2013 VOLVO S60

A solid workhorse in a field of sprinters

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

Here's the deal, this car is a niche buy and tell you why. But first some background. My job is in the automotive electronics world, so working with car companies and design engineers is what I do 50 hours a week. What most engineers will tell you over dinner is that Volvo's have and do have the most solid design in the world. What that means is that they favor safety and long-term reliability over short-term aesthetics and performance. Here is where the problem begins. There are large segments of car buyers and this one fails to hit a big group. I'll get to that later. But here goes my personal review. This is an awesome car, but I'll give my 3 small criticisms. 1. The backseat. There are no 2 ways around this. The backseat is comfortable but insanely small. If you're over 5ft 8 inches, people will be uncomfortable sitting behind you. 2. The instrument cluster/infotainment. The speedometer takes a little getting used to. I'd expect a digital one to be honest, but you don't get it here. Can't say why its off a little, but its a minor annoyance. 3. Front seats. This is really dependent on the person. I'm 6ft 5in, so I'm a big guy. This car has really nice, comfortable seats, but they sit low and the whole car has kind of a low profile. For the extra long trips, comfort is a bit of an issue. But this is really just a big person problem. My wife and brother in law have driven it long distances as normal sized people in great comfort. Now the good. Where do I start. I have the AWD version and live in Minnesota, so you can do the math of how much fun you have when you mix a turbo with AWD in the snow. But that's not unique to this car. What is unique is the build itself. What you'll find when you drive european cars like this is that they just feel tight, from the suspension to the steering. But the S60 has an extra feeling of being just solid and that doesn't wear off. If you care to do so, just open the hood or go underneath it. I've done a little work myself and can tell you that they are meticulously well built and designed. There is a really rugged simplicity to them. the car is sport, quick and responsive. Don't believe reviewers that tell you otherwise. Simply google the 0-60 and other tests, it performs well. This is where it begins to distance itself from the Audi's and BMWs. These Volvos are best bought by people that plan to own them for a while. the target market is someone who wants a nice European style sedan with Japanese reliability. I've only had to have on repair done and it was the electronic parking brake motor (under warranty). But I can tell you that the repair bills will be nowhere near that of its European cousins, but will be higher than an American or Japanese car. The bottom line is that no matter what you hear or are told by Audi fanboys and the like, the S60 is a better car if you care about long term reliability and affordability. You may get a little more short term spunk from the Audi and BMW counterparts, but the only other place you'll get more is the price tag and the repair bill. There has been a ton of market research on this point and there is a significant segment of the population that buys European cars in this price range. That segment is men, ages 25-40. The main reason they buy them is the name recognition and status. The problem for Volvo is that Audi, BMW and to some extent VW own this space almost completely. There are 2 companies trying to crack that market. Cadillac, with their ATS and Volvo with the S60. Both a failing for the most part. The reason is that they don't have 4 rings or a blue and white badge on the grill. Long review, but I feel this car deserves it. Don't fall victim to the popularity contest. In this class of cars, this is the smart person's choice.

Great car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Shop around before you pay. Best value compare with the same "level" of european car.

I love my ride

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

I love my car. One complaint doesn't do well with water pockets. The vehicle seems to light to drive in the rain

Excellent performance

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

2013 Used S60 AWD Platinum and love it

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Bought used with high milage. All services were documented on Carfax so I felt that it was previously cared for. Honestly it is like it was a new car and I was lucky to have found a Platinum with all the bells and whistles. The drive is great, smooth handling. The audio is phenomenal. I didn't have warranty left on the car so I missed getting the dealer issues. I've driven it for almost two months and look forward to driving it everyday.

Volvo is not Volvo Anymore

Performance: 3 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 2 Exterior Design: 1 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 3

No Volvo is better than the S80 until my engine blew after 32000 miles. For one month I drove loaner S60 T5 2012. I decided to buy one even though it was not comfortable and has no style. Factory incentives made it more advantageous to buy a new 2013. After the first day, the car when given light gas as in heavy traffic or starting from stop has a rattle sound like a paint can. The car went back 10 times from the dealer. A file was opened by Volvo NA and they said they all do that because of the CVTrans. The 2012 has different drive train. This car is junk and everytime I hear that rattle which is everytime I drive it reminds me of a $40K mistake. After 5 V's the next car is Lexus

Lethargic

Performance: 4 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 2 Exterior Design: 2 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 4

Found myself shifting the trans to "Sport" mode because in drive mode it shifts like a granny and is unresponsive; it short shifts into 2nd gear when under moderate to heavy throttle. In regular mode off the line, this car feels like a prius. It is slow to accelerate and short-shifts every gear. When trying to pass, the transmission takes too long to respond. I would not buy this car.

Good start but could use a little help....

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

Been driving my S60 R-Design for just over a year. Great styling differentiates this car from a standard A4 or 3-Series. Motor is smooth and powerful with very little or no turbo lag. Interior is clean and comes off like a German car with a little twist. I actually use the on-dash dial pad often. It's not simply a gimmick. All in all, its a nice upgrade from my G37x but leaves me wanting just a little more. Maybe I'll consider the new Limited Edition R-Design if it isn't cost prohibitive.

An outstanding sedan

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

In the last three years I have had an Audi A4 quatrro and a Buick Regal GS, and this car is superior to both of them. The seats are the best that I have ever had, and the 6 cylinder turbo is powerful, and runs on regular fuel. Unlike the same feature in many other cars, the Sport mode enhances performance considerably. It is quiet, smooth, and much faster than I had expected. Mileage tends to average about 32 mpg on the highway, which is not outstanding but adequate. Interior and exterior styling is restrained and elegant, and the layout for all controls is excellent. I don't understand why I feel so few of these cars on the street.

See my original review for more details; this is a follow up

Performance: 1 Comfort: 1 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 1 Exterior Design: 1 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 1

Everything about this car is junk. Build quality, mechanical quality, transmission programming. I have never had a car I hated this much. Just wish it wasn't leased so I could trade it in. Don't believe what you read. I have driven other examples and they are similarly afflicted.

Excellent Car Poor gas Mileage initially in T5 AWD

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

My original review was more negative, but the more I drive it, the better I like it. I wish I had the voice activated phone and built in garage door opener, but that's only on the top of the line. Overall, it's the best car I've ever owned. I have owned a T5 AWD automatic premier for 2 years now. While I initially got poor gas mileage, it has improved to almost 22 over all, and I got 32 MPG highway on my last road trip. I get about 21.5 in typical suburban driving and commuting. (FYI: In 2015, the new 4 cyl engine is faster and gets 25 city, 37 highway.) Other than that the car handles great, is very smooth and comfortable and has very good acceleration. I have had no problems so far. Another negative is that the controls, radio, seat heater etc. are a bit difficult to operate, but eventually I got used to it. This car is smoother, more comfortable, quieter, and handles better than my wife's 2012 Acura TL. I got a great deal on a demo. Free scheduled maintenance is a bonus and cost saver.

I wish I'd kept my C30

Performance: 3 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1

Well, where do I start. Let's do the good stuff: I love the interior, it is comfortable. The freeway ride quality is great. It is fairly quiet on good road surfaces. Now the bad stuff: Had an a/c problem with a pressure relief valve. Took 4 visits to resolve even though it is a known issue. Had a bad fuel pump, causing hard starting from cold. Took 4 visits to resolve even though it is a known issue. Have a steering wobble at speeds around 40mph. This is "normal" according to Volvo. Engine surges and is jerky in any gear and at any speed. This is "normal" according to Volvo. Transmission experiences a delay engaging first gear when pulling away from a stop. This results in a jerk.

Blast to drive...but...

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 3

A thrill to drive. Salesman said it can out-perform a police cruiser and I believe it.

Like a Bat outta Hell

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

She flies. That torque curve is unreal. After a week with the R-Spec I can say that the tight suspension handles uneven pavement better than I had expected. The cabin is very quiet and IMO the sound system is equal to the Audi with the Bang and Olufsen, as I tested the Audi and the Volvo the same day.

Like it better than Audi

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Since 1996 I’ve owned various new A4’s, an A6 and A3 (I’ve always preferred Audi’s over BMW’s and Mercedes and never considered VOLVO). In short, after test driving a 2013 S60 T5, “it was a no brainer” I went ahead and leased it on the spot (it was that easy).

Enjoying my new S60

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Only about 400 miles on the car so far, so still breaking it in. The car is smooth and very comfortable, and I'm enjoying the T5's engine, which has better and smoother pickup than the VW EOS I traded in. For the money, I don't think there is a car on the road with more comfortable seats than the Volvo. The infotainment system is pretty intuitive. There is a bit of wind noise in the cabin. So far getting 23 MPG on regular, which should improve a bit when broken in. The sales staff at Maroone/AutoNation Volvo in Delray Beach were easy to work with, and very accomodating when I had to factory order the car to get the ext/int combination I wanted. I also got a very fair deal & trade.

Best Car I have owned yet

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

My previous car was a top of the line 2006 Chrysler Town and Country. With the kids finally grown, I wanted a nice sedan to replace it after my son wrecked it. Of course, after a wreck, you want something safe. This car was the perfect balance of luxury, ride, performance, and gas mileage, all on REGULAR gas! Other luxury performance cars are strictly Premium grade gas. And this car passed the newest type of crash test at the IIHS which Mercedes, Audi, BMW didn't pass at all. Acura barely passed. Do other cars get better performance specs? Sure, but they cost noticably more. BMW gets better mileage, but again at higher purchase price and premium gas.

A smart choice (for me)

Performance: 3 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I was looking for a replacement for my '03 IS300 Sportcross and ended up test driving everything from a Mini Clubman S to the new Lexus ES. All over the map. But I kept coming back to the Volvo S60 because it was comfortable to drive (front seats are amazing), felt solid as a rock, had good acceleration running on regular, and could be bought for much less than competitors. The long term review of the 2012 model on Inside Line was almost all positive as were other published reports. The 2013 T5 model improved in acceleration and gas mileage, nice combo of improvements. Reliable, comfortable, a great value. So now I own a Caspian blue with beechwood leather S60 T5 and am a happy camper.

Nice car

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Just bought this car one week ago, in Platinum trim. Safety features are remarkable. Power is smooth and makes driving fun. Rear headroom is a little low, one of the few minuses. I wanted to get away from all the little compromises of econoboxes with this purchase. Mission accomplished.

engine cold start problem

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

I just bought a 2013 volvo s60 t5 about two weeks ago. When I started the engine in a cold morning, the engine misfires and rumbles for about 5 to 10 seconds. It has been happening every morning when the temperature is below 50 degree, and it happens only the first time you start the engine. After the first time, everything is fine. I brought the car to a volvo dealer, they did all the testings and did not find anything wrong. they contacted volvo support and was suggested to upgrade ECM software 36004-2.3. but the problem still exists after the software upgrade.

Solid sports sedan

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Traded in my Acura TSX after the second timing chain went out, test drove a T5 AWD and was hooked -- great combo of comfort and fun. Drove it through a late-night thunderstorm in the Oregon mountains and felt perfectly safe -- the thing corners like it's on rails. Love the power and quiet.

Performance plus fuel efficiency

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Having owned a 2005 TSX, 2006 TL, 2011 Maxima, I was looking for something a little different. I really liked the looks and performance of the Maxima, but driving 45,000 miles a year was taking it's toll on the wallet with premium gasoline and 25 mpg. I like decent performance in a car and that is one reason I passed on Volvo each time I took a test ride in the past. When I noticed the new S60, it really caught my attention. Having driven my S69 6000 miles now, I can say it's the favorite car I have owned. The ride is a lot like the TL, there is a great feeling for the road and it handles turns exceptionally well. It also runs fine on 87 octane fuel.

A Blast To Drive

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

My S60 T5 is the FWD model. I've had it for about 6 wks. and have 2,000 mis. on it. It's loaded with NAV and safety options. Front seat comfort is outstanding. All of the controls are on the steering wheel or within easy reach. Handling is outstanding,, power and acceleration are very good. The car has a solid feel. No rattles. Good visibility. The ride is a little choppy on rough roads, very good otherwise. I'm getting 30+ on the highway at about 65 MPH and around 24 in mixed driving with regular gas.

I look forward to driving this S60 every day

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Having owned many BMWs, Audi, Acura and various other cars and SUVs, this S60 is the perfect balance of comfort and fun to drive. The old Volvo stereotypes are long gone. While it doesn't have the track or tech specs of a 3 series (like 50/50 weight distribution), it excels at daily driving by perfectly balancing performance and comfort. The S60 is smooth, quiet, composed, solid, quick, very comfortable with superb seats and firm suspension that is never harsh. I recommend the Polestar modification that makes the vehicle faster, reduces throttle/pedal travel and makes power available more immediately. A loaded 325 hp S60 is thousands less than a loaded 4 cyl BMW.

New S60 T5

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I kept my eye on the S60, since I needed a more 'corporate' car, coming out of my 2009 C30 I've loved for the last 3 years. The S60 hit all the marks: upscale, gorgeous inside and out; fun to drive and decent price/performance. Consumer Reports and the auto trade press seem to all like this car, and it scores well on the CR reliability ratings. I've had mine for about 2 weeks. This is the first time in about 30 years of purchasing cars that I've bought the same brand back-to-back. This car is a hit for Volvo.