Volvo, the other European car maker, is a brand that deserves some of your attention. You see, when someone mentions European cars, you most like think of cars from Germany, Italy, or Britain, here in North America.

This week we review the 2015 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E sports sedan from Sweden. Unlike the previous models, the “T5” here doesn’t mean this car is equipped with 5-cylinder engine, in the 2015 S60 the T5 is a turbocharged inline-4 engine and I believe the T6 is a supercharged and turbocharged (twin-charged) 4-cylinder instead of a 6-cylinder.

The 2015 Volvo S60 sedan has a starting price of $38,000 for the base model; it can be bought as a T5, T6, and T6 R-Design model in either FWD or AWD configurations. Our AWD test vehicle was fully loaded and had a price tag of $51,050 (plus Freight & PDI). Our test vehicle came with the following packages:

Platinum Trim Level $6,700
Climate Package $1,350
Technology Package $1,500
Sport Package $1,700
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) $1,000
Power Blue Metallic Paint $800

Engine

The 2015 Volvo T5 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine producing 240 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque between 1,500 – 4,500 rpm. There is an extra 22 lb-ft. of over boost available for 10 seconds when heavy throttle is applied. Power is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission, with available steering wheel mounted paddle shifters (with the Sport Package).

Vehicles equipped with the Drive-E system also come with engine start/stop in the Eco mode and there’s also an Eco+ plus mode. In the normal Eco mode, the engine will shut off when you’re at a traffic light or just stopped, saving you fuel. When the Eco+ button is pressed, the vehicle will shut off the engine before you come to a stop, at 6 km/h, saving you even more fuel. I used both systems and am used to this technology, so it felt normal. The Eco+ mode did take a bit getting used to, because you don’t expect the engine to shut off before you’ve fully stopped. I think it is a great system for saving fuel as we do waste a lot of gas just idling at traffic lights, especially in Vancouver’s congested streets.

Driving

This was the first time I’ve driven a Volvo vehicle and I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve heard a lot about Volvo vehicles and how safe they are and how they feature some of best and safest seats in the industry.

After driving the S60 for a few blocks, I quickly saw another side of this car that doesn’t get talked about much, the sportiness and fun factor. I was very quickly impressed with the way the car handled and the power from the small engine is very satisfactory, this little engine is real rev-happy. The car makes you want to drive fast and encourages you to hit some twisty roads or weave in and out of traffic.

The AWD provides an incredible amount of grip in the dry, taking corners at high speed is a breeze. The car is very nimble and the torque-vectoring really helps it round corners. This car is more of a sports sedan than a family car that just gets you from point A to B. The S60 T5 is one of the most fun cars I’ve driven in a while, more people need to take these cars out on a test drive to really see how well they handle and how much fun they can have.

Styling

Older Volvo cars were very boxy, that’s not the case with the 2015 S60; the design is very fluid and modern. It’s still distinctively Volvo but the design has been refined over the years and I quite like the look of it. What I like even more is the V60 wagon, that’s probably one of the sexiest wagons available in Canada.

Interior

The interior on the 2015 S60 is very luxurious, our review car came with the Premium and Sport packages, which include power passenger seat and 3 driver memory settings, and sports seats. The sport package upgrades the seats to very supportive bucket seats (this package also includes 19” wheels, paddle shifters, and sport chassis) and is a must-have option for a reasonable price of $1,700.

The interior layout is very clean and has a modern look to it. The center stack does take a few minutes to get used to, with all the buttons, but overall it’s well laid out. The controls for the climate system are very easy to understand with Volvo’s “human-figure” in the middle for selecting where you want to direct the air from the HVAC system.

Normally in this size of a car, a 7” screen for Navigation/back up camera is good enough but I found it to be a bit small, which could be due to the fact that it’s recessed deep into the dashboard. Being recessed does have one benefit; it reduces the glare from the sun, especially when the sunroof is open.

The interior is comfortable and pretty quiet, there is engine noise at cold start up, but that’s the norm with 4-cylinder direct injection engines. When the engine warms up, it’s pretty quiet. The back seat had enough legroom for me, anyone taller than 5’ 10” might find it a bit tight; but this is a small car, so I didn’t expect limousine-like room in the back seat. The rear seats are also very comfortable, and I especially like their bucket seat-like design, which should provide a lot of support during fast cornering.

Safety

With all the options ticked on our review 2015 S60 T5, our car came with a lot of safety goodies. In addition to the standard airbags and traction and stability control, the car was equipped with optional equipment like blind spot monitoring system, lane departure warning, lane change merge aid, rear camera, front and rear park assist, cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and collision warning with full brake.

So basically what all of the above means is that you’re very safe inside this vehicle whether you’re driving on the streets or just trying to park the car into a tight spot. The car can almost drive itself with its adaptive cruise control and collision warning systems, you still have to apply steering input and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to the road; these systems are best kept as a backup to your own senses.

Technology

The 2015 Volvo S60 T5 is loaded with the latest technologies. You get Bluetooth connectivity, hands free phone, navigation, backup camera, power front seats, heated front and rear seats, proximity key with keyless entry and start/stop, a booming premium sound system, auto dimming mirrors, automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers, and much more.

Overall Impressions

I was very impressed with the 2015 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E sports sedan; I didn’t expect to have as much fun as I did. The car is very fast, pretty good on gas, and it feels very nimble and light weight. It really does make the boring commute quite fun. I think this car should be seriously considered if you’re looking for an entry level luxury sedan from the German and Japanese automakers.

For more information on the Volvo S60 and other Volvo vehicles, head on over to Volvo Canada’s official website.