Volvo S60 interior
The Volvo S60’s simple, stylish cabin looks nothing like what you get in most other saloon cars, but you’ll struggle to use its portrait infotainment system on the move
Style
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Volvo S60‘s interior is the portrait infotainment system that takes pride of place in its simple, understated dashboard. This controls almost all of the car’s functions, so there’s no need for a myriad of buttons cluttering up the Volvo S60’s cabin. As a result, it looks neater than what you get in a Mercedes C-Class and even edges ahead of the relatively minimalist Audi A4 in the simplicity stakes.
That isn’t to say the Volvo S60 looks drab inside – you get plenty of textured aluminium inserts on the dashboard and a set of solid metal door handles that feel solid and expensive. Go for a high-spec Inscription Plus version and you get some lovely drift-wood dashboard inlays or opt for a speedy T8 Polestar Engineered model and you get bright yellow seat belts to compliment the car’s gold brake callipers – tasteful.
It doesn’t just look good inside, the Volvo S60 feels pretty well built, too. It isn’t quite up to the hewn-from-granite standard as the latest BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, but there are plenty of soft, squidgy plastics dotted about the place and the various cubby holes and storage bins come with lids that close softly rather than slam down when you release them.
The sides of the centre console come carpeted rather than trimmed in hard plastic so you won’t bruise your fingers if you’re racing to put on your seatbelt and there’s a felt lining along the side of each door pocket to stop things rattling around inside.
The seats are supportive and come with a supple Nappa-leather finish in high-spec Inscription Plus versions. Top-spec Polestar Engineered versions even come with contrasting yellow stitching to match their vivid seatbelts.
Most Volvo S60s come with a leather gear lever surround, but hybrid versions get a shorter crystal gear knob instead. It’s hardly an Earth-shattering change, but it does feel nicer than the plain glossy black lever you get in almost every other mid-sized saloon car.
Flying in the face of the S60’s neat, understated Swedish design are the luminous yellow seat belts you get in top-spec Polestar Engineered models
- Cash
- £38,384
- Monthly
- £486*
- Used
- £24,800
Infotainment
All Volvo S60s come with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display mounted on the dashboard. This screen is fitted in a portrait – rather than landscape – fashion, so it feels just like an iPad to use. It responds just as quickly each time you swipe through menus or pinch to zoom in on the high-res map display, too.
Unfortunately, it comes with only a few physical buttons so it isn’t particularly easy to use when you’re driving. There’s a central button to return you to the main menu screen and some controls for the stereo (including a large, easy to reach volume knob), but that’s your lot – even tweaking the climate control settings must be done through the touchscreen’s menus.
As a result, the Volvo S60’s infotainment system isn’t as easy to get to grips with as the more conventional setups you get in the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. You can, however, use the Volvo S60’s touchscreen while wearing gloves – presumably rather handy in cold Swedish winters.
Another point in the Volvo S60’s favour is the fact you get satellite navigation as standard across the range. Inputting a postcode is easy and the maps are bright, clear and easy to read. Unfortunately, you can’t swipe or zoom in on the map screen unless you have it in full-screen mode and it doesn’t come with gorgeous high-resolution satellite imagery like the Audi A4’s navigation system.
If you aren’t a fan of Volvo’s own sat nav, you can mirror your phone’s navigation apps using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – but only if you pay extra for an R Design Edition model which seems a bit mean. These smartphone mirroring features are easy to set up, but they aren’t designed to work with a portrait-style infotainment screen so your phone’s maps only occupy half of the Volvo S60’s display.
Unlike many mid-size saloon cars, the Volvo S60 comes with a digital driver’s display as standard. This 12-inch screen replaces conventional analogue dials and can display a combination of gauges or sat-nav directions right in your eye line. It looks good, but it’s not quite as flashy as Audi’s uber-crisp Virtual Cockpit system.
Where the Volvo S60 edges ahead of most saloons is in the stereo department. The excellent 170W 10-speaker unit sounds significantly better than the standard stereos you get in most alternatives but the optional Harman Kardon system is better still. For serious audio aficionados, there’s an upgraded Bowers and Wilkins unit which can even mirror the acoustic properties of the Gothenburg concert hall – just the thing for blasting out a bit of ABBA on the way home from work.
- Cash
- £38,384
- Monthly
- £486*
- Used
- £24,800
Build your own S60 on carwow
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*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.