Recently, Hurun Report released the "White Paper on the Characteristics of Chinese Luxury Brands". The "White Paper" shows that most of Volvo's owners are doctors, lawyers, university professors, and the average assets of the entire owner group are close to 20 million, leading Mercedes-Benz and Audi with an absolute advantage in data. This result is believed to shock many people, but for fans familiar with Volvo, it is not surprising at all.
In fact, Volvo has always been one of the typical luxury brands that seem to be low-key and restrained in appearance, but its strength should not be underestimated, and the same is true of its hot-selling volvo new S60. So, is the low-key and introverted new S60 as rich and powerful as the knowledge reserve of university professors, and can its control performance be as meticulous and rigorous as doctors and lawyers?
As the saying goes, "On paper, you will eventually feel shallow, and you will never know that you have to do it." With this question in mind, we decided to test drive it and see what the strength of the new S60 is?
Equipped with the RECHARGE T8 plug-in hybrid system, it brings the strongest power in its class
In order to truly experience the power performance of Volvo's new S60, we specially selected the T8 model equipped with the "RECHARGE T8 Plug-in Hybrid System". There is only one purpose, we want to see, as the most powerful in the new S60, can the T8 model bring us a surprise?
Before the test drive, we have done our homework in advance: the T8 dual supercharged petrol engine + plug-in hybrid system not only has the best "comprehensive maximum horsepower" in the same class, that is, the maximum power output of 184kW; it also has the fastest 4.7 seconds 100 km acceleration performance comparable to the high-performance sports car Maserati GT, with the most fuel-efficient 100 km/h 1.9 liter book data, only on the surface, Volvo's new S60 has been awarded the title of "the strongest power in the same class & the most fuel saving". But we are not a "data party", we believe that "what we see and hear is not as good as what the heart says, what the heart says, it is not as good as what the body does."
When we started the vehicle, the car showed a surprising quiet, under the blessing of the motor, the whole car seemed to be as quiet as a tram; when the speed pointer just exceeded 2000rpm, we released the brakes, the whole car was like a cheetah out of the cage, rushing forward, the front wheel also temporarily broke through the grip limit, so that our adrenaline surge, but also felt a strong sense of pushing back. With the blessing of such strong performance, I have become more cautious every time I step on the throttle, worrying that I will not be able to subdue volvo's new S60 as a "suit thug".
Fortunately, the Aisin 8AT gearbox that matched this car read my driving intentions very well, and to exaggerate, this gearbox really distributes every horsepower perfectly. Whether it is downshifting or upshifting, the Aisin 8AT gearbox is always positive and precise, allowing me to calmly face every acceleration and deceleration; and even make me feel that I have some "heart" with this gearbox.
Equipped with premium suspension, the chassis performance is one step closer
In terms of volvo's new S60 power acceleration performance, we feel that it is almost impeccable. However, strong power is important, but for a "easy to drive" high-end car, the "bottom" must also be carefully designed, only in this way can it bring a higher driving texture. So, can the "bottom" of Volvo's new S60 satisfy us?
From the design point of view, the new generation of S60's new generation of "front double wishbone suspension" adopts aluminum alloy double wishbone design, and the wheels and body are connected by two transverse linkages to ensure the comfort, handling and road control of the vehicle during driving; at the same time, the new generation of "rear integral multi-link suspension" and "front double wishbone suspension" belong to the premium suspension, which is also the exclusive model of Volvo.
Let's talk about the specific test drive experience.
Thanks to the advanced chassis suspension system of the new S60, when passing through continuous corners and U-shaped big bends, we obviously feel that the suspension system brings strong support to the body, and the strong support transmitted by the suspension system also gives us stronger driving confidence, making us bamboo. When driving a vehicle on a flat road, the suspension system filters the bumps on the road surface better, and the vibration transmitted to the car is minimal, even if the speed reduction belt with a large drop is passed, the attitude of the whole vehicle is still stable, and the driving comfort is indeed remarkable.
The vehicle communicates well with the driver, and the new S60 refers to where to play
With excellent power acceleration and advanced chassis suspension tuning, can it be called a "top-notch" model? That's a bad thing to say! In order to be pure in control, it is also necessary for the vehicle and the driver to communicate smoothly at the mechanical level. In other words, the vehicle must form a "human-vehicle unity" with the driver. In this regard, what kind of answer has Volvo's new S60 handed over?
Let's put the conclusion here: if the full score is 100 points, we think the new S60 can achieve 90 points in the "people-car integration" aspect.
As a model based on the horizontal platform, the steering agility and responsiveness of the new S60 does not have the drag feeling of traditional horizontal platform models. Our steering action can always be resolutely executed by the vehicle, and there is no steering virtual position, the entire steering action of the vehicle is flowing, and even has some sports car flavor. To put it more bluntly, wherever we want to go, the vehicle will not hesitate to follow.
In addition to precise steering, the new S60 also conveys good feedback from the road surface to us, so that we have a good understanding of the vehicle's cornering limits and road conditions. Whether it's pressing down on the manhole cover or a curve where the curve is not obvious, we can get a clear feedback on the vehicle's sense of the road. For us driving enthusiasts, the new S60 communicates with the driver on a mechanical level, which is a pure driving pleasure.
Conclusion: The Volvo S60 has been around for 21 years since its launch in 2000. During this period, the S60 model has evolved through 3 generations and received numerous honors including "2019 Motor Week Driver's Choice – Best Sport Sedan Award" and "2021 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award". Today's new Volvo S60 once again amazes everyone: the speedy acceleration, the flexible and comfortable chassis suspension system tuning, coupled with the "people-car" driving experience, Volvo's new S60 really brings a "track-level" handling experience. In the face of such a new S60, how can it not be heartwarming?