2021 Volvo V60

Overview

The 2021 Volvo V60 is an exquisitely refined Swedish glamour wagon with one of the cleanest and most elegant exteriors on the market today. So many manufacturers are under fire these days for producing all their cars to look the same. However, you never hear anyone complain about Volvo doing that. Volvo’s latest generation of design language has made the brand into an impressive competitor and propelled it to the front of the pack. Aside from being a neck-snapper, the V60 is incredibly practical, impossibly refined, and sports a strong and confident drivetrain.

Design

Volvo seems to have struck gold with their current design language. The combination of their subtle minimalist aesthetic, with their imposing “Thor’s Hammer” front running lights, make a distinctive and elevated fascia. Coming around to the side, the proportions are optimized for interior storage capacity by keeping the roofline linear and not tapering it down toward the cabin. It’s a modern design, but not necessarily meant to trick you into thinking it’s a sportscar. This is perfect for those of us with tall friends that we need to put in the back seat, or those of us that like to take road trips with our families. A myriad of available wheel range from 18 inches to 19 inches in diameter. Finally, moving around to the rear, we’re met with a homage to a classic Volvo design with taillights going all the way up the sides of the rear window and terminating at the roof. Below, is a mean-looking dual exhaust giving this V60 some muscle. Ultimately, this Volvo V60 is all about modern elegance.

Cabin

Much like the exterior, the cabin is designed with subtle elegance in mind. It’s a modern design that nearly eliminates all button clutter with the use of the large touchscreen display nestled between your center vents. You can also option a digital gauge cluster which offers additional customizability. The interior is comprised of some of the most luxurious and high-quality materials you’ll experience. With such a minimal design on the interior, things like the Nappa leather textures are free to stand out more than they would in other vehicles. Remember how we mentioned earlier while discussing the exterior, that the roofline allowed for maximum interior comfort and practicality? Well, it becomes glaringly apparent when sitting in the rear seats. Headroom is fantastic and legroom is impressive for this V60 despite being one of the smaller wagons Volvo offers. Now, the most important thing on a wagon is the cargo area which is expansive. One of the best things Volvo does is offer the largest and widest trunk opening possible to make this space as utilitarian and useable as possible. The interior of this V60 is not only luxurious and refined but also endlessly practical.

Features

In addition to looking incredibly modern, you can also get some of the latest and greatest equipment found on luxury cars in your Volvo V60. You can get massaging seats to make for an incredibly relaxed ride. In addition to that, you can option a Bowers & Wilkins sound system that is quite possibly the best in-car audio system money can buy currently. However, this is a family vehicle, and as such things like safety are paramount. Therefore, Volvo has taken it upon themselves to offer the “Advance” package which includes your driver safety equipment such as adaptive cruise, active lane keep assist, and steer assist. Finally, of course, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ are included on your Volvo for seamless integration into your life. The way you interact with each of these features makes them less of a distraction and more of an enhancement to your experience.

Drive and Handling

There are two engines offered on the V60; The T5 engine is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine offering 250 horsepower to the front wheels. For 2021, Volvo's T8 engine powers the range-topping  “Polestar Engineered” trim. The T8 engine will be a plug-in hybrid powertrain offering 415 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. In terms of handling, this wagon is surprisingly composed for its size and body shape. The V60 definitely favors luxury over sport, but if you go with the Polestar Engineered trim and with the T8 engine then it might be wise to consider the adaptive suspension to tighten down the chassis as you’re attacking back roads. The V60 feels incredibly isolated and is supremely luxurious, making it a brilliant choice if you’re a little more creative than looking to Germany for your luxury car.

Verdict

Volvo has always carried the reputation of being one of the safest cars on the road, which isn’t the most exciting quality but makes for a great family car. This V60 continues the tradition of being one of the safest and most family-friendly cars on the road, but it livens things up a bit for 2021. The new design language is sleek and confident. The interior is modern and contemporary, and it comes together to make one of the best looking cars on the road. This wagon is perfect for the minimalist that values high quality and understated performance.

For more information about the new Volvo V60, contact Volvo Cars Silver Spring today.

Image Credit: Volvo