Auto123 evaluations the 2021 Volvo S60 T5.
This unique T5 edition of the Volvo S60 sedan is a bit of a exceptional beast these days, and a single that may be quickly heading the way of that rarest of beasts, the dodo. Like that gorgeous extinct bird, the S60 in this T5 type is not lengthy for this environment, for the simple reason that it has not been blessed with any type of electrification. There’s no 48V gentle hybridity, no plug-in port, no battery under the ground. It’s a purple-blooded (and, in my circumstance, purple-painted), sporting activities sedan that requires gas and gas only to get it heading. And presently, if you go to Volvo Canada’s internet site, it is no lengthier there, nor is the T6, other non-electrified variant of the design.
2025 or bust
Only, it does not in good shape into the “full electrification by xxxx” guidelines that Volvo and pretty considerably every other company is committing to these days. And because Volvo has claimed comprehensive electrification by 2025, they are on a routine which is tighter than most.
For this yr, although, the S60 in T5 type is however there, and it serves as the entry-level design in the S60 lineup, setting up at $54,168 (MSRP) for the FWD Momentum design. My AWD R-Structure version, having said that, stands a level up from that in the T5 lineup, clocking in at $62,a hundred and twenty.
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2021 Volvo S60 T5, profile
Although R-Structure doesn’t insert anything at all in the way of engine functionality – it will get the very same turbo- and supercharged 4-cylinder the other T5 models get, good for 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque — it adds all sorts of excellent exterior visual cues exterior, and a much more strong characteristic set inside of.
People esthetic adds include things like black mirror caps, eighteen-inch double-spoke wheels (upgraded to 19-inch wheels on my tester, at a charge of $1,000), twin integrated tailpipes, specific grille, active/bending LED headlights and foglights and human body-color doorway handles with puddle lights. Incorporate the metallic purple paint on my tester ($900), and you have bought a handsome, athletic wanting point that can go toe-to-toe with the very best Mercedes, Audi and BMW have to present.
Frankly, visually, it’s underrated compared to the level of competition. A huge component of that excellent glimpse has to do with the Thor’s Hammer daytime functioning lights, which are a Volvo signature and a excellent a single, at that.
2021 Volvo S60 T5, interior
Inside, R-Structure spec adds some design in the type of metallic mesh inlays, Nappa leather-based upholstery and specific pedals, but the real meat on this bone arrives in the type of the additional features. These operate the gamut from harmon/kardon high quality audio (upgraded to Bowers & Wilkins on my tester for a amazing $3,750), to front and rear park guide, to navigation, to 4-zone – 4! – climate handle, to a panoramic sunroof and the listing goes on. There’s really very little that I discovered myself wanting for in the course of my time with the Volvo. That’s expressing something, as typically I can locate some—oh, proper. The storage point.
Shortage of storage?
This is a bit of a nitpick, but the centre console is a cramped area with two cupholders and kind of a flat surface for your mobile phone that doubles as a cost pad. That would be wonderful, but that place is little and it wouldn’t get the job done with the plus-sized newer iPhones and these types of – the area hardly fits my normal Apple iphone 12 and its circumstance. It’s also pretty shallow so I finished up utilizing a single of the two cupholders for my mobile phone most of the time. And those people are small, as well. That’s about the extent of the negatives, although, because the seats are super comfortable and supportive, the seating situation is a good a single and the steering wheel is pleasant and chunky and falls quickly into one’s palms.
The S60’s infotainment method is the very same as you locate in most every Volvo, and will until eventually Google-dependent Android Automotive comes en masse to the lineup. For now, what we get is a 9-inch vertical display screen that is navigated both by touch or a scroll wheel. It’s wonderful, and when you activate Apple CarPlay it will take up half the display screen, leaving the other half stuffed with hotkeys to other in-car services.
2021 Volvo S60 T5, display
It’s wonderful, but a vertical display appears to be tailor made to support a comprehensive CarPlay display screen, thinking about which is how most cell equipment and tablets are aligned. Thing is, Volvo is a single of just a couple of makers that employs a vertical display in their cars (whilst that variety is increasing) so you can realize why a firm like Apple would layout their app to be appropriate with as lots of vehicles as feasible, which means horizontal wins the working day. For now.
If not, it’s a wonderful infotainment interface, albeit a single that has a couple of textual content-large menus you need to have to access in order to activate or deactivate particular driver aids and so on. That can be a bit of a dilemma when at velocity. You’ll finally get the hold of it but it’s rather a lot less intuitive than it could be.
One particular aspect of the cockpit I I really like for its intuitiveness is the shift lever in lots of Volvos, it’s an digital affair that could be much more responsive. Listed here, it’s a suitable mechanical auto equipment lever (attached, by the way, to an eight-velocity transmission) just slot generate, and go. It’s as well bad, although, that there are no paddle shifters, even in sporty R-Structure spec.
Supercharged
And go, you will. Retain in brain that whilst the S60 T5 is turbocharged, it’s also supercharged which means you get a excellent boost of power all throughout the rev band. Acceleration is easy and strong, generating that 250 hp count seem a very little much more. Tends to make a excellent audio, as well, whilst it goes about its small business. I really don’t know about you, but “good sound” and “2.0L turbo four” really don’t typically go hand-in-hand for me, whilst it’s gotten superior lately with the audio augmentation ways staying utilized by lots of makers.
Both way, brisk forward development is accompanied by some excellent sound, and it genuinely lends a sporting activities sedan air to the generate.
Although the steering could do with just a very little much more come to feel, it is exact and responsive and does very well to showcase that in addition to this car’s peppy powertrain, it has the chassis to match. In addition to the responsiveness of the steering, the AWD method is good at metering out the power to the wheels that need to have it and can genuinely supply a pleasant rear-wheel-generate come to feel on dry tarmac. Which, of course, is the contacting card of any good functionality auto. The end result is a car that rides very well but is also a lot of entertaining to pilot It’s in particular spectacular thinking about this is primarily an entry-level design.
This S60 doesn’t generate like a single, although, and it arrives properly outfitted as very well. The simple fact that this is a single of the final “pre-electrified” Volvos, in the meantime, may truly count for something to a large amount of people.
Volvo S60 T5 2021, three-quarters rear
We like
Great generate
Athletic seems
Perfectly-outfitted
We like a lot less
Active infotainment menus
Steering lacks come to feel
The level of competition
Audi A4
BMW 3 Collection
Cadillac CT4 / CT5
Genesis G70
Infiniti Q50
Lexus IS three hundred
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Industry experts
Consumers
2021 Volvo S60 T5 photographs