Volvo S60 T8 Polestar Engineered 2022 Review

The S60 is Volvo's stylish premium compact sedan. It's positioned below the larger S90 sedan. For 2022, Volvo added a mild hybrid system to the base turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The new designation for the engine is B5 (it was formally T5). The supercharged and turbocharged T6 engine is no longer available, but the top plug-in hybrid Recharge T8 engine is still an option.

The range-topping Polestar Engineered model is only available with the Recharge T8 powertrain. It's the S60's performance model that comes equipped with Öhlins suspension, forged wheels and Brembo brakes.

The Swedish sedan might not sell as well as some of its competition — which includes the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class — but the S60 still has a lot to offer in terms of advanced driver aids and style. In addition, the S60 provides a comfortable ride thanks to its superb seat comfort, handles like a true sport sedan, and has excellent build quality. For detailed information on the Volvo S60, check out our Expert Rating from our test team.

Which S60 does MatoCar recommend?

The Volvo S60 is available in Momentum, Inscription and R-Design trims with the B5 engine option. All B5 trims are offered in either front- or all-wheel drive. The plug-in hybrid Recharge T8 engine option is available in R-Design Expression, R-Design, Inscription and Polestar Engineered trims. All T8 models come equipped with all-wheel drive.

The B5 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system that produces 247 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The plug-in hybrid Recharge T8 adds a supercharger and electric motor to the B5 engine (sans the mild hybrid system) and makes a combined 400 hp and 472 lb-ft. This is a plug-in hybrid powertrain that allows you to go about 19 miles on all-electric power before it switches over to a regular hybrid.

There is also a performance model called the Polestar Engineered, which gets a high-output version of the Recharge plug-in hybrid powertrain. It puts out 415 hp and 494 lb-ft of torque.

Momentum (called R-Design Expression for the S60 Recharge T8) This base trim level comes with:

• 18-inch wheels
• Panoramic sunroof
• Auto-dimming exterior and rearview mirrors
• Keyless entry and ignition
• Digital instrument panel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Heated front seats (AWD only)
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Four USB ports (two USB-A, two USB-C)
• 9-inch touchscreen
• 10-speaker audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

Advanced driving aids and safety features include:

• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the car back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane)
• Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while in reverse)
• Rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)
• Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)

Numerous packages and stand-alone options are available for the Momentum trim level. They include:

• Premium package
• Navigation system
• Power-folding outboard rear headrests
• Front parking sensors
• Wireless smartphone charging (not for Recharge)

• Advanced package
• Premium package
• Ambient interior lighting
• Upgraded cabin air filtration system
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Volvo and the car in front)
• 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Volvo and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield)

• Climate package
• Heated front and rear seats
• Heated steering wheel

• 19-inch wheels
• 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system

R-Design The R-Design is positioned as the sporty S60. Upgrades over the base model include:

• Premium package
• Ambient interior lighting
• Four-zone automatic climate control (B5 only)
• Heated front sport seats with cloth bolstering
• 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
• Wireless smartphone charging (B5 only)
• Sport steering wheel

Optional features and packages include:

• Advanced package
• Climate package
• Sport suspension (B5 only)
• Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)
• 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system

Inscription The Inscription offers more luxury features, building off the Momentum with these additions:

• Premium package
• Chrome exterior trim
• Ambient interior lighting
• Four-zone automatic climate control (B5 only)
• Leather upholstery
• 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system

The Inscription's optional features mirror those of the R-Design, though the sport suspension is not available.

Polestar Engineered The Polestar Engineered starts with the R-Design's upgrades, along with an uprated version of the Recharge model's T8 plug-in powertrain. It also includes:

• Advanced package
• 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires
• Brembo front brakes
• Special Öhlins suspension dampers
• Gold-colored seat belts
• 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system