2009 Volvo S60

Vehicle Overview
Volvo’s S60 sedan sits between the company’s entry-level S40 and the top-of-the-line S80; it competes with midsize luxury cars, including the Acura TL and Lincoln MKZ. Front- or all-wheel-drive models are available. Trims include the 2.5T, the all-wheel drive 2.5T and the T5. The T5 is the sportiest of the group; it gets a sport suspension.

New for 2009
All versions now come standard with an automatic transmission with manual shift functionality; more standard features have been added to each trim level.

Exterior
A curvy shape, far removed from past Volvos, gives the four-door S60 the look of a coupe. The grille and bumper were redesigned in 2006, and they appear smoother and less angular than those of older S60s. The S60 is 181.2 inches long and 71 inches wide, which is smaller than its competitors.

• Available 16-, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels
• Standard fog lights
• Standard power glass sunroof
• Standard power heated mirrors with memory function
• Optional headlight washers (standard on T5)
• Optional bi-xenon headlights with articulating headlamps (standard on T5)
• Optional rear park assist (standard on T5)

Interior
The S60’s businesslike dashboard groups audio and climate controls within a broad center panel; it’s a design similar to the previous-generation S80. Up to five occupants fit inside the S60. A center tunnel console includes a storage bin and a flexible cupholder. A split, folding rear seat expands cargo capacity beyond the trunk’s 13.9 cubic feet; overall passenger space comes in at 94.3 cubic feet, which is smaller than the TL and MKZ. For 2009, power window switches have been revised.

• Standard leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and seating surfaces
• Standard power passenger seat
• In 2.5T, genuine wood inlays; T5 gets brushed aluminum inlays
• Optional heated front seats
• Optional 13-speaker surround-sound system with six-disc CD changer (standard on T5)
• Optional navigation system

Under the Hood
Both S60 inline-five-cylinder engines are turbocharged. The manual transmission option has been dropped for the S60, but the automatic now has a standard manual shift function.

Zero-to-60 acceleration ranges from 6.6 seconds in the T5 to 7.2 seconds in the AWD 2.5T, Volvo estimates. The front-wheel-drive 2.5T splits the difference at 6.9 seconds.

• 208-horsepower, 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine with 236 pounds-feet of torque (2.5T)
• 257-hp, 2.4-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine with 258 pounds-feet of torque (T5)
• Standard five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift functionality
• Front- or all-wheel-drive options
• Optional speed-sensitive steering (standard on T5)
• Sport suspension on T5

Safety
Features include:

• Standard front, side-impact and side curtain airbags
• Standard antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution
• Standard electronic stability and traction control systems
• Standard security system
• Standard immobilizer-encrypted ignition key
• Optional rear park assist (standard on T5)