EXTERIORS
The
exteriors of the 2021 Volvo S60 are all too familiar with its Inscription
grille with vertical slats, the large Volvo badging, the Thor hammer shaped
DRLs, and the fully colour adapted sills and bumpers. The door handles come
with illumination and there are also puddle lights. LED headlights with
automatic bending, fog lights in front spoiler, emergency braking light, large
tail lamps with flashing brake light with hazard warning during emergency
braking and dual integrated tail pipes make up for some of the features. The
car sits on 18 inches 10-multi-spoke black diamond cut alloy wheels.
INTERIORS
The
interiors are plush, to say the least, with driftwood decor inlays, Illuminated
vanity mirrors, soft leather dashboard, leather steering wheel with 3 spoke,
leather gear lever, wireless charging and automatically dimmed inner and
exterior mirrors, among other features. .
The
soft leather driver and passenger seats are power adjustable with memory. These seats also have a cushion extension
that can be power operated.
The
unique Volvo switches on the centre console, especially the engine start and
stop button which is a knurled knob, the knurled Drive Mode switch, the AC
louvers and the designs, give the vehicle
an up market feel. Storage space is plenty for bottles and cups. Both the front
and rear arm rests offer spaces to put in knick knacks. The centre arm rest at
the rear comes with cup holders and storage. There are two USB slots in the
front arm rest, a 12V outlet near the gear knob and the luggage space too has a
12V outlet.
The
new 2021 Volvo S60 comers with 4-zone electronic climate control, clean
zone (air quality system) and a large panoramic sun roof with power operation
You
get a tab like 9 inches touch screen and a 12.3 inches driver display in the
instrument panel. This high-resolution screen showcases key information for the
driver and can vary the size and shape of the readouts it shows, depending on
how you are using your car. For example, if you are using the navigation
system, the display for that becomes enlarged, so you can focus on your
directions more easily. The driver display also adapts its brightness according
to exterior light sources. And with Voice Control, you can access many
functions of the S60, while keeping your hands on the steering wheel and your
eyes on the road at all times.
The
9-inch centre display with touch screen allows you to intuitively control the
functions of the car and stay connected. The touch screen surface is so
responsive that you can operate it wearing gloves. You can use it to operate
the navigation, entertainment, climate control and your smartphone. The system
allows Apple Car Play and Andriod Auto function.
The
S60 gets a Harman Kardon Premium audio system powered by a 600W digital
amplifier and 14 speakers. Volvo Cars have been known for their upmarket Bowers
& Wilkins audio system.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
The
S60 is powered by an 1969cc, 4 inline petrol engine that churns out around
190hp and a peak torque of 300 Nm. The engine is mated to an eight-speed
geartronic automatic transmission. The car if front wheel drive and the ride
and handling it offers is top notch. The
vehicle’s dynamic chassis technology offers a good balance between suspension comfort
and road handling.
It’s
some of the features of this car that makes it stand out in the crowd. Its advanced driver assistance technology is
of great use to driver. Pilot Assist helps to reduce some of the effort
required at higher speeds (up to 130km/h) or in stop-start traffic, so journeys
are more enjoyable. It keeps the S60 at a set speed and distance from the
vehicle in front, and uses steering inputs to help keep you in the centre of
your lane. Pilot Assist is connected to the Drive Modes of the S60, so in ECO
mode there is the possibility of improved fuel efficiency, while if in Dynamic
mode, it will quicken the response to the speed of the vehicle in front.
Pro-active
safety technology in the car is of great significance. At the heart of this
technology is City Safety. City Safety can identify other vehicles,
pedestrians, cyclists and large animals ahead of you, even at night. It warns
you if needed and can brake automatically to help avoid a collision or reduce
impact. The car’s advanced oncoming mitigation by braking technology – a Volvo
Cars safety world first – can detect if there’s another vehicle driving towards
you and brakes automatically to mitigate the impact. The car can also support
if you’re forced into a rapid evasive action at speeds between 50 and 100km/h.
As you begin to steer away, City Safety can help you do it as effectively and
safely as possible by braking the inner wheels individually and reinforcing
your steering input. Of course, here we are talking about its very critical
features that we thankfully did not have to experience.
Though
a common feature ins many luxury cars today, the Volvo S60 too has Lane Keeping
Aid that can gently help steer your car back into its lane if it senses you are
about to inadvertently cross into a different lane. If this is not enough or if
you keep steering across the lane markings, you’ll be alerted with vibrations
in the steering wheel.
There
is also Run-off road Mitigation which detects you’re about to leave the road
unintentionally, it can provide steering input and, if necessary, brake support
to help guide you back on track.
The
car comes with airbags for driver and passenger, Side Impact Protection System airbags
and inflatable curtains, Emergency Brake Assist, EBA, Intelligent driver
information system (IDIS) etc.
VERDICT
To
sum it up, the 2021 Volvo S60 is a perfect combination of comfort and
safety. Every time Volvo makes their
cars look a lot more chic, they work on its safety features too, ensuring the
safety of not just the occupants but also those outside who may likely get
impacted in a collision. It’s always safety redefined for Volvo Cars!