2001 Volvo S60

Ask the casual car observer if they’ve seen the new Volvo S60, and they’ll likely respond with a quizzical look. Then say, “You know, the gold Volvo.” Their eyes will light up and they’ll begin nodding with an oh-yeah-what’s-with-that-color statement. As garish – in my opinion – as this shade of “Maya Yellow Metallic” is, it has proven the Midas touch in advertising. Everyone remembers it. Volvo hopes everyone remembers the S60 not just for its odd palette (it comes in other shades), however, but for its ability to steal thunder from the BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class. Will S60 succeed? My take on it follows.
THE GOOD NEWS
The S60 replaces the S70 and is determined to be the young person’s Volvo. Not as in the young person with two kids and a mortgage. Volvo already has that covered. This sedan aims for those who want plenty of style and sport in their sedans. For the former, Volvo borrows heavily from its bigger sedans. Although a tad more radical in profile than the more upscale S80, the S60 looks very much like today’s Volvo. Given how svelte the whole lineup has become, that’s OK.

Inside, you’ll find a lovely leather interior with lots of brushed stainless steel accents, very de rigueur these days in sports sedans. Roominess is reasonable for this class, with a welcomed legroom increase for front passengers over the previous model. The many creature comforts and extras (sound system, sunroof, etc.) expected in this class sedan are all here, some as options. Mine was fully loaded, as the price suggests.

The sport part comes from starting with an extra-stiff platform that offers both a wider track and longer wheelbase than the old S70. A new multilink rear suspension completes this formula for improved handling and stability, the kind of thing that turns twisty roads into sport.

Three engines are available in the S60. Mine came with the middle one: a turbo-charged 2.4 liter five-cylinder cranking out 197 horses and 210 foot pounds of torque over an extremely wide band, like 1800-5000 rpm. It comes with a manual transmission, but mine was outfitted with a very competent automatic that doused my fun somewhat. Still, acceleration is plenty lively.

Even so, the S60 still manages to turn in top fuel economy figures. With automatic transmission, it gets 21 mpg city/28 highway, EPA ratings. We pushed it on a 425-mile road trip and came back with a little less than half its 21-gallon tank left, so we vouch for its miserly consumption.

THE BAD NEWS
Two things bugged me about this S60’s efforts to be a world-class sports sedan. One is the fact that turbo-lag -- that split second of downtime before acceleration thrust kicks in -- remains a factor. I can only imagine what it must feel like in the S60’s strongest engine, the 247-horse T5 that sprints zero to 60 in about 6 and a half seconds.

This turbo is not a wild card like past turbos, nor does the S60’s front-wheel drive suffer errant torque steer problems. But there is still enough interruption between reflex and response to make me edgy. I much prefer my sport normally aspirated.

The second drawback is this Volvo’s nervous brakes. I thought it was just my not being used to their touch or a quirk of this particular car. But I encountered another reviewer who had the same experience with a different S60. You barely touch these brakes, they grab. Not good.

PRICE
Manufacturer’s base, $29,800;
Price as tested $36,260.

IS IT WORTH IT?
Volvo has built a worthy sports sedan in this S60. It’s fast, fun to drive, luxurious and comfortable. For a Volvo, it’s fabulous. That said, would I pass up any of the aforementioned German competitors for an S60? No. It just doesn’t offer the same level of exhilaration the rear-wheel-drive pros all deliver. But it does come in a distinctive shade of gold, if you’re interested.