Volvo S60 D2 : Our First Diesel Ride

Volvo @ Wearnes automobile

Want to ride a Volvo for the weekend?

Now in Singapore, when someone offers you a free car, you take it, even if it is only for the weekend. As the cost of cars spiral upwards with its ever rising COE , the closest one may come to experiencing ownership of a new car would be a test ride. So even if it was only for 3 days , we gladly gave a resounding Yes for this super long test drive. Who knows if we like it, it could very well be our next family car...

Introducing my ride

Thanks to Wearnes Autotmobile, the car we had driven over the weekend is the Volvo S60. Prior to the car collection, we already dreamt of taking it for a spin all over the island.

Guess our ride

The plan was simple. We would start from one side of the Island at Changi, take it for a spin on the ECP to the MCE and then the AYE to Jurong, then we would return via the PIE, make a detour at the BKE and back to the east via the SLE and the TPE. Seven expressways in a day!

D2 : 59 % more mileage

After all, this is the D2 version of the Volvo S60, touted to give you 59% more mileage that a normal petrol car. Moreover this is the ride that survive a roundabout trip to Penang to back one just one fuel tank!

Volvo S60

Alas our plans were extinguished literally with a massive downpour over the weekend.

Rainy weekend

That did not stop us from taking our ride for a spin once the skies cleared.

Strike a pose

Before we head out to the sunset, we decided to explore the car interior.

The ride

Features

The cockpit

The cabin was as grand as what Volvo is famous for. It may not boost the finest leather or chrome, but everything is well put together. Shedding the image as an old man's car, this car exudes modernism as clearly demonstrated by the digital customizable dashboard.

Just take your pick from elegance, eco or performance mode. Being a middle age dude, I would prefer elagance for its familiarity.

Customised dashboard

Other modern features includes keyless entry, keyless start stop and blut tooth unit. Its three-spoke steering wheel (with controls at your fingertips) and sports seats adds youthfulness to its decor. With these features, young executives would feel at home on the front seat.

Features

The center console which is seen as the main control unit for the car's functions are well laid out and uncluttered. Controls are well within reach of the driver and the front seat passenger. If there is one thing to gripe, it would be the lack of a GPS system on the seven inch colour display unit. It could be easily resolved by purchasing a separate GPS system.

Dashboard

For anyone with families, it is a well known fact that storage is essential in a car. you need space to store the extra set of clothing, the toys and the titbits necessary for a ride out. There are the standard storage in the front compartment, the centre console and even the back seat. It is not as spacious as other cars in the markets, but it does its job.

Storage

As for the seating space, the Volvo S60 is a 5 seater. The front seats are sports seats with extra side support. The back seat is a little cramp for 5 full size adults, but it is ample for 2 Wackies and another adult.

The Volvo S60 comes with a remote that controls the essential functions of locking/unlocking the car as well as the boot. Do note that this is a keyless entry model, thus fiddling with the remote is not necessary when it comes to opening and closing the door. This feature is useful for those carrying a child on one hand and a bag of groceries in the next while attempting to open the car doors.... something which most parents would be quite familiar with.

Control

Speaking of groceries, the car boot space is ample to fill a week's worth of it. The car boot can be remotely open, but it could be improve with an auto shut feature. The boot door is relatively heavy and you probably need two hands to ensure it is close.

Airbag

As for safety, Volvo is renowned for being a tough car. There are airbags all around the car to ensure a safe ride for the passengers.

The Ride

Now , when I first heard that I would be test driving a Volvo, I had the notion that it will be a boxy affair. Afterall Volvo car designs are synonymous with big and boxy. I always have the opinion that Volvo is a car for the older folks given its grand stature and reputation. Admittedly I am not too far off from the perceived target market , but I was secretly hoping it will be something more youthful to exhibit my younger side. Heh.

The old boxy Volvo

So when my eyes were set upon the new Volvo S60 D2, the whole perception was thrown out of the window. This Volvo has somewhat turn back the hands of time. Spotting a sporty and dynamic look, this could almost be pass off as a coupe with 4 doors.

+1 for being good looking ( The car, not me )

The new Volvo S 60 D2

In addition to its good looks, the Volvo S 60 also feature a 1.6 litre diesel engine.

1.6 litre + Diesel are not the exact formula you would expect a car to have. you would probably think it is underpower and noisy too. However technology has come a long way. The Volvo produces 270Nm of torque and 115 bhp. In other words, it is a decent ride given its engine combination.

Is that a coupe?

Going from 0-100 km / h in 12.3 seconds, this fuel efficient engine only needs 4.3L of fuel for every 100km travel. It helps too that Diesel pump prices is almost 30% cheaper than the premier petrol. A Diesel car also means a savings of $15,000 for CEVS rebate. Coming at SGD 180,000 (retail Apr 2014), the D2 version is almost $20,000 cheaper than its T4 (Petrol Version ) variant.

These extra savings could come in handy for children's education in the future should one consider it as a family car.

Black Beauty

The drive was rather pleasant . The steering is about right, not too heavy like a muscled continental car nor as light as the Japanese make. In addition, there is the City Safety mode that makes the car automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stop. This feature is definitely a plus safety feature for families with kids.

Don't mess my ride

So what's the verdict for the car?

It is a fine car and probably not targeted at the older crowd with its youthful exuberance. A compact executive car with good looks , it is perhaps more suited for the younger family man. With its cheaper operating cost as a diesel engine car, this option would be tempting for an economic savvy consumer who wants a reputable marque for a family ride.

As for me, with age is catching up, added to the need to accommodate my growing boys in the back seat, my preferance for the next ride will be either a SUV or an MPV with a higher profile on the back for more space. With that said, I spotted my next potential ride at the Volvo Showroom at Alexandra Road, the Volvo XC 60.... If only it comes it a D2 version.

I guess I would just have to wait till that day comes.