Volvo S60 Recharge: A near-perfect fit
Hybrid sedan is refined, performance-driven.
This week’s tester is a bit of an enigma. It’s complex and refined yet has a bit of a wild side and some distinguished styling. The powertrain is a perfect combination of electric and gasoline. Indeed, the 2024 Volvo S60 Recharge relishes not fitting into a specific category. Heck, even being a luxury vehicle that’s not German or Japanese makes it somewhat of an outsider.
But that’s where Volvo has lived all these years. Focused on safety, refinement and performance, Volvo resonates with a niche customer base and the S60 perfectly embodies all that.
On looks, the S60 has a sleek front end. The grille is complex with elaborate styling. The high-gloss black styling is dramatic and stunning. The Swedish automaker certainly gave its design team plenty of leeway when it comes to designing this sedan. And it works, as the S60 has a distinctive front end that is both aggressive yet refined. And the hammer-like headlights are always attractive and symbolic of the entire Volvo lineup. On profile, the styling is a bit diminished; and the back side seems to need a bit more of that front-end styling too. The understated styling from the side and back give the S60 a somewhat incomplete and incongruent flow.
That’s really the only letdown aesthetically for an otherwise handsome vehicle.
The powertrain of the S60 Recharge combines a gasoline combustion engine with electric motors. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is likely powerful enough without the electric motor assist.
However, with that, the overall horsepower is 455 hp while the torque is 523 pound-feet. Talk about an exhilarating performance-focused sedan. With the electric motor assist, it adds an additional 41 miles of gas-free driving as well.
The S60 has all-wheel drive (AWD) and an eight-speed automatic transmission. This plug-in hybrid can be recharged at home on a 120-volt charger overnight and provides the aforementioned 41 miles of gas-free range. As such, the 2024 Volvo has an Epa-estimated fuel economy rating of 74 mpg/equivalent. As a gas-only engine, it gets 31 mpg/combined.
Inside, the Volvo S60 does not disappoint. Nearly every Volvo vehicle I’ve driven has the same vibe and that’s a good thing. With unique features not found in other brands, it has a slightly quirky side but then loads up the refinement and luxury with outstanding touchpoints and an immaculate attention to detail. My tester had Nappa leather seats, a laminated panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, comforting interior illumination and even an air purifier.
The trunk for the S60 is small with only 11.6 cubic feet of cargo room. There is a deeper opening on the trunk to make loading it easier, but still that cargo area is near the bottom of the segment.
The S60 is rated for five passengers and three adults could fit reasonably comfortable in the back seat. The shoulder, head and legroom are all adequate in the back seat.
Volvo’s infotainment system continues to be a little too quirky. It’s not intuitive and has a large learning curve. A 12.3inch digital display looks good and is compatible with both Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The entire system is Google-based so those comfortable with that will feel a sense of familiarity with this system. A Harman-kardon sound system is standard, but there’s an upgrade option to a Bowers & Wilkins Sound System.
Volvo does something a little different with its trims.
The automaker offers two “looks” for some of its trims. For example, my tester was the top-of-the-line Ultimate trim and available in either Black Edition or Dark Theme. The base price for this is $57,400. With options like Ultimate Package, which includes the Bowers & Wilkins upgrade along with the Climate Package, my tester had a final price of $62,445.
I’ve sung the praises of PHEVS for a while. They bridge the gap between internal combustion technology and electrification. And the 2024 Volvo S60 Recharge bridges that gap nicely with a refined, performance-driven, stylish five-person sedan.