Volvo S60 review

Keeping with the ‘modern-thinking saloon’ idea, it’s all about connectivity in here. Much like the exterior, it’ll all be familiar if you’ve experienced any other post-2014 Volvo. There’s a large portrait touchscreen that’s a bit fiddly and feature-packed on first acquaintance, but which you’ll warm to reasonably quickly.

That screen houses just about every smartphone or app related buzzword you care to mention – Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Spotify, Yelp, we could go on – all embedded and able to play through an optional (and mega) Bowers & Wilkins stereo that mimics the audio character of Gothenburg Concert Hall. Um, yeah.

In truth, those additional apps aren’t as integrated as cleanly as in rivals, while the climate control system is also adjusted via the screen, so you can find yourself tripping over functions a bit if you’re trying to do several things in quick succession.

The traditional stuff is handled with more aplomb. Nobody does seats or comfort quite like Volvo (south of Rolls and Bentley, anyway) and the S60 is a very placid place to be. But that doesn’t mean dull; much like the outside, Volvo’s managed to style everything minimally without it boring you to death.

It’s big, too: much more space in the back than the 3 Series, Giulia and XE, while its 442-litre boot is around the same size. The rear seats are as comfy as the fronts too, something not every carmaker focuses on as much as it should.