Volvo S60 (2010 – 2018) Review

Volvo S60 (2010 – 2018) At A Glance

4/5

+Good to drive. Packed with safety kit including ‘City Safety’ as standard. Geartronic start/stop. New 2.0 Volvo D4 diesel from 2014 under 100g/km CO2.

-Decent handling comes at the expense of ride at times. CO2 emissions were only average for this class of car until new Volvo diesel arrived in 2014. Serious issue of carbon build-up in pre-AdBlue EU6 D4 VEA engines that have not been run on high Cetane superdiesel.

Insurance Groups are between 23–39
On average it achieves 76% of the official MPG figure

If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Volvo S60 review

The re-invented S60 is a stylish and surprisingly good to drive small executive saloon that's equipped with some particularly ingenious features. Volvo's plan is to shake off the dowdy (if worthy) image of the old S60 and make the new one much more of a match for the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the excellent Audi A4.

So it's out with the comfortable, but dynamically flawed drive and in with crisp steering, decent cornering ability, a well controlled body and some beefy brakes. The interior is a class act too, every bit as solid feeling as the Germans, but with a hefty dose of Scandinavian style.

Then there's the safety systems designed to make the S60 as crash-proof as possible. Volvo's City Safety system stops low-speed collisions before they happen and Pedestrian Detection makes hitting a pedestrian at speeds of 20mph or under virtually impossible. Without any input from the driver it senses the pedestrian and brings the car to a halt - before it hits the person in the road.

The engines are a mixture of old and new. The two diesels are what most people plump for. The 2.0-litre D3 is new to the S60 and its mixture of performance and economy will suit most buyers. The 2.4-litre D5 offers extra power and is more refined, which makes it a better bet for motorway driving.

Overall it's a well designed and good to drive car that offers something different from the three big German manufacturers. Its pricing is keen too, though CO2 emissions on some of the engines aren't quite as low as some rivals. If you like the look of the S60, but need more room, then consider the estate version, the V60.

Long Term Test Volvo S60 D4 DRIVe

Real MPG average for a Volvo S60 (2010 – 2018)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

76%

Real MPG

21–64 mpg

MPGs submitted

303

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

What comfortable car is best for doing a lot of miles?

"I do a lot of miles (35k+ year on mixed roads) around the UK. I currently have a 2006 Audi A6 Avant and I'm looking to change for something comfortable for around £5000. Any suggestions?"
You'll want a diesel for 35k miles a year but any diesel at this price has the potential to produce some hefty bills. How about a Toyota Avensis? It's not an exciting choice but it'll be extremely dependable. If you'd prefer something a bit more upmarket, a Volvo S60 or S80 could be a very comfortable choice.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Can you suggest an auto that offers a nice ride and decent boot space?

"I'm looking for a very smooth ride and responsive acceleration. I've got £10,000 - £20,000 to spend on something automatic with a decent boot and five doors. I have a 2007 Vauxhall Zafira 2.2 plate which has just died after 45,000 miles. I loved it but it's too expensive in repairs recently. Also have a 2016 Volkswagen Golf SV 1.4 auto and hate it; dreadful acceleration and really dislike the electronic handbrake. We also have a 2004 Volvo S60 auto which is still reliable and very nice to drive. Looking for the feel of the Zafira/Volvo in a reliable car. Currently thinking a Volvo V40 or Citroen C4."
Interesting that you don't like the Golf SV 1.4 TSI DSG. I like the SV, but definitely not the DSG version. if I was you I'd try to test drive a Peugeot 2008 1.2 PureTech 110 EAT6 automatic that comes in just under £20,000 (before any discounts). Supple ride, excellent 6-speed torque converter auto and the added benefit of 'Grip Control' fore the winter. Comes on all weather tyres as standard.
Answered by Honest John

Is there an inherent flaw with the Volvo V40?

"Our two year old Volvo V40 2.0 has been in the garage for nine weeks undergoing tests and repair for an emission problem. We have been told that there is an inherent flaw in the design, is this true? "
This has Volvo's own 2.0 litre 184PS twin turbo diesel engine. I ran one for 6 months, in a Volvo S60 averaging nearly 60mpg with no problems. This is the first report of problems. It has a very sophisticated fuel injection system specifically designed to run on superdiesel (not ordinary premium diesel) so if you have been running it on supermarket diesel that might be the reason for the problem.
Answered by Honest John

Car is wrongly listed on the insurance database - should I be worried?

"I recently bought a used Volvo S60 R Design. The insurance database has it listed as an S60 R Design Premium, but it's just a standard R Design (with a couple of option packs) as confirmed by the Volvo dealer and V5C. I've called my insurer to ask them to change the model details but they seem unable to do this and will only list other variations which it isn't (R Design Nav, R Design Premium Lux). The adviser spoke to their manager who said they're happy to keep it insured as the Premium if I am, but could this come back to bite me in the event of a claim, and why would the car be listed as the wrong model on the insurance database?"
Probably because there are an infinite number of car makes and model variations and a database cannot cover all of them. This is probably the Motor Insurers Database so applies to all insurers.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Volvo S60 (2010 – 2018) cost?