Station wagon fans such as myself appreciate the combination of utility and drivability offered by this type of vehicle. Volvo certainly affirms the latter with the 2015 V60 T6 R-design. For utility, this wagon not only boasts a large cargo area, but also modern connected amenities and advanced safety features.
With the new V60, Volvo continues trying to convince US buyers, who tend to prefer SUVs, that wagons are the superior alternative. The V60 comes in either front- or all-wheel-drive, with engines ranging from five to six cylinders. The base price for the model comes in at $35,750, but Volvo loaned me a near top-of-the-line T6 R-design, coming in at $45,150. Australian buyers can get the same model for AU$84,367, while UK buyers are looking at the equivalent Polestar T6 version for £49,775. As a less sporty, but equal in utility, option, UK buyers can opt for the 150 horsepower T3 version at £22,005.
These prices may seem a bit high, but Volvo is marketing its cars in the premium segment. That became apparent to me from the V60's cabin, which offered a quality feel and a good degree of comfort. Whether slogging through heavy traffic, sailing down the freeway, or trawling for a parking space at the mall, the V60's cabin amenities took off some of the edge. It was a car that, no matter the trip, I could look forward to getting behind the wheel.
Polestar-tuned
The V60 R-design model I drove carried light blue Polestar badges, but that didn't mean it was the same as the V60 Polestar model I drove recently in Southern California. That blue badge only means that Volvo's favorite tuning shop, Polestar, reprogrammed the engine for more power. That programming comes standard with the V60 T6 R-design model.
Under the hood sat a transverse-mount, in-line six-cylinder engine; only 3 liters but turbocharged to make 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, Volvo claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.5 seconds, respectable but not earth-shattering. Unlike Volvo's new Drive-E powertrains, the T6 R-design isn't built as much for efficiency. It turned in average fuel economy for me of 23.6 mpg, out of an EPA-rated 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. By contrast, Volvo's V60 T5 Drive-E comes in at 240 horsepower and should bring in around 30 mpg average.
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The Drive-E model is the wiser choice, but drivers who appreciate how their cars handle will like the V60 T6 R-design's suspension tuning and the night-and-day difference between the transmission's normal and sport modes.
With the automatic transmission, the V60 proved an easy suburban driver. The engine had more than enough power, the turning radius was good, and I liked the solid steering feel. However, I found the transmission was loathe to kick down when I needed to move fast. This six-speed seemed programmed to encourage efficiency. If I wanted to get anywhere fast, I could tap the steering wheel-mounted paddles to force a downshift. Under moderate acceleration, the upshifts were very noticeable, taking a toll on that premium car feel.
Pulling the shifter over to sport model made for a huge change in behavior. Merely putting the V60 into sport mode made the whole car surge forward. Suddenly I had a throttle that was ready to give me all the power I needed. The transmission was willing to kick down aggressively when I hit the brakes and maintain engine speed in its power band. Tapping the shift paddles held the transmission in manual mode, rather than letting it slip back into automatic after a few moments. I found myself snapping the shifter into sport mode at the merest hint of a turn or hill.
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The V60 R-design comes with a sport-tuned suspension, more firm than the Touring suspension of lesser trim models. However, it still absorbed bumps fairly well while holding the car reasonably flat in hard cornering. All-wheel-drive comes standard at this trim, offering a little more confidence in the wet. To aid cornering, Volvo includes a torque vectoring system, but rather than push more torque toward the outside wheels in a turn, this system relies on traction control to slightly brake the inside wheels in the turns.
Sport, Eco or Elegance
The instrument cluster, taken over by an LCD, showed me a large tachometer with a digital speed readout, bookended by vertical bar gauges showing temperature and the mysterious power rating. In the settings, Volvo calls this display its Sport theme. I also had Eco and Elegance to choose from, each showing different information and a theme-appropriate color. I preferred the Sport theme because it had the most noticeable speed indication. Volvo doesn't make much use of the real estate on this LCD, except to show turn-by-turn directions when route guidance is active.
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All infotainment functions were available on what Volvo calls its Sensus Connect system, using a 7-inch LCD at the top of the center stack and the most clever use of very minimal controls I've seen. Volvo keeps the standard volume dial on the left, tuning dial on the right paradigm, but adds an amazing amount of functionality to that tuning dial. Its integrated OK and Exit buttons let me navigate menus and select options throughout the Sensus Connect system.
Entering alphanumeric characters is tedious using the system's onscreen rotary display, but Volvo retains a keypad on the center stack, which takes away some of the pain. The voice-command system proved accurate and more convenient, once I got the hang of it.
The Volvo V60 makes for an excellent all-around traveler, with data-connected features and all-wheel-drive. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
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