2011 VOLVO S60

[Rangie]

I cannot comment on S60, but I can tell you a lot about S80.

 

I have a S80 2.5T, 2010 car, its 3.5 years old now, 140,000km on the clock. Only drive in Singapare. Its very high usage because I am like the family taxi driver, driving my kids to school, go to work, sometimes come back at lunch time to bring my kids home, on weekends we go driving everywhere.

 

What I like about Volvo :

1. Comfortable seats, best seat I ever sat on (including Rolls Royce that I had once sat for an hour). Volvo seats especially the driver seat is very comfortable. I had Merc before, I drove BMW and Lexus before, none of them can come near Volvo seats.

2. The 2.5T engine is one of the most powerful in its class, Mine was 231bhp, tuned by Polestar to 250bhp, 370nm torque. Although the BMW 528i has faster 0-100 acceleration, the Volvo mid range acceleration is amazing, it can be compared to many supercar catergory. The 5 cylinder howl is addictive too.

3. Brakes, very reassuring. It bites nicely and not scary. I had Merc before, cannot compared to the Volvo.

 

What it is not good enough:

1. Handling. Suspension too soft, waft around at turns, but I can live with it because I don't attack corners.

2. FWD. Boring and steering not communicative. Even Protons have more communicative steering than the dull Volvo. FWD means torque steer at front wheel when accelerate in the wet. Uncomfortable but not dangerous.

3. Image and resale. Not good compared to the BMW and Merc even though brand new they are almost the same price

 

Having said that, my next car will still be a Volvo because of the comfortable seats and the brakes. I spent a lot of time on the road and I need a comfortable seat car.

 

Back to what you want, which is the 2006-2007 Volvo. There are the 3.2 6 cylinder non turbo and the 2.5T, stay away from the 3.2 as I heard its sluggish. The 2.5T then has 200bhp, only the 2009 facelift version has 231bhp. I think you still can ask Volvo dealer to Polestar tune to 250bhp for $2k only.

 

The later 2010 2.0 4 cylinder turbo is a bit less powerful, it has turbo lag and run out of steam at higher rpm. I drove both 2.5T and 2.0T (which is called T5 now) back to back and the 2.5T 5 cylinder is better. But it drinks quite a bit, 50:50 highway/town use is only about 8km/l.

 

Servicing at SM Motor is excellent, if you can afford it. They treat you like a king, unlike Merc which treat you second class.

 

Now after warranty, each 15k servicing I would say about 1-2k, depends on what needs to be changed.

- blew my bi-xenon lights because I use them very often, about $500 I think

- batteries run out every year, standard battery about $200

- front suspension had some sounds, changed it for 1k plus

- radiator fan spoilt, car overheated and towed back, changed for 1k plus

- aircond compressor spoilt also about 1k plus

 

These type of wear and tear is expected for a high usage car like mine. Its not cheap to maintain it but I don't think its much different from a Merc which I owned before.

 

Its a Ah Pek car that can surprise many boy racer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wyfitms]

I cannot comment on S60, but I can tell you a lot about S80.

 

 

 

So would you go for a newer T5 or the older 2.5T?

 

I have heard that T4 would give a lot of problems especially for a used car as it is quite underpowered

[Volvobrick]

 

- front suspension had some sounds, changed it for 1k plus

 

 

Seems like this strut noise problem has persisted since my previous 2003 S80 to my current van to latest S80....

 

I have given up trying to resolve and just drive over humps quickly!

[Rangie]

Both the 2.5T and T5 engines are good in their own way.

2.5T is a 5 cylinder engine, has history back to the 850 then. its probably the only 5 cylinder engines running around on the road now. Its a novel experience where once all these cars are scrapped, no more 5 cylinder engine anymore. Nice sound, nice power, although not as smooth as V6 or straight 6, but very unique.

Problem is it drinks quite a lot of fuel. Fairly reliable due to the long history.

 

T5 is from the 2.0 litre GTDI (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection), not turbo diesel as some may mistaken. This engine is from Ford, during the years Volvo was owned by Ford. I think its the same engine as Ford Mondeo which they called it Ecoboost. It should be quite reliable too, but because its only 2.0 and not 2.5, the turbo may have a light lag and engine does not sound so nice.

 

I have driven T4, in the V40 body. It has Polestar tuned to 200bhp (the standard T4 is 180bhp). Its quite powerful in the V40, but run out of steam at the higher rpm compared to the 2.5T.

 

The latest engines are the Drive-E, only 2.0 litre (but not the Ford Ecoboost ones, this is brand new from Volvo themselves). It has same hp as the current T5, but supposed to be more fuel effiicient. It will still be called T5 (2.0 litre with turbo) or T6 (2.0 litre with supercharged and turbocharged). Its not available in Singapore yet, but will likely go into the S60 and XC60 body by end of this year.

[Hamburger]

so the new T5 is 4cylinder or 5???

[Mason016]

so the new T5 is 4cylinder or 5???

 

4 cylinder.

[Hamburger]

 

4 cylinder.

 

then i conclude....T5 is a misnomer!!!!!!

 

T5 with four cyclinder....seriously????

 

Then whats the T4 gonna stand in the engine range??? .....mind boggling

[Mason016]

 

then i conclude....T5 is a misnomer!!!!!!

 

T5 with four cyclinder....seriously????

 

Then whats the T4 gonna stand in the engine range??? .....mind boggling

 

T4 = 1,600 cc engine

T5 = 2,000 cc engine

 

As Rangie mentioned, the old 5 cylinder bobos no longer in production liao.

[Hamburger]

 

T4 = 1,600 cc engine

T5 = 2,000 cc engine

 

As Rangie mentioned, the old 5 cylinder bobos no longer in production liao.

thanks for the heads up,

 

now i understand. Yes, i am a bit slow

[Mason016]

thanks for the heads up,

 

now i understand. Yes, i am a bit slow

 

Pity ah-wearnes don't want to bring in this bobo

 

Volvo S60 Polestar

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo, 257kW (345bhp) / 500Nm

Transmission: 6-speed auto; AWD

 

[Soya]

 

Pity ah-wearnes don't want to bring in this bobo

 

Volvo S60 Polestar

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo, 257kW (345bhp) / 500Nm

Transmission: 6-speed auto; AWD

 

 

S60 T6? yes, they do.

[Mason016]

 

S60 T6? yes, they do.

 

Not the Polestar edition.

 

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-reviews-road-tests/2014_volvo_s60_polestar_review_first_drive_82452_20140307

 

Edited April 7, 2014 by Mason016

[Hamburger]

so i see....

 

now the numbers after the "T" is no more a count for cylinders.

 

Just a hierarchy of its engine capacity..

[Mason016]

so i see....

 

now the numbers after the "T" is no more a count for cylinders.

 

Just a hierarchy of its engine capacity..

 

Correcto!

[LoverofCar]

so i see....

 

now the numbers after the "T" is no more a count for cylinders.

 

Just a hierarchy of its engine capacity..

 

T4 : 180bhp, 240NM, 0-100km/h @ 9s

T5: 240bhp, 320NM, 0-100km/h @ 7.5s

 

Edited April 9, 2014 by LoverofCar

[Galantspeedz]

I cannot comment on S60, but I can tell you a lot about S80.

 

I have a S80 2.5T, 2010 car, its 3.5 years old now, 140,000km on the clock. Only drive in Singapare. Its very high usage because I am like the family taxi driver, driving my kids to school, go to work, sometimes come back at lunch time to bring my kids home, on weekends we go driving everywhere.

 

What I like about Volvo :

1. Comfortable seats, best seat I ever sat on (including Rolls Royce that I had once sat for an hour). Volvo seats especially the driver seat is very comfortable. I had Merc before, I drove BMW and Lexus before, none of them can come near Volvo seats.

2. The 2.5T engine is one of the most powerful in its class, Mine was 231bhp, tuned by Polestar to 250bhp, 370nm torque. Although the BMW 528i has faster 0-100 acceleration, the Volvo mid range acceleration is amazing, it can be compared to many supercar catergory. The 5 cylinder howl is addictive too.

3. Brakes, very reassuring. It bites nicely and not scary. I had Merc before, cannot compared to the Volvo.

 

What it is not good enough:

1. Handling. Suspension too soft, waft around at turns, but I can live with it because I don't attack corners.

2. FWD. Boring and steering not communicative. Even Protons have more communicative steering than the dull Volvo. FWD means torque steer at front wheel when accelerate in the wet. Uncomfortable but not dangerous.

3. Image and resale. Not good compared to the BMW and Merc even though brand new they are almost the same price

 

Having said that, my next car will still be a Volvo because of the comfortable seats and the brakes. I spent a lot of time on the road and I need a comfortable seat car.

 

Back to what you want, which is the 2006-2007 Volvo. There are the 3.2 6 cylinder non turbo and the 2.5T, stay away from the 3.2 as I heard its sluggish. The 2.5T then has 200bhp, only the 2009 facelift version has 231bhp. I think you still can ask Volvo dealer to Polestar tune to 250bhp for $2k only.

 

The later 2010 2.0 4 cylinder turbo is a bit less powerful, it has turbo lag and run out of steam at higher rpm. I drove both 2.5T and 2.0T (which is called T5 now) back to back and the 2.5T 5 cylinder is better. But it drinks quite a bit, 50:50 highway/town use is only about 8km/l.

 

Servicing at SM Motor is excellent, if you can afford it. They treat you like a king, unlike Merc which treat you second class.

 

Now after warranty, each 15k servicing I would say about 1-2k, depends on what needs to be changed.

- blew my bi-xenon lights because I use them very often, about $500 I think

- batteries run out every year, standard battery about $200

- front suspension had some sounds, changed it for 1k plus

- radiator fan spoilt, car overheated and towed back, changed for 1k plus

- aircond compressor spoilt also about 1k plus

 

These type of wear and tear is expected for a high usage car like mine. Its not cheap to maintain it but I don't think its much different from a Merc which I owned before.

 

Its a Ah Pek car that can surprise many boy racer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thank you very much for the review... sounds good... so far reviews on volvo seems good except for maintainence costs... but guess it is worth it

[Mach23]

 

T4 : 180bhp, 240NM, 0-100km/h @ 9s

T5: 240bhp, 320NM, 0-100km/h @ 7.5s

 

According Volvo sales rep, T4 < 200bhp , T5 > 200bhp, irregardless of the no of cylinders.

[Eyke]

According Volvo sales rep, T4 < 200bhp , T5 > 200bhp, irregardless of the no of cylinders.

 

regardless == without regard

irregardless == without without regard == with regard