Volvo S60 Test Drive Review

Date: 10 October 2014

Thanks to Volvo's new D4 engine technology this 181hp S60 saloon comes with a sub-100g/km CO2 rating, something Audi, BMW and Mercedes are all currently failing to match, even with less-powerful models.

Available across all trim levels and, for an additional 10g/km and £1550, as a Geartronic automatic, the S60 and its V60 estate sibling that shares the same emissions figures are good-looking and well put-together models that take Volvo closer to the German premium competition than ever, although the handling can't quite match them. Ride comfort and interior quality is right up there, and being able to offer better performance and lower emissions than a BMW 320d or Mercedes C-class is a great selling point.

The only trouble is that the residuals can't get to the same level as the car's overall quality. While a Mercedes C220 CDI Sport has a 38.2% RV, the Volvo is exactly 10.0 percentage points lower, and that has a terminal effect on cost per mile. However, the BMW 320d Luxury's 32.7% RV doesn't do enough to overturn the higher P11D price and higher emissions, so the Volvo beats it by 2.0p per mile.

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