Volvo S60 review: the sedan for a buyer bored of the 3 Series and C-Class
3.9/5motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy the S60 if what you actually want is a compact sedan that steers with more conviction than a 3 Series and rides better than a C-Class over Bahrain's patched tarmac, and you are not chasing resale value or a badge everyone at the mall recognises. It is the connoisseur's choice in the segment — smaller dealer footprint, thinner used-car supply, but a genuinely different, genuinely good drive.
Pros
- Noticeably sharper front-end bite than an S90 or XC60 on the same platform
- The only current Volvo sedan that rewards enthusiastic driving
- Full safety suite and all-wheel drive standard
- Rear-seat space is fine for two adults despite the smaller footprint
Cons
- Firmer suspension tune makes expansion joints more noticeable than in an S90
- Genuinely rare on Bahraini roads, which thins the used-car comparison pool
- Resale competes with 3 Series and C-Class badges that carry more weight locally
- Three-across rear seating is tighter than a 3 Series
The third-generation S60 is the first Volvo sedan in years built with an actual driver in mind rather than just a comfortable passenger. Dropping the wagon variant let Volvo tune the sedan specifically, and the payoff is a chassis with noticeably more front-end bite than an S90 or XC60 riding on the same platform architecture.
Driving it
The 250 hp B5 mild-hybrid four and all-wheel drive combination is shared with the rest of the range, but the S60's lower centre of gravity and firmer suspension tune make it feel meaningfully quicker than the identical numbers suggest. It is the only current Volvo that rewards being driven with any enthusiasm on the coastal road toward Zallaq rather than simply tolerating the exercise.
That firmness costs some low-speed comfort — expansion joints on King Faisal Highway register more than they do in an S90 — though it never crosses into harsh, and the trade feels deliberate rather than accidental.
Inside, the S60 shares its portrait touchscreen and minimalist dashboard with the rest of the range, and the smaller footprint does not cost rear-seat space in any way that matters for two adults on a short trip, though three across the back is tighter than in a 3 Series.
The ownership reality
This is a genuinely rare car on Bahraini roads, which cuts two ways. Parts and service still route through the same Volvo dealer network as every other model, so nothing is uniquely difficult, but a smaller used-car pool means less price competition when you come to sell and fewer examples to compare against when you come to buy. Buyers cross-shopping a 3 Series or C-Class purely on badge recognition and resale should stick with the German; buyers who have already made peace with owning something less common will find a genuinely rewarding car underneath.