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Motoring Discussion > Volvo - S60 back to back comparison
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Tue 3 Dec 13 17:35

Volvo - S60 back to back comparison - ....

In 27½ years driving this is the first time I have ever gone for the same model back to back.

After near enough 7 years with the original S60 facelift D5 model from model year 2005 bought at 2 years old I’ve swapped to a model year 2011 S60 II D3 again 2 years old.
I’d looked around at the usual suspects (BMW, Audi, Mercedes) considered a Lexus IS-F V8 but my job means as soon as I’d signed the order form I would have been sent on assignment 500 miles away which would have bankrupted me in a month.

Similarities end at the 163PS from both engines. The Euro III D5 (2.4 litre – 5 cylinder) will run all the way to the 4600rpm red line where the newer Euro V engine is pointless above 3500rpm but the gearing more than makes up for it on a long journey, the D3 (2 litre – 5 cylinder) being geared at 40mph/1000rpm compared to the old cars 30mph/1000rpm.
This translates into amazing economy at motorway speeds with the engine turning over at a lazy 2000rpm at 130kph/80mph.

For those interested in the irrelevant to the UK top speed the newer car is limited to 220kph/137mph@less than 3500rpm compared to the old car banging off the limiter at 210kph/130mph.

The newer engine has 400Nm (295lbft) torque compared to the older car 340Nm (258lbft).

For all the above numbers the Euro V engine appears thirstier (still on the first full tank but the read out is reporting lower than the older car) on the commute to work which is limited to 30mph and 50mph limits meaning more fourth gear running where the old car would pull along in fifth plus the newer car is around 80kgs heavier. The D3 speedo is more accurate than that in the D5 so maybe there will be no real world difference in economy, time will tell.

Driving the two cars is like chalk and cheese. The D5 was like a comfortable armchair, it was the Sport model, which sat between the base S and the luxury spec SE, had the optional Winter pack (heated seats, headlight jet-wash and thicker over carpets) + heated, folding door mirrors with ground lights. It also had an auto-dimming rear view mirror.

The D3 is R-design Premium spec and is a completely different car. Gone is the laid back get you anywhere cruiser to be replaced with an eager puppy which responds very positively to driver inputs encouraging me to drive rather than hand over to the cruise control.
This car comes with voice activated* satnav, remote control for the media system because the steering wheel buttons, voice activation and dash buttons are just not enough. I can understand this may be used by the rear seat passenger(s) but as the DVD player does not work while moving is a bit over the top in my view.

*Only works in the vehicles home market, you cannot change the country to another in voice mode when touring for example. In the postcode section the option is there to change area in voice mode…to Northern England, Southern England or Northern Ireland (not sure if Wales is North or South England, Scotland is obviously ruled from Newcastle in Volvoland).

What is surprising (to me) for a Premium badged model is the lack of power-folding door mirrors and auto-dimming rear view mirror as standard which strikes me as being at odds with the Premium badging or Volvo being tight in plain language considering R-design adds somewhere in the region of 8 or 9k to the base model price.

Downsides to the newer car? I’ve found two one of which really surprises me for a Volvo:
1. The wiper arms cannot be raised from the normal park position, the driver’s side arm is fouled by the trailing edge of the bonnet meaning it has to be moved into maintenance position to be lifted (similar to Ford Mondeo). It’s the same for LHD models so not a conversion to RHD bodge.
I found this out at the car jet wash.
The manual is also incorrect in its description of how to get the arms into maintenance position.

2. The instrument panel reflects into the top of the windscreen. A HUD you don’t want. For the sake of a fingers width of plastic at the top of the instrument pod the reflection of the chrome rings round the speedo and rev counter are about 2 inches from the top of the windscreen meaning I have to drive at night with the sun visor down until I play about with my seat position to get rid of this reflection.

Plus points of the newer car
1. Seamless BT connection which the Parrot MKi9200 in my older car could not match.
2. More mid-range pull.
3. Smaller boot but more useful boot opening (wider) and access.
4. More rear seat passenger space and easier access to the rear seats. I’m only 5’11” and have dainty size 9’s by some standards.

I thought the lack of a footrest might have been an issue but due to my smaller size 9 feet there is a ledge at the side of the centre console which can support the idle clutch foot.

The electronic handbrake is simple and effective. Push button – handbrake on. Foot on brake pedal and pull button – handbrake off or select gear and drive away and the handbrake automatically releases. No need for hill start with this setup. Actually very similar in action to that fitted to the Citroën C4 GP my wife drives.

What is odd is no underfloor storage in the boot. Lift the boot floor and there is a can of gunk and a tow hook, that’s it mounted flat against the floor. Even if I were to buy the genuine Volvo spare wheel, jack and spanner, there is nowhere to put it without taking up a big chunk of boot space, I may as well carry one of my spare wheels, a trolley jack and spanner and leave £300 in the bank.

Why did I change? I was more than happy with the D5, I had spent a lot of money undersealing the old car, poly bushes in the suspension to remove the tramlining, Goodyear F1 tyres all around on a 9 year old car but then I was looking on Autotrader and this one jumped out at me. I didn’t have to change but I did. No logic to it. No this car is about to fall apart on me and I need to get rid, I guess I was ready for a change, 7 year itch and all that.

The bonus is some of the accessories from my old car fit the new one including the winter wheels and tyres. I now have two rear window blinds and a set of roof bars for a series I S60 to get rid of.

The old car I understand has been snapped up by one of the mechanics at the dealership I bought the newer car from.

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Tue 3 Dec 13 18:01

Volvo - S60 back to back comparison - Pat

So glad you're pleased with it gmac, and that the old one has gone to a good home;)

Pat

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Tue 3 Dec 13 18:18

Volvo - S60 back to back comparison - ....

Thanks Pat.

Even after agreeing to buy I was still trying to justify keeping the P2 car alongside the newer one. Cracking car and you should be very happy with your V70.

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Tue 3 Dec 13 18:33

Volvo - S60 back to back comparison - WillDeBeest

I knew you were up to something when you asked if I'd tried the new S60! Glad you're pleased with it, and the D3 engine is superb. Part of me still wishes that V70 we tried last year had hit Mrs Beest's spot - although if I'm honest I was concerned that it was short of space, and I suspect I was right to be.

Does this mean my S60 is the last of its type left standing here? Unless we count GB's one-remove example, I suppose it does. Oh well, at least I have Pat for company.

Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Tue 3 Dec 13 at 18:36

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Tue 3 Dec 13 18:45

Volvo - S60 back to back comparison - ....

You've got one of the first and probably the last here (hows that for a bit of Irish) of the P2 S60's as far as I know.
The original Volvo P2 will probably last longer than my part Ford facelifted version. Just the small things like the glass vs plastic headlights and the washer bottle and pump vs the later system.
If you're still on your original DIM then it will probably never be a problem. My car was still on the original but as my car was garaged I did not expect any issues there.

I suspect if I found the right S60 2.3 engine T5 I could be tempted back in a P2 but then I have a motorbike for speed so the T5 would be a real luxury toy.

Last edited by: gmac on Tue 3 Dec 13 at 18:46

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Sat 14 Dec 13 16:45

Volvo - Update 3 weeks in - ....

First tank refill averaged 36.98mpg brim to brim compared with the last tank in the Euro III D5 which had an aftermarket DPF fitted of 39.18mpg.

Same tyres and wheels adjusted on the D3 to the recommended Volvo pressures.

I took the headlight pins out to check how easy it would be to change the bulbs and found one of the four pins had a locking metal plate missing. E-mailed the salesman at the supplying dealers, replacement in the post the following day no questions asked.

I will be making an unscheduled stop in the New Year, the manual gear change is no longer smooth, feels like something is grinding at the bottom of the gear stick mechanism. Not something I associate with a Volvo gear change after 7 years with the spaceball setup of my previous car which never had any issues.

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