S60 was due a service today. Dealer is no longer walkable from home which meant it was courtesy car time. Expecting an S40 I was pleasantly surprised to be shown to a new S60 DRIVe. (Yes, that's what the badge says.) It was an opportunity to try out the new model - not that it's likely to feature on my shopping list - and to test my scepticism as to whether 1.6 litres and 110 horses are really enough to propel 1.5 tonnes.
There were a couple of other tricks to master first. The car has stop-start, which was very easy to use, and a push-button handbrake, which wasn't. Maybe I needed more practice, but it seemed a poor substitute for a proper lever. I also had to work my size 13 Loake round a clutch pedal that had no footwear and not even any space to put the foot anywhere but under the pedal.
But what of that engine? My impression - from 30 miles of motorway and a little gratuitous hill climbing - is that it copes very well. It certainly sounds good - none of the agricultural four-cylinder rattling I'm used to in our Toyota diesel. On a congested motorway it cruises happily in sixth at an indicated 60 and still has enough oomph to pull out and overtake when required. It doesn't get noisy even at speed, either.
I'd have to say, subjectively of course, that it doesn't feel significantly slower than my old S60, which has half as much again of capacity and power. This may be partly - I now realize - because my car needs a new intercooler and may be a bit short of puff, but it's no disgrace.
So, while the cramped footwell would put me off this engine in an S60, I think the scoffers who ridiculed the idea of a big Volvo with so small an engine were wrong. I'd like to try the S80 with this engine - and hope there's somewhere for my left foot. I'd also take the family along as ballast, in case a full load of people would be too much for it.
There are some S80 DRIVes on Autotrader at very appealing prices, perhaps because buyers don't take them seriously. I think they may be mistaken and I'll be investigating further.
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Volvo S60 - big Volvo, small engine new
Volvo S60 - big Volvo, small engine new