2002 was a tough year for Volvo sales. Overall, the company¹s fortunes
dropped by 12 percent and may get worse this year. Fortunately, the company
has introduced a hot SUV, but that¹s a story for another day.

This time out we are looking at the S60 sedan, specifically the
all-wheel-drive model. The S60 was the only vehicle in the Volvo line to
experience a jump in sales last year, but it could be ready for a fall as
well.

Volvo aimed the compact S60 sedan squarely at the rapidly growing lower
portion of the luxury segment that includes the sporty BMW 3-Series,
Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 highly competitive territory to say the
least. Based on a week¹s test drive, the 2003 five-cylinder S60 faces an
uphill run to meet the competitive challenge in this brutal market. But in
an increasingly value-conscious world, the S60 may be vulnerable to exciting
new contenders in the family sedan segment, specifically the Mazda6 and the
Honda Accord, both of which are off to a fast start and offer a ton of
content, plus a top notch driving experience and better performance with
optional V-6 engines at highly competitive prices.

Here¹s a quick overview of how the S60 stacks up:

Design: Cars in the overall luxury market had better look good, or at least
distinctive. If you like the appearance of the flagship Volvo S80 sedan,
then you may appreciate the S60. The S60 takes the basic design of the S80
and downsizes it. The basic character lines of the S80 are deeply chiseled
in the new model, which makes it appear purposeful. But as this model ages,
it is beginning to look bulky and top-heavy. The lines of the S80 seem to
lose something in translation to the smaller model.

The interior in general is handsome. But as with many other European luxury
cars, the center console presents challenges. The audio system is driven by
a menu system that isn¹t particularly intuitive, and really takes some time
to master. The seats meet Volvo¹s usual high standards of support and
comfort.

Safety: Safety is the most compelling reason to buy a Volvo S60, like other
cars in the company¹s line. The S60 offers front and side-impact air bags,
an anti-whiplash front-seat system as well as the new inflatable curtain
technology, which offers head protection for both front and rear passengers.
When deployed through a side impact, the curtain drops down from the
headliner, inflates and covers the side windows front and rear. The curtain
also could prevent an occupant from flying out the window in the event of a
rollover as well as preventing foreign objects from entering the cabin
through a shattered window. If you want the last word in safety 
equipment, nobody beats Volvo on its home turf.

Engine and transmission: Volvo gave the S60 all-wheel-drive model a
much-needed bump in power for 2003. But even with the increase, it falls
short of several sedans in the broad popularly priced segment, including the
new Honda Accord, Mazda6 and the Nissan Maxima. All are winning plaudits
from the automotive press and will outperform the S60. On the other hand,
there is no criticism necessary for the automatic transmission, which shifts
flawlessly. 

Ride and handling: The Volvo S60¹s ride is quite compliant and handles with
composure the vagaries of the current state of our asphalt. Handling,
however, continues to fall short. Not only is the S60 not in the same league
as its price competitors in the BMW and Audi line, but also it falls short
of the high standards reached by the new Mazda6 and the Honda Accord. The
S60 lacks not only the kind of bite one wants on mountain roads, but also
fails to deliver adequate feedback to the driver through the steering
system. Our test car¹s all-wheel-drive system may offer a margin of safety
for some drivers. But in the far west, road traction is usually not a
concern.
 
 

Vehicle: Volvo S60AWD

Price as tested: $36,040

Engine:

Type: 2.5-liter five cylinder, inline

         Horsepower: 208 @ 5,000 rpm

         Torque: 236-ft. lbs. @ 1,500 rpm

Fuel economy, automatic transmission

         City - 18 mpg

         Highway - 26 mpg

Curb Weight: 3,571