, none of this does it for me.’ And I tend to agree with that on occasion. You wouldn’t want your car built in a shed in Haryana by a guy who’s gotten several priors and has a bit of drinking problem, would you? You’d prefer it to be reliable and long lasting, and probably not have its interior smelling like an inebriated teenager stumbling home at 7 a.m.
What, then, is to be made of this, the Volvo S60? Why would one consider something from Sweden when you have at least three strong options from Germany? Is it prettier than the new C-Class? Not to most eyes, no. Is it dynamically as distinguished as the 3 Series? Not quite. It probably won’t even turn as many heads as an A4 (which doesn’t warrant that much attention anyway considering the sheer number of them on the road).
The S60 is a different breed, really. Unlike its competition, there’s a sense that this Volvo wasn’t meant for the mass market. Those smooth, flowing lines are your first indication of a mature outlook that couldn’t be bothered with running in the rat race. No ungainly proportions, no elements that scream for attention, nothing brash. That would take too much away from its character. It’s a similar deal inside: a clean, well thought-out design dominates and there’s nothing in here that’s trying too hard. It’s well packed, too: electronic climate control, keyless drive, electrically adjustable leather seats, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, park assist and a 7-inch infotainment screen that includes the usual three (Bluetooth, USB, and aux-in). Don’t forget that this is a Volvo, so safety tech like the City Safety feature that automatically slams on the brakes for you in case you get too close to pedestrians, dynamic stability and traction control, ABS, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, active bending lights and adaptive brake lights are all part of the deal. That enough for you?
If that isn’t, then the S60’s 2.4-litre 212-bhp diesel engine will have you sit up and take notice. Well, sit up and take notice in a nice, leisurely sort of way. The thing with this engine is that it exemplifies the virtues of being a perfect middle-ground player. It’s in no way sluggish, but it isn’t scary quick either. Train your right foot to hold on to the middle of the rev range, because that’s where the S60 will be the happiest, be it to get some overtakes done or just to amble around at a decent pace on the highway. If you decide to mash the throttle, the 6-speed auto gearbox goes into a frenzy and gets worked up and jerky as it goes up the gears, which can get quite annoying, especially in Sport mode where the jerkiness gets amplified to an unbearable level. That said, the S60 does go over the rough bits pretty well and the chassis keeps begging you to push it harder around the corners. The steering weighs up pretty well as the speeds rise as well, so that’s good.
In the end, it was still a little tough to see the S60 go back. Granted, it’s not exceptional at anything and were logic to dictate terms, you’d be better off with one of the other three. But like I said earlier, it doesn’t feel like the S60 was intended for the mass market. It’d much rather sit idly by with a pair of shades on and some popcorn, watching the others fight it out. If you picked up a Volvo S60 R-Design (for Rs 40.85 lakh, ex-Delhi, in case you were wondering), you’d be making a statement that nothing else in this segment can match or even come close to. Isn’t that kind of the point when you’re spending this much money?
AUTODATA
Volvo S60 R-Design
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 2400cc, I-5, turbodiesel
Max power: 212 bhp@4000 rpm
Max torque: 44.8 kgm@1500-3000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
STEERING
Type: Electronic power steering, rack and pinion
Turning radius: 5.4 m
SUSPENSION
(F/R): Independent, McPherson struts/coil springs
BRAKES
(F/R): Ventilated discs
TYRES
(F/R): 235/40 R18
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 4635/2097/1484
Wheelbase: 2776 mm
Kerb weight: 1680 kg
PERFORMANCE
0-100 kph: 7.5 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 190 kph (claimed)
PRICE: Rs 40.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
