Volvo: One out of the box

The Volvo S60 proves that safety needn't compromise looks. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Forget slabby wagons, Volvo has revitalised its reputation with the S60, which embodies the Swedish brand's traditional safety values without compromising looks - or decent road manners.

What's new
Most obviously this body's fluid lines are a far cry from Volvo's boxy past and hint at a more dynamic chassis than usually associated with the brand.

But it hasn't lost sight of safety, with a new pedestrian avoidance system that could save thousands of lives.

In addition to City Safety, which brakes automatically to avoid city-speed fender benders, the S60 also takes over if it senses you'll hit a pedestrian

It uses a camera in the windscreen and laser in the grille to identify pedestrians at risk, fires a warning, and if you neither swerve nor brake, it will slam on the anchors. Will it trigger for cyclists? Volvo won't guarantee it.

Otherwise there's a 177kW/320Nm, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, front-drive petrol variant, and all-wheel drive for the 151kW/420Nm, 2.4-litre, turbodiesel and 224kW/440Nm, 3.0-litre, turbo-six. All get a Getrag twin-clutch auto, and corner traction control to brake the inside wheel and drive the outer one round the bend.

All models also get a handsome and comfy cabin, with a simple, effective design and the now familiar "floating" console for your buttons and dials.

The company line
Volvo NZ general manager Stephen Kenchington says S60 competes with premium Euros, and top-end Japanese brands alongside their mainstream competitors.

That pitches it against Peugeot, VW and Lexus as well as Mercedes and BMW.

The challenge is to get folk into the cars and realise there's more to the S60 than safety and Scandinavian restraint.

"We're trying to be a little bit edgy," he says. "It's about taking the blinkers off - don't look at the badge, look at the merits."

Kenchington's model choice should help, the all-wheel-drive variants taking it to VW's 4Motion Passat and suiting New Zealand's variable conditions.

What we say
So focused is Volvo on its new dynamic image that the big safety features - the adaptive cruise control, blind spot info and pedestrian protection - aren't standard.

To get them, you pay $5490 on top of the car's $63,990-$79,990 price. A rear camera, active headlights and satnav are also cost options.

On the road
This is no BMW - but that may not be a bad thing because BMW delivers superb driving dynamics at a cost to ride comfort.

The S60 handles well enough to tackle tricky swervery with aplomb - at least in the all-wheel-drive variants I tried.

Yet ride remains compliant to achieve a compromise likely to please most drivers, most of the time.

Especially with the 3.0-litre petrol engine. The diesel was tractable enough, but a tad too smooth for this petrolhead, who enjoyed the petrol's heady rush delivered in sport mode.

Why you'll buy on
eYou like the new, sleeker-than-traditional image and Volvo's safety rep. You like a competent drive that's also a comfy one.

Why you won't
Forget comfort, only rock-hard performance suspension will do. Not to mention, you dislike Volvo's conservative image.