89 Volvo S60: refreshing take on sporting saloon

Volvo’s S60 and V60 are now being, quite rightly, overshadowed by the new S90 and V90.

Of course, they are significantly more expensive than the 60-series cars, so it’s still worth checking them out, even if they are using older Volvo tech.

What you’ll find is a mid-sized sporting saloon almost entirely unconcerned with actually being sporty, which is kind of refreshing. The 60 has steering and spring rates best described as “gentle” and there are few more relaxing cars on a long motorway journey.

All of the old Ford-sourced 1.6 diesel engines have now been expunged from the range, which is a good thing as Volvo’s on 2.0-litre units, in D2, D3 and D4 versions, are vastly superior.

The estate V60 is definitely the best-looking version, and also the most practical. It looks, upon first impressions, as if it’s not all that spacious but in practice it’s far more useful than it initially appears.

Build quality is nothing short of excellent, and even though it’s an older design, the 60 can vie with the likes of the Audi A4 when it comes to cabin layout and build, even if the digital instrument pack is a bit disappointing.

The D6 Plugin Hybrid is a missfire though – far too heavy and thirsty. Import-only Polestar version isn’t fast enough to challenge an M3 but is a worthy 340i or Audi S5 competitor.

Price range: €34,745 to €53,610

Co2 emissions: 48 to 149g/km

Which one? V60 D3 SE Lux

PCP from €273 per month