Volvo S60 Pictures

The 2011 Volvo S60 ranks 5 out of 21 Upscale Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 12 published reviews and test drives of the Volvo S60, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

After a year's hiatus, the Volvo S60 has returned, and Volvo is calling it the sportiest Volvo ever. While the redesigned S60 is certainly sportier than the outgoing model, Volvo hasn’t forgotten its roots, and underneath the curvaceous new sheet metal is the latest in safety technology.

Reviewers enjoy the newfound emphasis on sport in the redesigned 2011 Volvo S60. While most agree the new S60 can’t keep up with the BMW 3-series, they understand that Volvos are just as much about safety and, lately, style. Most consumers will enjoy the S60’s balance between sport, style, comfort and safety. As Car and Driver says, "Though it’s arguably the most fluid and poised Volvo of all time, it is not the sportiest. In its fine balance of comfort and sport, the bias is slightly toward the former."

Styling is one of the first things you'll notice on the new S60. When the previous S60 debuted in the U.S. in 2001, Volvo called it revolutionary for its sporty and aggressive design. The new S60 continues with many of the same design themes that the last S60 introduced, but it now sports a front-end that mimics the stylish XC60 SUV, and includes a tapered rear that evokes the “four-door coupe” design philosophy that most European manufacturers follow.

If you want comfort, Volvo has you covered. Reviewers praise the comfortable front seats. Although testers say the back seats offer comfortable cushioning, they do criticize the amount of legroom available. If you chauffeur larger people you may be interested in moving to a bigger sedan that offers more rear-seat room.

Volvo may be trying to add some sport into the new S60, but the company isn’t ignoring its roots as a leader in safety technology. Standard on all S60s is City Safe, a system that will stop the car for you if the car detects objects in your path. New this year is Volvo’s Pedestrian Detection system. This optional system will brake the car for you if a pedestrian walks into the path of your S60.