Insurance Group: N/A
MPG: 62.8
CO2: 119
0-62 Mph: 11.3 secs
BHP: 113 BHP
Range: 932 miles
PROS: Classy interior, generous cabin space, affordable price, good level of equipment, decent handling, frugal diesel engine, excellent safety.
CONS: Its boot isn’t the biggest in this class and it doesn’t offer the refinement or handling of its rivals.
Drivers won’t be disappointed by the V60 – it’s everything you’d expect from Volvo. The driving position is excellent, thanks to the range of adjustment on the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and visibility is good all round. The dash is well designed and everything is well located and easy to use. The five seats are superbly comfortable and supportive.
The 1.6-litre DRIVe engine is the entry-level diesel unit and delivers decent performance and good economy. It produces a maximum 113bhp and 199lb-ft of torque low down in the rev range. Top speed is a respectable 118mph and it will do 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds.
The V60 gives the driver a car that handles well when cornering, with plenty of grip and poise and good body control, thanks to the firm suspension, while still being comfortable. The steering is very responsive and reacts very quickly to small changes.
Inside the cabin, noise is well controlled; engine and suspension noise is negligible, but there’s a build up of wind noise at motorway cruising speeds, and it’s still not as refined as some rivals.
The V60 is very stylish with its sweeping, raked roofline and classy interior; it certainly cuts a dash and is a little more distinctive than some of its competitors.
The V60 ES is the entry-level model and comes reasonably well equipped with power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, alarm, immobiliser and CD with MP3 connectivity.
Volvo also offers metallic paint for £640, rear parking sensors for £385, leather seats for £1,280, Bluetooth for £410 and satellite navigation for £525.
The V60 provides good space for passengers, both in the front and rear and is extremely comfortable to spend time in. The boot space of 430-litres isn’t as big as you might expect in a Volvo of this size, but with the rear split seats folded down it can be extended to 1,241-litres which should meet most needs.
As usual with a Volvo, there’s a lot of emphasis on safety and the V60 comes with six airbags, DSTC stability control and the City Safe automatic braking system which prevents low speed frontal impacts. There’s also a very innovative optional pedestrian detection system available.
EuroNCAP awarded the V60 the maximum five-stars in its crash-tests.
The V60 is solidly built throughout. Quality materials are used for the interior of the cabin and a lot of the mechanicals are well tried and tested, and it all feels very durable. Volvo’s reliability record is excellent so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about in terms of reliability.
The V60 comes covered by Volvo’s three-year 60,000 mile warranty, and regular service intervals are every 12,500 miles.
At £24,920 the V60 DRIVe ES beats its Audi, BMW and Mercedes rivals on purchase price and if you get a good discount from a dealer it means it’s even more car for your money. While the V60 ES doesn’t offer enough in terms of handling and refinement to worry the BMW or Mercedes it still offers a lot - for less than its rivals, making it a serious alternative.
Fuel economy of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km are very good, but not class leading, and running costs are reasonable for the V60. Road Tax is in VED band C.
Resale values for the V60 are not as high as its BMW or Mercedes counterparts. As a lot of V60s will be company cars – you should be able to find some well looked after bargains in the second hand market, and as Volvos generally wear well, you’ll get all the positives of the V60 for even less money.
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