Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) sees its local line up expand further this week with the arrival of its latest addition, the new S60 sedan.
Made in Volvo’s new American plant in South Carolina, this is the third generation iteration of Volvo’s premium compact sedan. It lands locally in singular and electrified T8 R-Design guise for now, retailing from RM295,888 onwards.
Like the S90 slotted above it, the S60 underpins Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) chassis platform. However, the S60 benefits with a much sportier stance and design than its aforementioned bigger sibling, especially in R-Design trimline as launched.
Apart from the usual distinct Volvo design traits (i.e. Thor’s Hammer LED lighting), the R-Design trimline beefs the S60 up with a more aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers, as well as dynamic five-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels.
Mechanically, the Malaysian-spec S60 harnesses Volvo’s T8 Twin Engine AWD powertrain package. It consists a 2.0-litre super- and turbocharged 4cyl petrol mill working in conjunction with an electric motor unit, with the former powering the front wheels and the latter motivating the rear.
With the combined outputs of 407bhp and 640Nm managed by an 8-speed automatic transmission, this electrified S60 dispatches 0-100kph in just 4.4 seconds before maxing out at 250kph. Additionally, the electrification also contributes to its claimed 2.0 litres/100km fuel economy rating on top of an electric-only range of 49km.
Whilst on the subject of electricity, the S60 T8’s e-motor unit draws power from a .6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located in the transmission tunnel. It can be plugged into charging stations via a Type 2 connection, taking roughly three hours to fully recharge with an outlet that puts out 3.7 kW or more.
On board, the S60 pretty much mirrors what we’ve already seen in its S90 sibling and XC40 and XC90 cousins. Notable features here include Volvo’s distinct 9-inch portrait touchscreen interface, a mix of leather and fabric upholstery, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, dual-zone climate control and more.
This being a Volvo, safety hasn’t been overlooked, and the S60 benefits with a full swing of Volvo’s advanced safety tech too. The bill includes autonomous city braking, Pilot Assist, Lane Keeping Aid, Front & Rear Collision Warning & Mitigation Support, Driver Alert Control (DAC), Run-Off Road Mitigation and Cross Traffic Alert, amongst many.
With what it packs, it’s safe to say that Volvo will now take the fight up against things like the new BMW 3 Series (G20) and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W205). Would you fancy this electrified Swedish alternative then?
2019 Volvo S60 T8 (UK Spec)
