2024 Volvo S60: A Unique Legacy Ends

You can think of the 2024 Volvo S60 as the thoughtful contrarian’s premium European compact sedan. It’s not as sporty or mainstream as the BMW 3 Series or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Furthermore, its infotainment system has been described as “needlessly complex.” However, the S60 possesses a certain Scandinavian appeal. Its cabin is spacious (in non-Recharge PHEV spec), and its design is unique. Moreover, the PHEV variant, while expensive, boasts commendable range and economy figures. Consequently, that’s a lot of asterisks, which is why the S60 hasn’t been setting the sales chart on fire. After June 2024, the production will cease permanently.

Volvo USA representatives have confirmed that June 2024 will mark the end for the S60 sedan. Produced in South Carolina, that factory will retool to produce the upcoming EX90 three-row electric SUV. For the U.S. market, this will be it for the S60. The V60 and its Cross Country variant, built at the Toslanda plant in Sweden, will remain unaffected.

This leaves the larger S90 as the only proper sedan available from Volvo, which is a remarkable statement considering the company’s long history. The S60 is the successor to the Volvo S70, itself a version of the iconic 850 sedan—a modern vehicle resulting from a costly development program. Volvo aimed to create a truly world-class sedan to succeed its series 200 and 700 lines. The 200-series was essentially a 1960s car, while the 700-series was developed in the 1970s, and launched in the early 1980s.

The 850 was a technological powerhouse, but the S60 has been more of an iterative vehicle since its introduction in the early 2000s. Originally built on the P2 platform, the S60 eventually migrated to Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture with its third generation. All current S60s utilize a 2.0-liter I-4 engine, complemented by a complex array of power-adders such as turbos, twin charging, and hybridization. Notably, all S60 variants employ an eight-speed automatic transmission. The top-tier S60 Recharge T8 PHEV delivers an impressive 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque, offering 40 miles of all-electric range and 74 mpg-e combined.

Impressive, indeed, but the T8 Recharge’s premium pricing may give potential buyers pause. Furthermore, the general migration away from sedans accompanied by the increasing prominence of its rivals seems to make this outcome inevitable.