Forgive me for being a bit superstitious, but Wednesdays usually mean trouble for me. They’ve delivered everything from techy problems with my website to power-less hours with my phone sniffing for food. Thankfully, December 16, 2020, started on a high note. I got to drive the all-new Volvo S60. After spending a few hours with the upcoming sedan, I came back impressed. But, is it that easy to explain? That’s what I’ll try and do in this first drive report.

Exterior Design

Now, I’m not going to bore you with the flow of angles and Thor-hammer LEDs, C-shaped taillamps and a deep-chin front end. The simple matter of the fact is this – the car looks fantastic! Take it out for a drive, and heads will turn in awe. Thankfully, Volvo hasn’t fallen for that trick of bathing the car in chrome. The shiny stuff is there but isn’t too intrusive. Subtle use, I think, is a better way of putting it. Even the 18-inch alloys look classy and just right in size. Volvo will offer the S60 in five exterior colours – White, Red, Blue, Black and Brown.

Interiors

The one I got had an all-black interior theme which, in all honestly, feels a bit gloomy. That said, the quality is top-notch. Everything felt like it is built to last. In pure Volvo fashion, the dashboard has that minimalistic design. The uncluttered, leather-wrapped cockpit comes with wood inserts to offer some contrast. Whereas, the raised centre console accommodates a wireless mobile charger, drive-mode selector, the start/stop button and the gear lever. The S60 will be available in two more interior leather upholstery options – Maroon Brown and Blond.

Apart from the built quality, the seats deserve a special mention. They are supremely comfortable. And, if you’re in the front, the electronically-adjustable lumbar support adds that icing on top of the cake. The only area where the S60 falls short is in the second-row of seats. Although they offer plenty of legroom and shoulder room for window-side passengers, the one in the middle has very little space in the footwell. That’s because of a massive transmission tunnel that runs along the belly of the car. So, on long journeys, three adults at the back can be a problem.

Creature Comforts

To start with, Volvo will offer the S60 in Inscription form. That means a whole lot of features to fiddle with. Some of the standout stuff includes a crisp digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch Sensus touchscreen infotainment system, a powered panoramic sunroof, multiple drive modes, powered seats with memory function and four-zone climate control. Another gadget that left me impressed was the Harman Kardon sound system. It delivered a powered and crisp music-listening experience.

Being a Volvo, and that too in the top-spec form, the S60 offers an array of active and passive safety gizmos. Now, of course, I couldn’t crash the car and check whether the airbags work or whether the vehicle saves me from whiplash. What I could experience were some of the assistance systems. The Adaptive Cruise Control does its job perfectly, while the Lane Keeping Assist keeps the car within the white lines. Another feature I tried was the Pilot Assist, which helps make long highway runs a lot more relaxing.

On the move…

This is where the car should have delivered its keynote speech. And, in one way, it did. But, I was left wanting for more. Let me explain. At highway speeds, the ride is better than good. The suspension takes care of bumps and potholes without making a fuss. In comfort drive mode, the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and the 8-speed automatic transmission work like a charm. The shifts are smooth, and the NVH levels are impressive, to say the least.

So, all good then. Unfortunately, no. At city speeds, going over an uneven piece of terrain is quite noticeable in the cabin. Somehow, the suspension doesn’t work as quickly as it should to negate all the thuds. Is it a deal-breaker? No. Do you wish the experience was a bit more forgiving? Yes. Even the steering feedback was minimal.

Then, I found an empty stretch of road – an ideal area to try the Dynamic drive mode. Engaged, and the S60 holds the gears all the way up to the rev counter’s red line. The steering becomes a bit more direct, and the throttle-response gets tightened. When pushed, the engine became a bit noisy at the top end. But, the car stayed in control, and I wasn’t afraid to push on. All-in-all, the sedan did deliver a more exuberant driving experience. And the 187bhp/300Nm oomph is plentiful for most. But, I realized that the S60 isn’t comfortable when being driven fast. Its strength lies in cruising. And, that’s what I did for the remaining hour. Slotted the car, and my right foot back into Comfort mode.

First Impressions

The petrol-powered S60 has plenty to like about. It looks great, offers a plethora of features, feels solid and can be an extremely comfortable long haulier. Yes, its portfolio isn’t perfect. There’s no diesel engine option, and Volvo still has some work to do to strengthen the service network in India. But, I haven’t heard horror stories about the Swedish carmaker’s aftersales service support. And, going back to the diesel point, no future Volvos will have that option anywhere in the world.

Volvo Auto India will start accepting bookings for the new S60 next month. As for the launch, that will happen in March 2021. To compete with the Jaguar XE, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Volvo will have to price the S60 competitively. And, if history teaches us anything, the Swedes will.