New 2014 Volvo S60 review, test drive

There are few saloons whose design would have made as big an impression as the Volvo S60. With its hunkered-down stance and coupé-like profile, the S60 has always had a very sporty and youthful air to it. With this midlife update, Volvo seems to have toned down the styling, perhaps to make the S60 appeal to a larger (read older) set of buyers.

The basic design remains unchanged, but there’s a newfound maturity to the S60’s face. Those distinctive vertical running lights have made way for larger headlights and a wider, more pronounced grille. The intricately sculpted front bumper is new and there are deeper ridges on the bonnet as well. Volvo hasn’t tinkered with the boomerang-like tail lights so you just can’t confuse an S60 for anything else from the back. Oh, and full marks to Volvo for the gorgeous matt-finish wheels.

There are no radical changes in the cabin, though the new S60 sees the adoption of Volvo’s new customisable TFT display in place of the analogue speedo and tachometer dials. Depending on your mood, you could select from Performance, Elegance or Economy themes which change the background colours and position of elements within the readout. The setup may sound gimmicky, but it’s fun to have the tacho take pride of place on the console, Porsche-style, in Performance mode. The display apart, there are no other changes in the cabin. So you still get that Volvo-trademark floating centre console, smart dashboard and, of course, those superbly supportive seats that are among the best in the business.