The traditional D-segment is almost dead, but in the premium corner of that same segment, business is booming.
Volvo knows that, so they've aimed the S60 at the premium buyer. It's only available as R-Design with big engines,
all to seduce people to get out of their Mercedeses, Audi's and BMW's. Volkswagen is trying to get a piece of that action as well,
with their sexy Passat-adaptation: the Arteon. Both cars are front-wheel drive, which make them outsiders in a rear-wheel drive dominated segment.
So we've got two outsiders here, and today we're going to find out which is the best one.
When it comes to styling, the S60 is the winner here today. Everybody likes the way it looks, no one says it's ugly.
Also, when you get in, it's a true premium product. You've got a nice infotainment system, nice materials and it's a car which you...
put on. Volvo does that really well. It has an own personality, all of the systems work very good and it's very well built.
Because it's front-wheel drive, the rear seating is very good as well. Or rather, the legroom. When I try to sit behind my 1.80 m. self,
the seating is very good. The headroom could be better, but that's mostly because of the sunroof. But if you're average length, the seating is great.
When we have a look at the luggage space, we find it's a tad small. 442 litres to be exact, whilst 480 litres is kind of the standard in this segment.
Also, it's a traditional saloon car, which means it has a small entry. Not very handy if you need to load big things.
And that's the big party piece of the Arteon. It's playing in the D-segment, but it's actually a hatchback. Or a four-door coupé really.
It doesn't have window styles. But in the back, it gets the advantage. It has over 500 litres of luggage space and a bigger entry.
The space advantage continues on the rear seat. There's even more legroom and headroom, so the seating is very good.
Then there's the front. The driver should be spoiled a little as well, but this interior doesn't come close to the S60.
The materials look less good, the infotainment system is slower, the self-driving systems aren't as good and you're more on top of something...
rather than being engulfed in the car. So if you're looking at it rationally, the Arteon is a very good product, but the S60 is more premium.
As I said, the S60 is always a sporty version. Big wheels, nice exterior but it also means a sporty chassis.
This is a front-wheel drive car, and if you keep that in the back of your head, it's clear that Volvo has made a properly good car out of it.
That's mostly because of the steering. It's precise and direct, but there's feel to it as well, so you'll know what the nose is doing.
Steering the car feels easy as well, and it involves you in the drive. It's a heavy car though, and you'll notice that.
When you corner at a certain speed, the weight really moves towards one side of the car. But it holds the weight very well.
It has Pirelli P-Zero tires, which helps as well, but it just has a lot of grip. Especially on longer followthroughs and flowing corners, that's very inviting.
It's missing that final part of sharpness which comes with rear-wheel drive, but considering the front-wheel drive base, it's very good.
It's relatively comfortable as well. Sure, on short and tricky imperfections, speed bumps and cobblestone roads, it can be a bit sturdy.
But when you get onto B-roads, it's a very pleasant car to drive which involves you in the drive. Without sacrificing too much comfort,
and that's a very good thing. The T5-engine then. It's able to overpower the front axle. So when you're exiting a corner,
you have to take it easy before you can release all of the horses. And again, it just misses that rear-wheel drive edge.
The 8-speed automatic gearbox tends to change back after the corner, when you start flappy paddling yourself, it's a tad slower,
the T5 power output crumbles in higher revs... Those things are better in some other premium brands. The mid-range however,
that's where it's easy to go quick. If you're not pushing it to the limit but instead keep it at around 75 percent, it's very nice to drive.
Everything put together, it's a package inviting you to drive it, but not without flaws.
The Arteon doesn't make those mistakes, partly that is. If you start flappy paddling the DSG-gearbox yourself,
it's much more alert than the fully automatic gearbox in the Volvo, and that's very nice. Also, when you get the biggest engine,
which is the 2.0-litre TSI producing 272 horsepower, you automatically get 4Motion. So, even though the base is still front-wheel drive,
it's able to send power to the rear axle. That means there's a lot more traction when exiting a corner.
It's not like it has much more power, because the power outputs are very close, but it's easier to use.
Also, even though this Business R-Line has a sports chassis with adaptive dampers, it's much more comfortable than the S60.
So despite its sporty nature, it's easier to live with on more difficult surfaces and daily basis.
However, because it's a Business R-Line, which is meant to be sporty... It's a bit dull. And that's mostly because of the steering.
It's variable, which means you never really know what's happening. It feels very distant. Also, you're kind of on top of it instead of in it.
I mean, it's not bad, on the contrary. But it just doesn't want to go. It's a tad heavier, so there's a lot of mass. And for a car which is meant...
to be sporty, it doesn't feel entirely right. It's not like it's involving you in the drive, as if there's some sort of layer between you and the car.
The same goes for the drivetrain. As I said, the DSG can change gear very quickly, but if you leave it in D, you really have to push it to change back.
Also, it doesn't help that even though it has the same amount of torque, 350 Nm of it, it's available at a higher amount of revs.
And because the automatic gearbox doesn't want to change back... I mean, it can do it, but you really have to push it. More than in the Volvo.
Objectively speaking, there isn't anything wrong with it. It even trumps the Volvo on certain aspects, but it doesn't seem to be doing it happily.
The Volvo gives more of an impression that it wants to go.
Despite the fact they're both outsiders in the same segment, the Volkswagen Arteon and Volvo S60 are incredibly different.
If you only look at it in a rational way, the Arteon has a few advantages. It's more spacious, it's more comfortable, and it has four wheel drive,
so you're able to use more of the power. The Volvo however feels very special to sit in, but also to drive.
It has better safety systems, it has a premium interior, but it's the total picture after you've counted some details.
Better seats, the steering which offers more feedback, a chassis which feels more agile. Things like that make it feel as if it's...
up a segment. Also, when the trim levels are the same, the Volvo is even a few thousand euro's cheaper.
You shouldn't be surprised if the prices rise above €60.000 though, but you should ask yourself which car gives you the...
feeling that spending this amount of money is allowed. I think, the Volvo S60 is the easiest to explain to yourself.