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A blue 2019 Volvo S60 sits on display at a car show.

The 2018 Volvo S60 Could Be Your Ideal Family Sedan

The Volvo S60 is a luxury sedan that’s often overshadowed by BMW and Audi. Even so, this Volvo is worth a look, especially for those on the hunt for an upscale car suitable for the whole family. To get the most premium features at a discounted price, we recommend shopping for the 2018 Volvo S60. The 2018 Volvo S60 …

The Volvo S60 is a luxury sedan that’s often overshadowed by BMW and Audi. Even so, this Volvo is worth a look, especially for those on the hunt for an upscale car suitable for the whole family. To get the most premium features at a discounted price, we recommend shopping for the 2018 Volvo S60.

The 2018 Volvo S60 boasts a plush cabin

The Volvo S60's beige Interior.
Volvo S60 Inscription Interior | Volvo

One of the best things about the Volvo S60 is its extremely plush car cabin that comes standard with leather upholstery. This sedan comfortably seats five, and its cabin is adorned with soft-touch materials. What also makes the S60 more appealing is that it’s available in six different trim levels. The S60’s standard T5 Dynamic trim feels upscale, but space is tight in the back row. Because of this, it’s worth going up to the T5 Inscription trim level to have more interior space. 

If you are driving with young children, the S60 has two LATCH connectors for securing child seats. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave these attachments an “Acceptable” score, its second-highest rating. The LATCH connectors are easy to use, but critics like U.S. News have noted that the anchors are too close to the rear seat itself.  

What it’s like to drive the S60 

The S60 isn’t the most agile sedan in its class, but it performs well overall. A 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder comes standard on the T5 trim levels. This particular engine is a particularly fine choice if fuel efficiency is among your top priorities. 

For more power, you will want to shop for the T6 models, including the upper-level R-Design and Polestar trim levels. The R-Design trim comes with a 302-hp supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The Polestar has the same supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder, but it squeaks out 362-hp. 

The S60 offers plenty of tech features

According to a recent study, the S60’s reliable performance and available tech features make it one of the best-used car options. Base S60 models come with a 7-inch display screen, an eight-speaker stereo, and Bluetooth connection. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity weren’t made available till the 2019 model year. 

As far as advanced safety features go, the S60 is more impressive here. Automatic braking and pedestrian detection come standard on the 2018 S60. Other features such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were made available on the upper-level trims. 

Safety and reliability

Consumer Reports praised the 2018 S60 for its excellent safety ratings. The S60 earned top crash-test safety scores from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the IIHS. In regards to predicted reliability, CR gave the S60 an average rating.

The S60 performed well across CR’s 17 potential trouble spots. Although, the NHTSA recently recalled this model for a concern regarding its seat belts. If you are seriously considering this model, make sure to address this recall with your auto dealer.