What more can you ask for from a premium luxury Volvo sedan made in China? How about exuberant turbo-charged speed, best-in-class safety and room to stretch your long legs? That was the combination of my experience during a test drive of the all-new 2016 Volvo S60 T5 Inscription
If you’re in the market for a premium luxury sedan, Volvo now offers more choices for the S60, including the standard S60 or the new
Inscription with three more inches inches added to the wheel base, allowing 36.5 inches legroom for back-seat passengers.
The S60 base model lineup includes the T5 Drive-E, the T5 AWD, T5 Drive-E Inscription, and the T5 AWD Inscription. Additional models include the T6 Drive-E or the AWD R-Design. Other variations of the S60 includes the high performance S60 Polestar and the S60 Cross Country, which are marked separately.
Many new advanced safety features were also introduced in the 2016 S60, including a leading edge collision avoidance system, and a City Safety system that automatically stops the vehicle if it detects people or cyclists. Continuing its safety leadership, the Volvo S60 recently earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The S60 also received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) highest possible 5-Star crash text rating.
NHTSA has a New Car Assessment Program that combines individual 5-Star ratings separately for front, side impact, and rollover safety.
While all the S60 engines are turbo-charged, The S60 T5 Drive-E Inscription features a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder 240 horsepower engine that
is is paired with an 8-speed “Geartronic” automatic transmission. The S60 T5 AWD Inscription generates 250 horsepower from a 2.5 liter 5-cylinder turbocharged engine that is fitted with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The S60 T5 AWD features an advanced All-Wheel Drive system that gets instant traction.
Prices start in the mid-$30,000s, but a well-optioned Inscription or Cross Country can go up to $50,000.
Volvo, which is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Zhejiang Geely, makes the Inscription in Chengdu China. At the moment, it is the only Chinese manufactured vehicle sold in the US. However, this Summer the Buick Envision will be in dealer showrooms. The Buick Envision, which was introduced at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, is a compact crossover SUV being built by Shanghai-based SAIC, in partnership with General Motors. #2016VolvoS60 #BuickEnvision #VolvoInscription
Randi Payton is Founder at Decisive Media, Washington D.C. Metro Area.
