2012 Volvo S60 T6

Last year, Volvo surprised and delighted us with an all-new S60, which challenges the class leaders on refinement and handling. For 2012 the model line has been fleshed out with a new base model and a performance version to bracket the T6. The base front-wheel-drive T5 shares the turbocharged five-cylinder found in the C70 and the C30, but here it has been tweaked to make 250 hp. The all-wheel-drive T6 introduced last year is powered by Volvo's well-regarded 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line six-cylinder making 300 hp. Topping the S60 range is the T6 R-Design, which shares the all-wheel-drive layout and six-cylinder engine of the T6 but has tweaks to the engine and the suspension that raise power to 325 hp and give the S60 a sportier mien. All three models come with a six-speed automatic as the only transmission. Regardless of which S60 you choose, you will find a superbly executed interior with an aesthetically pleasing center console, a wealth of premium soft-touch materials, and artfully designed trim. The exterior is equally fetching, as the S60 carries on the modern Volvo design aesthetic that was first seen in the original S80 and has proliferated throughout the lineup. With the S60, Volvo has managed to carve out a distinct product in an impossibly crowded field, and it holds its own, in both value and performance, with the best cars in the segment.