2020 Volvo S60 T8 R-Design PHEV Hybrid CKD Review.

Lets say you finally made it big in life. Made it to the top of the corporate ladder or just plain rich and you are looking for a C segment luxury sedan. Your obvious choices would of course be the big 3 Germans in the form of the Mercedes-Benz C Class, BMW 3 Series or the Audi A4. But what if you want something left field? Then your other option would probably be Japanese Lexus IS, Jaguar XE or the Infinity Q50. Then there is Volvo. How about it? Fancy some Scandinavian luxury? Lets dive in.

The Volvo S60 can now be had in Malaysia with a single fully loaded T8 R Design spec in CKD (Complete Knock Down) form and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. This T8 variant is powered 2.0L turbocharged and supercharged 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 302 hp and 400 Nm of torque. The power is sent to the front wheel via an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. As if that is not enough power, this variant also gets a plug-in electric motor the produces 87 hp and 240 Nm of torque and power is sent to the rear wheels. This combination essentially makes the S60 T8 a plug-in hybrid AWD vehicle. Volvo said the combination of combustion and electric has a total output of 407 hp with 640 Nm of torque. All this power will rocket the S60 from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. Volvo claim the EV on the other hand under full charge will have a range of around 49 km

Of course, that powerful engine is complemented by a rather sporty yet elegant exterior. Up front the signature Thor hammer LED daytime running light as well as headlights are present. Because this is the R-Design package, the front bumper and grill have a more sporty and aggressive looking design. On the side, there is a sporty 19-inch dual tone wheels and a door mounted side mirror. In the back there is an “E” style shape LED combination taillamp and a diffuser that houses twin exhaust ports. As part of the R-Design package as well, the side mirror, rear diffuser, front grill and lower front intake as well fog light housing is finish is glossy black colour. There is a strong shoulder line towards the side rear quarter of the car that gave it a muscular look.

From behind the wheel of the S60, thanks to the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that it shares with the larger S90 sedan and the sporty Dynamic Chassis with passive damping tuning gives the S60 a somewhat sporty yet comfortable ride. This combination is not the sportiest like the 3 Series M nor is it the most comfortable as well. But it is up there with them Germans in term of handling. Power on the other hand is just a beast. Personally, this is the fastest accelerating car I’ve ever driven with second place being the C350E plug in hybrid. So ya, you would probably out accelerate majority of the cars you come across on the road. Who knew Volvo could be so sporty eh? Gone are the day where Volvo are just your grandparents.

Inside the cabin the Volvo exudes simplicity with sophistication. Never have I have seen a more understated cabin design that is so beautifully made. With rich leather and upscale material, the S60 is a wonderful place to in. The portrait style 9-inch Sensus Connect infotainment system is vivid and bright and houses all the cars control system such as air conditioning, safety equipment and the vehicle driving mode. Not only that it is connected to 14 speakers 600-watt Harmon Kardon sound system which is a just awesome! The jewel style start button and 12.3-inch instrument cluster plus head up display is treating to the eyes as well. Of course me being picky, the things I don’t like are the amount of gloss black trim surrounding the centre console area that is quick to get dirty and scratch as well the manually adjust tilt and telescopic steering at this price point.

In term of passenger space however the front and outer rear passenger have good space in both head and leg room. The seats are also well angle and front occupants will have no problem finding the perfect driving or seating position. There is however a sizable transmission hump in the centre of the car which I do not recommend anyone seating the middle rear row. There is just no place to put your feet. But on the bright side there are aircon vents on the outer B-pillar a panoramic sunroof that lights up the rather dark grey interior.

Some other equipment list of the S60 T8 R-Design include 360 around view monitor, dual zone climate control, park assist autonomous pilot, power front seats with 2 memory function, keyless entry with puddle lamp on all doors and this being the R-Design, special steering wheel and pedal trims. Of course, being a Volvo safety is comes fully loaded. You will get 6 airbags, City safety autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, front & rear collision mitigation, drover alert control, stability control, traction control, auto brake hold, hill start assist, hill decent control, blind spot monitoring ISOFIX child seat mount and rear cross traffic alert.

In term of price in East Malaysia (Sarawak) the S60 T8 R-Design CKD has a MSRP of RM 299,549.75. Specifically, for Sarawak as well I was informed by Volvo there are now 2 dealerships and parts in Sarawak with 1 being in Kuching and the other in Bintulu. The warranty includes 5 years or 120,000km whichever come first. The S60 have 20,000km or 1-year service interval and buyers purchasing Volvo cars outside of Bintulu and Kuching will have a complementary authorize technician coming to their location within major towns in Sarawak free of charge to service your car upon schedule booking. The S60 comes in 5 choice of colours which include Fusion Red, Crystal White, Birch Light, Onyx Black and Pebble Grey.

Pictures and written by Afiq Bazli Bin Busairi.