Volvo S60

Comfort is top notch as per usual, and safety tech is amazing. Not a very interesting drive, though, to say the least.

• Comfort

  Cabin feels a little tight, especially compared to something like a Passat or Mondeo, but the interior is lovely, and the S60 offers good refinement and competent road manners. Pretty much exactly what Volvo has always done, basically.

  

• Performance

  In a straight line, all the S60 variants are pretty quick, but the 3.0-litre six-cylinder T6 with four-wheel-drive as standard, get its 304bhp down with the most confidence and powers out of corners better than the rest of the front-wheel-drive range.

  

• Cool

  For a four-door it is pretty sleek and you don't see many around. Cool points for that. But then ask yourself, why don't you see many around? Hmm?

  

• Quality

  Everything looks and feels very high quality in here, as close to the best German rivals as anyone else has got and more so, in some areas of detail. 

  

• Handling

  The S60 is firmly sprung, giving it a slightly more sporting edge than we'd have expected from the brand that puts safety before breakfast on its To-Do list. Plenty of grip and the body is controlled in corners, but the steering is lifeless and vague, and the auto 'box is not up to a performance role.

  

• Practicality

  The S60 has a biggish boot but a slightly cramped rear seat. Volvo makes more practical saloons, and far more practical estates.

  

• Running costs

  For the petrol especially, costs are pretty high, mainly hit by fuel and depreciation. Insurance is group 15-16 and service intervals are 18,000 miles for all versions.