In-depth reviews

Volvo S60 review - Reliability and Safety

The Volvo S60 is one of the safest compact executive cars available

Overall Auto Express Rating

3.5 out of 5

Reliability and Safety Rating

4.5 out of 5

Price
£46,135 to £56,920
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Volvo takes safety very seriously and is on a mission to ensure that there are no deaths in its cars by 2020. The S60 takes the Swedish manufacturer one step closer to that goal with a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with a fantastic 96 per cent score in the adult occupant category and 84 per cent for child occupants.

The S60 comes as standard with a comprehensive suite of active safety and driver assistance equipment, although Volvo’s Pilot Assist system with adaptive cruise control, plus cross-traffic alert, rear collision mitigation and a rear parking camera is only part of the Intellisafe Pro pack, which costs around £1,650. Pilot Assist stands as one of the most intuitive systems we’ve used – its combination of lane-keep assistance and stop-go adaptive cruise makes for a very relaxing long-distance motorway experience.

The S60 is too new to have featured in our Driver Power survey, but the closely related XC60 SUV achieved a strong 16th-place finish overall out of 100 in the 2019 poll. It received good results for reliability and interior quality, while a below-average 13.7 per cent of owners reported experiencing an issue with their car. Volvo itself finished 13th overall out of 30 manufacturers, which was ahead of the prestige German brands.

Warranty

As with all Volvo models, the S60 gets a three-year/60,000 mile warranty which is just about standard for the class. However, BMW's similar coverage has no mileage limit and Audi offers unlimited mileage in the first year. There’s a paint warranty for three years and a corrosion warranty that covers the S60 for 12 years.

Servicing

Volvo dealers offer their own service plans, so prices vary and may not compare directly to country-wide offers from rivals. Twelve months of roadside assistance is included and there’s a free software update every time you book your car in for a service.

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    2.0 T5 R DESIGN Edition 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • Price
    £36,750

Most Economical

  • Name
    2.0 T8 RC PHEV [455] Polestar Engine 4dr AWD Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • Price
    £51,650

Fastest

  • Name
    2.0 T8 Hybrid Polestar Engineered 4dr AWD Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Auto
  • Price
    £55,450

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