Think of a Volvo and what do you see? Old square boxes built like tanks, driven by old men. In more recent times you might find them scouring and patrolling the motorways sporting the notorious Battenburg markings. Either way, these cars were built to last, virtually infallible regardless of the weather, and were driven by sensible types who enjoyed a refined and reliable journey. Look back to the 1996 film "The Rock" with Nicholas Cage, and he quotes "I drive a Volvo, a beige one", an apt car that also (up until that point) summed up his life. You see Volvo's were never really exciting cars. Huge power and refinement, great family cars and great for those with a safety conscious mind, but never truly exciting. Even the appearance of the 850 estate in the 1994 BTCC championships didn't really gird the loins as much as it's competitors; and yet despite this Volvo had a great racing career, and still remain a strong brand in contention with their newest incarnations for the 21st century, winning multiple awards with their large SUV, the XC90. So when the S60 D4 R-Design showed up to replace the Mini Cooper as my hire car (for anyone wondering why I got rid of the Mini, please see last weeks review) I was expecting more of the same. How wrong I was about to be proven...
First things first, the Volvo now has a much more aggressive stance than its predecessors. The subtle body-kit and twin exit exhausts are paired with a set of gorgeous 18" 5 spoke alloys which are matt grey with diamond cut detailing. I've never personally been a fan of saloon cars, and I have to say I'm still not. The biggest let down right from the off with this car is that despite its size, the boot space is not all it could be. Far more than the mini, and easily enough to get two sets of golf clubs in, I felt this was one of the few areas where a hatchback would have been a much better addition to the range than another saloon. Couple this with fixed back seats which cannot be lowered and you'll still find yourself needing another car to haul back new furniture from IKEA or your latest purchase from an antiques market. This car then, was not designed for the previous generation of stereotypical Volvo driver. Suddenly this car has been made and marketed to a new generation that would never previously have bought one. Just like Jaguar attempted to lose it's stereotypical image when creating their newest cars, so too Volvo has done the same.
Stepping inside and it is clear that gone are the days of beige and boring cars. Then screens are lit in a rich blue and white, with the car initialising with the touch of a button. The seats are a combination of leather and fabric, the side bolsters comfortable whilst remaining very supportive and the whole driving position seems to come easily with this car. In fact the only big criticism I could find before starting the car was the placement of the cup holders which are directly behind the gear stick and in front of the arm rest. Not the most ideal of places if I'm honest. The R-Design spec for this car not only includes the exterior styling touches, but extends to the inside as well. One look at where your normal radio is shows a telephone keypad and an array of buttons, knobs and switches to control the various functions from the inbuilt SatNav to your mobile device, from the heaters to the vehicle diagnostics and service menu. One really nice feature is that when the navigation is engaged, the directions will appear in the centre of the speedometer so you don't have to keep looking at the map. That being said, the rest of the controls can be a bit fiddly to find and use and will end up being more of a distraction on the road than a help. The only other annoyance I have found, and this appears to be happening to all modern cars, is the introduction of an electronic handbrake. In no uncertain terms this was a nightmare, especially when attempting hill starts and parallel parking. As soon as the car reaches its bite point the brake will automatically disengage which could see you rolling forward or, worse, taking off backwards at some speed. These need to be seriously re-thought, or better yet scrapped, in my opinion.
Start this car in the morning and it will be very clear every time that you bought a diesel. Even the legendary refinement of Volvo couldn't isolate you from that tractor noise, however once settled at cruising speeds this is almost completely removed from the cabin. Around town not so much as you will constantly be changing gears and having to listen to it rev through the gears. The six speed gear box is bullet proof, though first is a little too short on the rev band, even for normal around town driving. You'll be changing up to second faster than it would have taken to just pull off without first to begin with, and this is the only clunky experience you will get. The rest of the changes are short, sharp and satisfying and the clutch light but firm. The steering is crisp and responsive, firming up slightly at higher speeds while remaining very light when parking. The car handles superbly both at low speed and high, and has proven to be great fun on country bends despite its size. All round visibility whilst driving is good, with the blind spots confined mainly to the rear pillars where the curvature of the bodywork cuts the line of sight of the mirrors. Again my only real criticism is that rear visibility for a saloon car is restricted, and it would have been nice of Volvo to remove a couple of the gadgets in the media unit in favour of rear parking sensors or a reversing camera. The engine, despite being a bit noisy at times, is extremely gutsy, with the power coming in low in the rev band and slamming you into the seats. One difference here is the turbo remains in play right the way up to the red-line, though you'll want to be shifting earlier than this to avoid jerky changes or having to double de-clutch. The suspension is firm and helps the car grip the road like it's on rails, but on anything other than a smooth road (e.g. every back road and town in Britain) you can expect the ride to be, at time, a little too harsh and bumpy. The seats help to dampen this a lot, but it's still something to be aware of.
Put all of this together, and I can see why the police loved these cars for motorway patrols (especially the estates). I can see why the older models appealed to a generation, and once again this brand is leading a charge on capturing the next generation of drivers to their brand, and proving that you don't need to be old to own a Volvo.