Motoring: The 2019 Volvo V60 T6

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NAUMAN FAROOQ
The 2019 Volvo V60 T6 may not be the cheapest, nor the absolute best, but it is worth the test drive.

After the recent success of the S90, V90, and XC90 models, Volvo recently turned their attention to updating the S60, V60, and XC60 models.

Sharing most of the mechanical bits from the larger series vehicles, the mid-size 60-series models would be a home run, unless Volvo did something drastically wrong.

Did they? To find out, I recently tested the V60 model, in T6 trim.

Styling: Volvo seems to be playing the familiar design theme practiced by other European luxury car manufacturers, which is ‘one styling fits all sizes' or as some call it, ‘the Russian doll syndrome.' So, the V60 looks very much like the V90, only smaller and a little more sporty styled. This is no bad thing, because the V90 is one of the nicest looking wagons currently on sale. However, I do wish Volvo's design studio had injected a bit more individual design, to give it a different personality.

Interior: Step inside the V60, and it also reminds you of the larger V90 model. The design theme is very similar, only passenger room is slightly compromised. You won't feel the lack of room in the front seats, but the rear seats don't have as much legroom, and the trunk space is smaller. Thankfully though, under the floor of the trunk, you'll find a spare tire — a pleasant surprise, as most car manufacturers go for run-flat tires and hence give no spare.

interior of the 2019 Volvo V60 T6

Functionality wise, the V60 suffers from the same issues as any other recent Volvo, since they all have touch-screen tablets on the dashboard — which takes a lot of getting used to — and a fully digital dashboard — which I still haven't figured out how to use properly.

On the plus side, the seats are fantastic, and the Bowers and Wilkins sound system is one of the best in the business.

Powertrain: Under the hood of the 2019 Volvo V60 T6 is a 2.0 litre four-cylinder motor that is both turbocharged and supercharged. This results in 316 horsepower and 295 pounds per foot of torque. Mated to a quick shifting eightspeed automatic transmission, the V60 T6 can sprint from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 5.6 seconds, and top out at 210 km/h (electronically governed).

Driving Dynamics: The 2019 V60 T6 is a dual personality vehicle. It can play the soft, daily cruiser role quite well, but put it in ‘Dynamic' mode and it becomes exciting to drive. While its straight-line speed is impressive, what I really enjoyed was its handling abilities. Thanks to a great chassis and suspension set-up, coupled with all-wheel drive, this Volvo wagon could show a thing or two to some sports cars through the bends — easily one of the best handling family cars on sale currently.

Fuel Economy: It averages well, but there is a down side. In my test cycle, the V60 T6 averaged 10.1 litres per 100km — which is good. However, its turbocharged and supercharged engine only drinks premium fuel — nothing below 91 octane will do. As a result, your driving costs are high, because this motor will not comfortably run on regular or mid-grade fuel.

Pricing: The 2019 V60 range starts from $43,900 — but that is for the T5 trim. Stepping into the T6 requires $48,900 at least. A loaded model won't save you much change from $60,000.

Verdict: It isn't cheap and neither is it perfect. However, it makes for a good alternative to the Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz that most people would opt for. I say, it is better to stand out of the crowd, and this Volvo certainly would let you accomplish that.