2001-2008 Volvo S60: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Following the debut of redesigned V70 wagons in spring of 2000, Volvo's midrange sedans got a comparable makeover. Now badged S60, the 2001 front drive near-luxury sedans replaced the S70 design that had originated in 1993 with the 850 series. The 2001 wagon lineup included all-wheel-drive models, but the new S60 was front-drive only. Both models shared the same three engines, basic structure, and many features. Standard equipment included antilock four-wheel disc brakes, front side airbags, side-window curtain airbags, and Volvo's anti-whiplash front-seat backrests and head restraints. Three models went on sale, each with an inline five-cylinder engine. The base sedan held a 2.4-liter engine rated at 168 horsepower. A turbocharged 197-hp version of that engine went into the 2.4T. The performance-oriented T5 got a turbocharged 2.3-liter that cranked out 247 horsepower. Base and T5 sedans came with a five-speed manual gearbox or optional five-speed automatic transmission. Automatic was mandatory for the 2.4T and, except on the base model, included Volvo's Geartronic manual-shifting feature. Compared to the S70s that they replaced, the S60 sedans were 2 inches longer in wheelbase, but nearly 6 inches shorter overall, an inch taller, and almost 2 inches wider. Styling was visibly sleeker, similar to that of Volvo's flagship S80 sedan. Trunk capacity shrunk by 1.2 cubic feet, but Volvo claimed slightly more interior space. Base models retained standard 15-inch wheels, while the T5 rode 17-inchers that were available for the 2.4T in lieu of 16s. Two traction-control/antiskid systems were available. Stability Traction Control (STC) was standard on the T5 and optional on others. It throttled back power or braked the front wheels to maintain traction and minimize skidding. Available for the T5 and 2.4T was a more sophisticated Dynamic STC that added selective braking at all four wheels. Monitoring each wheel, it was designed to improve cornering stability in active driving. Options included a sport suspension for the T5, a satellite-linked navigation system with pop-up dashboard screen, and Volvo's On-Call Plus assistance system, which was similar to GM's OnStar. Competitors for the S60 included the Acura TL, Audi A6, BMW 3-Series, Infiniti I30, and Lexus ES 300.