The Grover Wheel

Repost: This article originally appeared in the Grove City College Collegian in 2012. It is submitted here in un-edited form.

This week we had the chance to test the last-generation Volvo S60R and find out just what Volvo can do when they change their focus from safety to speed.

The S60R was based on the first-generation Volvo S60. The S60 is itself a safe, sedate and comfortable midsize sedan. With the S60R, Volvo redesigned the engine, suspension and aerodynamics to produce (what they described as) an alternative to the BMW M3.

Like BMW, Volvo took a basic sedan and modified it to create a powerful sports sedan. However, unlike the M3 which differentiates itself enough from the standard 3-series as to be considered a different vehicle, the S60R feels more like the top-range S60 than a bespoke racer.

Volvo’s biggest modification to the S60 was in their new Four-C suspension system. This system continuously monitors throttle and steering input to feed data to the S60R’s electronically-controlled shock absorbers. In layman’s terms, the car will adjust the stiffness of the suspension to provide the desired response. Select “sport” and the car firms up the suspension for better handling. Selecting “comfort” mode loosens up the suspension for a more absorbent ride.

This Jekyll -and-Hyde suspension sounds great in theory; however our particular test car had a fault in one of the system’s sensors. This resulted in the car switching erratically out of sport mode and back into its default “comfort” setting. However, even in the more “advanced” chassis settings, the S60R never really feels like a sports car. Rather, it feels more like a very comfortable, fast midsize sedan. If anything, it reminded us of the BMW 7-series we reviewed last week.

Like the big 7-series, the S60R is fast and capable in the corners. It also has fantastic brakes (four-piston Brembo’s) that bring it to a rapid stop. However, it feels most comfortable cruising along at highway speeds. The S60R has fantastically comfortable seats and an upright driving position that is perfect for long highway trips. In addition, the turbocharged 5-cylinder engine is quiet at lower RPM’s and at cruising speeds doesn’t intrude into an otherwise quiet cabin.

Available used from $12,000 the S60R is a potentially tempting buy for those looking for a fast, comfortable cruiser. Also, because it’s a Volvo, the S60R scores well on safety tests and makes for an excellent family car. The trunk is spacious, and the back seats easily fit adult-sized occupants.

However, the S60R is not without faults, chief of which is is reliability. Like many European cars, the same engineering wizardry that makes the S60R special to drive makes it a nightmare to maintain. As previously mentioned, the example we drove had a malfunctioning Four-C system that meant the sport modes were largely unusable. This system is notoriously complex, and can be extremely expensive to fix as many independent shops will not service Volvos and parts can be expensive to procure.

The S60R also suffers from some odd design decisions. Volvo’s lack of experience with sports vehicles shows in some of the details in the S60R. For example, Volvo added big alloy wheels to the S60 but neglected to enlarge the wheel arches. This means that in tight corners, the front wheels scrape loudly on the wheel wells and can cause damage over time.

Some of the interior fittings also feel very slightly cheap. While some of the details are well-done (the door handles in particular have a fantastic metal finish), other parts of the trim have a low-rent plastic feel to them.

In the end, the S60R must be taken for what it is, not what it tries to be. While Volvo may have set out to create an M3 competitor, they succeeded in creating an excellent family car for the person unwilling to completely surrender their desire for speed. Just make sure you get one with a good repair history.