Thursday March 22, 2007 Volvo S60. To inaugurate our first Lease Line review I have decided to choose the Volvo S60 to celebrate Volvo's 80th anniversary. Volvo is a name that has become synonymous with automotive safety in much the way Kleenex is associated with a stuffy nose. Volvo has taken on a meaning of it's own that transcends it's product line. In fact the word "Volvo" on many occasions has been used as an adjective to describe something that is secure. The problem for Volvo currently is that this immediate name recognition has not generated into expanded sales growth. Ford has benefited greatly from Volvo's chassis and safety technology but Volvo has not significantly grown under Fords stewardship. Now to be fair Volvo was acquired while undergoing an identity crisis. Like an aging rock star it was time for Volvo to redirect it's art form. As any musician will tell, this transition only comes through soul searching and loyal fans. Volvo does indeed have loyal fans who have seen Volvo through this time of change, however Volvo is now needing to embrace a new audience. The main source of the problem is that Volvo's safety mission has been taken on by numerous company's from Hyundai to Toyota. Volvo now needs to bring to the table more than it's security blanket of safety, it must now compete as a holistic package, enter the S60. The S60 is due for a new model makeover that is coming down the pike soon. The current S60 is still a formidable contender, it's high sticker price, however, may turn many potential costumers away towards other cheaper Volvo want-a -be's such as the rock-solid Subaru. So why do I choose the S60 as the first Lease Line, in a word it's lease. Volvo's leases have never been all that great but currently in a need to draw new customers the rates have been coming down to a competitive number. The best I've seen thus far is the recent New York Times ad for Volvo of Danbury, Volvo of Mt. Kisco which advertises the S60 AWD for $349 a month for 36 months with only $944 due at signing. The mid 3's is a good place for the S60. With Volvo's secure image, backed up by stellar safety stats, combined with wonderful reliability the Volvo places itself in the middle of the hunt with other notable players. The S60 is truly a great vehicle, when acquired at the rite price, and the mid 3's is that price. The turbo five cylinder engine pulls strongly and it's handling is quite secure, it's ride is a bit taut for the mild handling gain the stiff springs provide, but it won't loosen any fillings. The interior space utilization is where the S60 falls down the most. The interior exudes a Scandinavian simplicity that is a little austere but very functional. The main problem is interior room. The coupe -like styling of the roof line creates coupe like interior room. The rear seat becomes painful for anyone over six feet. The rear does work well for children, but that limits the usefulness of the vehicle. Volvo is not alone in this dilemma of style over function. The Infinity G series suffers from tight rear quarters as does the Jaguar x and the BMW 3 series. In fact the majority of European sedans suffer from a tight rear seat. The problem is Volvo is trying to aim at the midsized audience with a compact car. The prior Volvo 850's traditional uprite styling provided far better interior room. Maybe the old stodgy Volvo wasn't so bad after all! This Volvo is not measured solely on such scales. In the mid 300 range the Volvo becomes a very interesting choice that will provide reliable, safe, politically correct transportation for years to come. The bottom line is that the S60 lives up to it's billing as sophisticated adult transportation, providing good road manors and up to the moment safety technology. As long as you your needs don't include a roomy backseat the Volvo makes a sensible choice backed by a name that you can trust and enjoy bragging about to your envious acquaintances.
