-Great new volvo styling. Looks like a coupe.
-Amazingly comfortable ride.
-T5 runs with the big boys from BMW, Merc, Acura and Lexus.
-Reliability; It's a Volvo!

-Althought excellent, steering and responsiveness are still not as good as rear-drive sport sedans like the 330i and Lexus IS 300.

What can be said about this car? Just take a look at it. This is the second Volvo I have had. The first was a 1998 Volvo S70 T5. Anyone who's ever driven a Volvo knows that they have always been fast and reliable, with this car being no exception. Compared with the S70, the S60 is faster, better looking and even safer, if thats really possible for a Volvo. This car has every kind of saftey device available. Each passenger gets three-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners, dual-stage front airbags, side airbags and whiplash-reducing seats. Volvo's got something called "inflatable curtain" reduce injuries during a side impact.
Eariler this week, I saw an electric blue S60 T5 in a really bad car accident. The car was a complete write off with every panel just distroyed, but all 5 people in the car walked away! Unbelievable.

The car sticks to the road like glue. Lay the peddle down and get mashed back into your seats. Definitely get the 5 speed transmission with its cool "space ball" shifter. The interior of the car is covered in some type of ice cold looking metal, which lines the dash and shifter.

For the money, I don't think you can beat this car.

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People like to compare Saab's and Volvo's, although this car is closer to the German brands in quality and style.

I've owned Volvos, BMWs, Audis and Saabs for years and this is undoubtedly the best Volvo I've driven in a long time. Although my '97 850 t5-r is a fun car, it doesn't quite compare in the road handling department to my '00 BMW 540i. The new S60 is a leaps and bounds improvement over the old 850/S70 chassis and inspires more confidence during spirited driving. Although I am partial to RWD in a sports car, I think Volvo has put together a great car in the new S60. Moreover, I think they've finally created a worthy competitor to BMW's 3-series range. I think you'll find that the Volvo comes out better equipped than a comparably priced BMW, but at that point personal preference comes to play. I have nothing bad to say about Volvo's reliability as my problems have all been minor (ie: squeaks and rattles). Since the new S60 is based upon a shortened version of the S80's lauded and reliable platform, I can't see why reliability shouldn't be great.

The base car's engine is adequate but not "sporty." Other than that I found none to speak of.

See "Strengths"

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BMW 325i, Audi A4 2.8, Saab 9-3: worthy competitors

this car isnt the best i dont like it

dont but it buy the hyndai 300ZM or something like that ... one of my friends just got oneand i went for a ride in it and it is great !!! he loves the power of the V6 and the warranty of the car .. 10 year or 100,000 mile engine and drivechain warrinty.

this was the first volvo that i ever owned and it will be my last .... just last week i went sliding in the rain right through a red light ... just because the car cannot proform. if i was in the camry or santa fea i would doubt that happening

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94 camry .. 97 mustang gt and a 01 v6 santa fea witch we love

Power when Turbo engages, comfort (front and rear), cargo space (trunk), safety features, handling

Power before Turbo engages

Overall outstanding car. This car is beautiful, sleek and fun to drive. It has PLENTY of power once the turbo engages at 2400 rpm. The handling is crisp and the optional 17" tires give good traction and control. I have the "tiptronic type" automatic transmission which works well in both manual and automatic mode. The fit and finish of the car is superb although a better console storage would be nice (place to put sunglasses, etc).The only real beef I have is that there seems to be some sort of speed limiting chip installed that caps top-speed at 130 mph even though the tach is at only 4400rpm. This car could easily top 160 mph if not held back.

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BMW 330xi - the S60 is more comfortable (bigger) and has more power once the turbo engages. The BMW engine has a nicer sound and feel though.

+Seats, standard seats are great but if you want more then get the sports seats.
+Trunk space, excellent volume.
+Engine, powerfull 2.4 litre turbocharged engine (2.3 on the T5) with which there is no problem passing cars.

None

This is the first Volvo I've owned and so far it lives up to my expectations. The comfort is very high even in a model with no extra equipment. The standard seats are much more comfortable than in any other car I've compared. The large trunk space is appreciated.

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Compared to BMW 320, BMW 323, BMW 325, SAAB 9-3, SAAB 9-5, Audi A4 1.8 TSQ and in value/comfort the Volvo beats them all.

Looks, comfort, safety, ergonomics, sound system, powerfull brakes, excellent value (go to the VolvoUSA website - prices for 2001 S60 T5s have been lowered thousands of dollars - fully loaded, like mine is now under $37,000 - the value is now being considered as good as the 2002 Acura TL (which won the Edmunds.com lux sport shoot-out, volvo s60 tied for 3rd - but the new pricing would have placed it in FIRST!).

Nose heavy, front wheel drive limits sport ability: Its not Lexus IS300 or BMW 3 series - but this car will pamper you WAY more on a long trip.

Posh and stylish. The interior is an incredible blend of comfort and proper ergonomics. Everything is easy to reach and the material quality rivals that of Lexus and Audi. The seats are probably the best money can buy - beats Mercedes and Infiniti hands down.

Optional Dolby Surround Sound with in-dash CD player is incredible. Only the WAY more expensive systems found in Lexus and Infiniti (Q45) sound better - BMW, Mercedes, Acura, Audi are all playing audio catchup. The S60 T5 is very quiet inside - great build quality with tight door seals.

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Test drove Lexus IS300, 2001 Acura TL, and Mercedes C320 (too much $$$ for what you get). Volvo S60 T5 wins overall value imo.

Solid, easy yet powerful ride. Loaded with safety features. Sound system excellent. A/C is much better than the usual anemic systems Volvo offered in the past.

Brakes way too sensitive. Smallish trunk and too little back seat room. Too expensive; our model came with a lot of extras we had to buy but don't need or use, e.g. laminated windows, Homelink, etc.

Best Volvo yet and we've had a bunch. Stylish, comfortable, good ride, everything we could ask for plus all the safety features; hard to beat.

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Other Volvos and one Acura

Smooth, five speed transmission and excellent ventillation system for both front and rear passengers. Accomodating trunk and fold seats, in addition to a front passengers seat which folds completely forward. Excellent paint and finish.

Visibility.... however I ordered the car with the optional rear folding headrest -- this problem was solved.

Excellent automobile. I have been driving the S60 for about seven months, and have since clocked over 20,000 miles. I am pleasantly surpised with the cars overall performance. The turbo provides excellent acceleration, especially on the freeway. In fact, I find the quietness and smoothness of the 5 speed automatic transmission exceptionally refined when shifting between gears. The fresh new look of the Volvo S60 2.4T has been problem free and without hitch so far. The quality finish of the interior leather and controls has an upscale premium feel. This car is well worth the extra money, especially when you consider all of the standard safety features, unparalled by any other car I tested in this class.

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Acura 3.2, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and the Mercedes Benz C class. This car is by far the best value when considering safety and overall performance. The handling of this car is only comparable to the BMW and Mercedes C class. It offers the sporty aggressiveness of the BMW and the luxuary ride of the MB.