Driving the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD
This is not your nerdy brother’s Volvo. Speedster that I am, I didn’t want to give up the keys to the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD. Though, I have positive things to say about Volvos when it comes to safety technology, clean Scandinavian interiors and winter driving prowess, I missed the car launch and was not prepared for all the pizazz that this car delivered. The S60 is an exercise is in good proportions and ergonomics. This is a versatile sports car. It started with the satisfying key inserted into the ignition.
The mandarin shade of orange was well-suited for my test car that was bent on showing distinction. Internal mechanisms evened out steering issues, so that power could be managed for tight turns when car is still in acceleration mode with traction-control sensors. The 300 hp engine reaches its goals with vigor.
What’s familiar are a long list of sophisticated safety technology and the simple interior, including pedestrian detection. I drove this car in New York, where this system is best suited for texting jay walkers, or in college towns like Ann Arbor. After spending two weeks in downtown LA where no one dares stick a big toe in the street when a light flashes red, this system seems like overkill. It also has City Safety which can prevent low-speed stupidity collisions from occuring. “City Safety”—which mitigates low-speed collisions—plus d Whiplash preventative seats, inflatable side curtains, stability control, and side-impact protection are also on the list.
The base price $38,550 put this in BMW 3-Series territory yet slightly under. With the S60, Volvo is making a statement — that it can keep up with the competition, in the luxury brand category.
