2012 Volvo S60 Review

2012 Volvo S60 T5

2.5L turbo inline-5, 250 hp, 266 lb-ft, front-wheel drive, 6-speed auto, leather, 20/30 mpg

This 2012 S60 T5 is hardly a new car now, but after driving it, it quickly became one of our favorites. Volvo’s fantastic safety record and new unboxy designs should be bringing more people to the Swedish luxury brand. After taking 2010 off, the second generation S60 was launched as a 2011 model with a fresh new design, and it has been slightly updated again for the 2014 model.

The T5 is the smaller of the two engine options, but it seemed to offer adequate performance for a car not destined for the track. Volvo has been perfecting its 5-cylinder motors for some time now, and it shows in  2.5L T5. While power delivery can be twitchy at times, the turbo lends itself to a fun sound and experience. We would love to see more 5-cylinder options available from other makers.

The Beechwood brown interior is beautiful reminds us of the R-exclusive Atacama option from previous years. The seats are amazing and make you want to spend as much time as possible behind the wheel. The leather feels almost too soft as any cargo with pointy edges would leave impressions behind in the soft surface.

The waterfall center console has a few buttons to learn, easily done after spending any amount of time behind the wheel. Clean Swedish design language ensures easy operation without too much confusion.

Rear passengers may not be as happy with limited legroom, but they are still treated to the soft leather. The center seat back folds down as an armrest, or the entire seat can be folded down for extra trunk space.

A used second-gen S60 will still set you back at least $20k for a clean example, while new T6 models can climb past $50k. That is a pretty wide range that allows a lot of buyers to find something in their price range.

The S60 is an exciting and unique alternative to its German rivals. While Audi, BMW, and Mercedes seem to have taken all the fun out of their cars’ designs in favor of uber-masculine styling, Volvo remains interested in doing things differently, offering up a safe and comfortable car in a modern Scandinavian package. The best news is that the cheapest base model T5 is the best of the range.

Volvo’s website volvocars.com/us/all-cars/volvo-s60