Last year, Volvo launched its S60 sedan to compete with the rapidly growing
entry-level luxury segment that includes the sporty BMW 3-Series,
Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4. It is impossible for a luxury
manufacturer to ignore this is a market since it is growing and offers
reasonable profits.

At this point, the S60 series is a modest success. It is the best seller in
the Volvo lineup, is running about 25 percent over last year¹s sales and
accounts for nearly 40 percent of Volvo¹s overall volume in the US. The
all-wheel-drive version of the S60 is new this year to appeal to snow birds
and other drivers who regularly need to deal with frozen water in some form
or another.

All-wheel-drive provides assurance to drivers who must cope with adverse
driving conditions. Under normal driving conditions, the system in the Volvo
S60 provides primary traction to the front wheels. When the system detects
front wheel slippage, it automatically redirects power to the rear wheels. A
computer tells the system how quickly and to what degree power needs
to be transferred in order to maintain smooth vehicle operation.

Here¹s how the S60 stacks up:

Design: Luxury car buyers are generally responsive to styling. European
manufacturers do a good job of distributing family character throughout
their car lines. If you like the appearance of the flagship Volvo S80 sedan,
then you will adore the S60. The S60 looks like a S80 that was shrunk by
about 20 percent. The interior in general is handsome and the seats meet
Volvo¹s usual high standards of design and comfort. As with many other
European luxury cars, however, the center console presents challenges.
Switching radio stations is a frustrating experience, even though I thought
I¹d temporarily mastered the Volvo system while performing at test drive on
the S80 a few months ago.

Safety: 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.

Ride and handling: Handling is a major factor in evaluating a car destined
for mountainous western states and in this category, the S60 AWD is a
disappointment. The S60 does not deliver the handling prowess of its main
competitors. The steering lacks road feel and feedback‹essential elements.
The ride quality is relatively soft. I found that when I hit some bad
sections of a two-lane highway, the car actually seemed to float, not a
sensation that inspires confidence.

Engine and transmission: The 197-horsepower engine delivers just-
adequate performance. Gas mileage is typical for this segment. The
five-speed automatic transmission is smooth and precise.  The transmission
features a shift-it-yourself mode that I regularly engaged going down 
mountain grades.
Locking the tranny in third gear provided good engine braking and kept my
descending speed down to a manageable threshold.
Quality and refinement: Volvo has made substantial progress in the 
last few years in terms of engineering and assembly. The S60 was tight 
and displayed excellent structural integrity‹in other words, there was no 
perceptible body flex, squeaks or rattles. The car was also quiet at cruising
speeds, with little wind noise. 

Value: Beginning with a base price (including destination charge) of
$34,025, our test S60 AWD carried about $4,000 worth of options including
leather seats, a premium audio system and 17-inch alloy wheels as well as
Volvo¹s stability control system. However, digging through my files, I found
a recent review of a similarly equipped and priced Audi A4 with
all-wheel-drive. To my taste, the new-for-2002 Audi is not only better
looking (particularly if you like modern design) but is superior in the
handling and performance departments. In addition, the engine in the Volvo
is not nearly as compelling as the 220-horsepower V-6 in the A4.
 

Vehicle: Volvo S60 AWD
Price as tested: $38,300
Engine:
    Type: 2.4-liter turbocharged inline 5
    Horsepower: 197 @ 5,100 rpm
    Torque: 210 ft. lbs. @ 1,800 rpm
Fuel economy, automatic transmission
    City - 19 mpg
    Highway - 26 mpg
Curb Weight: 3,146 lbs.