2001 Volvo S60 T5 2.3 turbo

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

Performance is stunning in a straight line although it's not particularly good on twisting roads. The high-pressure turbo doesn't kick in until the revs get above about 4000 but you'd never know it - 0-60 in about 6 seconds according to the manufacturer's spec. You'd be mad to try any other than very mild acceleration without the traction control switched on.

Comfort is extremely good, but the low profile tires tend to make the ride a little hard. My Saab 900 was much less bumpy on normal roads.

Visibility is poor - you have to use the mirrors for reversing as you can't see around the head restraints from inside.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th April, 2004

2001 Volvo S60 T5 2.3Turbo

Summary:

Good looking, powerful and safe

Faults:

Busted rear shock absorber.

Remote control needed re-programming.

Drivers door lock needed replacing.

General Comments:

The car is very quiet, even quieter than the 5 series. The seats are extremely comfortable, I am not aware of any that offer such support.

The performance is electric and the gear change smooth.

My only complaint is that with low profile tyres fitted the ride is a little on the hard side- certainly not as smooth as a 5 series.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd May, 2003

2001 Volvo S60 SE 2.0T

Summary:

A brilliant, comfortable, sporty saloon with great credentials and a real bargain

Faults:

Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with the car since we bought it 3 months ago. It was in mint condition when we received it and have had no problems with it.

General Comments:

The car is the most comfortable that I have ever owned, it drives like a dream and has very punchy performance. The 5 speed automatic box is second to non, its smooth, but still offers great performance and fuel economy. The interior is solid, good quality and the seats are superb. Overall, I am delighted with the car and the dealer service that I received from Harratts of Barnsley.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th March, 2003

2001 Volvo S60 S 2.0T

Summary:

If you have to be in a car, this is a great place to be

Faults:

Brief intermittent fault with a sensor on the brake pedal that stopped the cruise control from working for about a week. Even though the fault was not apparent by the time I got it to the dealer, the memory identified the faulty part and they replaced it under warranty.

Otherwise its been faultless.

General Comments:

I really like this car, usually after a year the honeymoon period is over, but the S60 has an enduring like-able character.

Styling is grown-up and understated, with distinct Volvo DNA. The designers have done a superb job of bringing traditional Volvo design cues into the 21st century. It is pleasing to the eye and won't look unfashionable next year.

It is outstandingly comfortable, the seats, driving position, controls and suspension set-up combine to produce a very pleasant place to spend time.

The 5 cylinder engine has a smooth distant hum when cruising, and changes to a warble when pushing on. If you are unfamiliar with turbo engines, you may find the initial pick-up from low revs at odds with the strong pull in the mid to upper rev range, but when the turbo is blowing hard, this is a very effective overtaking machine.

Fuel consumption is excellent for a 170BHP saloon. I get 36MPG out of town, and 29MPG in town (UK Gallons). Incidentally this car is perfectly suited to getting the best out of Shell Optimax petrol - I get a 10% improvement in consumption compared with regular unleaded, and a discern-able improvement in performance.

(I guess this is due to the engine management getting the best from turbo boost and ignition timing with the high octane of Optimax?)

Its handling is secure and predictable, but from a European perspective, I wouldn't consider it 'sporty'. If you like to throw a car around go for the BMW instead. But for the 90% that you are not white-knuckling back roads, the S60 is the better car.

It 'feels' a big and safe car. The parts of the car that you touch switches, handles, controls - its handshake if you like - is solid and firm.

The driver and front passenger are well accommodated, but its not so good for rear passengers, it's a bit stuffy and claustrophobic back there, like its mid-size saloon / sedan competitors, and if you are regularly taking rear passengers, I'd suggest the S80 would be a better option.

Thankfully I've not had reason to test it, but both passive and active safety seem to be second to none.

Volvo in the UK try very hard with dealer service, at least my personal experience is positive, and whilst service is not cheap, I have learned that you get what you pay for!

Overall, I strongly recommend the S60.

If you are considering a 3 series or C class, or A4, it is a real contender, and is better in many ways, not least in value for money. If you are the sort of chap who wears clothes with the brand logos on the inside, not the outside, this could be the one for you!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd November, 2002

2nd Feb 2004, 14:55

Back again after 2 years, and 30,000 miles

Since then I've had some good comparisons - I drove 1600 miles in a weekend in an Audi A4 2.0, and not much less in a Mercedes Benz C200, both felt quite similar to each other the Merc was a nice handling car, but the seats left me in pain after 6 hours. The Audi couldn't take the skin off a rice pudding, but very nicely put together. Overall I was quite impressed with the Mercedes, but the Audi didn't leave me wanting more. Neither were in the same league as the S60 as long distance cruisers.

Any more thoughts about the S60? Its not an easy car to drive smoothly in an urban environment. The brakes are too light and not easy to modulate, the gearbox is not the fastest, and the throttle is a tad too heavy. The light brake pedal seems to be out of balance compared to the other controls which are otherwise solid in feel. I wonder if an Auto box would suit the S60's personality better?

The car has had some bushes on the front suspension replaced twice (no big deal, but I'm pretty fussy)

That's it - no more negative stuff - I think they are easily outweighed by the positive.

Talking about personality - its true that an inanimate object like a car has one, and if a drivers personality meshes with that of the car, then you probably have a happy customer. It must be doing something to press the right buttons for me as the order for a new S60 is imminent!

2001 Volvo S60 2.4T 2.4 petrol turbo

Summary:

Gives the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series a good run for the money

Faults:

Worn out a set of front tires.

New headlamp bulb!

Trip computer reporting error - warns of a non-existent dead light bulb.

Interior trim to headlining re-fixed at first inspection - very minor fault - the dealer noticed it, not I.

General Comments:

Very comfortable long distance car.

Excellent performance that tends to surprise other road users.

Handling in bad conditions - e.g. wet and high winds, exemplary.

Very high standard of cabin fit and finish (we took leather upholstery, air conditioning and top of the range stereo set).

Climate control very good indeed, especially de-misting and defrosting.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th October, 2002

9th Jan 2015, 04:58

Your headlamp is most likely the socket. You can get them on eBay or at a dealer. I had the same problem, and after a couple of new lamps, I got a brand new socket and the problem was cured. Hope this helps.