Tag Archives: Nappa leather

Car Reviews, hybrid

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate (Black Edition)

2 Comments

High-horse plug-in hybrid rekindles joy of driving a sedan …

Sedans are such a rarity now that it’s a special treat to drive one, especially when it’s a sophisticated looking, high-horse plug-in hybrid from Volvo.

You may recall a time when Volvos were boxy and boring, but safe as the vault at Fort Knox, assuming it still has one.

This week’s thriller was the Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition, which is a long way of saying a sporty luxury sedan with AWD, and Recharge is Volvo’s shorthand for saying it has an electrical component. This one is a plug-in, which currently (pun intended) is the way to go for practical powertrains.

What that means is that not only do you get a sleek Swedish design, but massive power, a 36-mile electric range great for city drives without adding to air pollution, and AWD for the occasion when winter delivers road slop. Meanwhile, the interior of this black beauty is one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced in the past year. More on that in a bit.

First, let’s look at the S60 from the outside. Since it’s a sedan the ride-height is low enough to crawl in and out without a step ladder or threatening a groin pull. The profile is lean and low with a long hood and short rear end. Lights are thin T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” numbers that wrap from nose to the front fenders.

The grille, while large is not garish and this being the Black Edition the grille and logo are blacked out, as are the trunk’s logos and the snazzy wheels tucked inside R19 rubber. Taillights are typical Volvo snazzy, sort of a laid down J shape. It’s all as sophisticated as a James Bond tuxedo.

But the power, handling and ride make this Recharge Ultimate a blast to drive.

Get this, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is supercharged and turbocharged, something Volvo does in several models, plus is enhanced by a 143-horse electric motor powering the rear wheels. That’s the plug-in hybrid portion that helps pump up horsepower here to 455, with a torque rating of 523. Wild child!

And you can adjust via the 12-inch info screen, whether you want hybrid power, Pure electric, or Power modes, along with full-time AWD. Any way you go the power will push you back into the plush seats while planting a smile on your face. This car was the fastest on a highway entry ramp, clocking a triple-digit speedometer reading, of anything I’ve driven that costs less than $80 grand.

Wow, this power is awesome and just so darned incredibly smooth aided by an 8–speed automatic. You feel like you’re on a bullet train as torque is instant.

Watch Mark’s video: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition review by Mark Savage – YouTube

Handling is sporty too with quick steering and a firm, precise feel. A few other makes feel racier, but this is a perfect blend of responsiveness and luxury. Likewise the ride is well controlled yet firm without being punishing. I drove this to downtown Chicago and back and some of the streets I was on made the moon appear silky. Never hit a bump that jarred the interior.

More on that hybrid system, which charges either via a plug-in, or via regenerative braking and engine backup. So an overnight charge gave me 36 miles of all-electric range, or I could let the system choose to mix and match gas and electric power for best performance and efficiency. Around town a driver could just use electric mode to reduce emissions.

Yet a button on the info screen allows the driver to go hybrid and charge at the same time. Here the braking and engine recharge the batteries to use electric power as needed. I used 20 miles of charge getting from my house to a highway stent heading to Chicago, then switched on the charging and had regained about 15 miles of charge while cruising the freeway. Awesome!

The shifter also can either be put in Drive and feel like any gas-powered car would, or put in B, for Battery. This is one-pedal driving that more rapidly slows the vehicle and recharges the batteries. If you’ve ever driven a golf cart or snowmobile it sort of feels like that. I love this setting as you rarely need to touch the brake pedal, so less wear and tear on brake discs.

Fuel mileage depends, of course, on how much battery you use for electric power. I averaged 32 mpg on the Chicago roundtrip, but more like 50 around town when I was using mostly electric power. The EPA rates the S60 Recharge at 31 mpg on gas and 74 mpge on electric. Sadly this horsey engine prefers premium fuel, but then you won’t be filling up  frequently, if you keep it charged.

Again, running errands around town you can boost your numbers by putting the Volvo purely in electric mode.

Now originally when I climbed in the S60 I thought I was gonna be miserable for the week as the seats were so tight and had a bevy of buttons and controls for adjustment. But the info screen lights up to show you the bottom cushion leg extender and lumber support adjustments, so within a few minutes I was set. Long-legged drivers will love that bottom cushion extension.

On the highway drive and around town these charcoal leather and Nappa leather trimmed Black Edition seats were absolutely perfectly shaped and soothingly supportive. The front and rear seats also are heated, the rear seat heat and steering wheel heat are part of a $750 winter package that also includes headlight washers. That’s a European thing, but one that US makers should consider. Nice to clean the lights of road grime in winter.

Everything looks great inside too, from the soft leather-like dash and door panels to those seats that include gray accent stitching. Design is Scandinavian minimalist, yet the dash features textured metal trim while air vents and door releases are chrome as are the stereo speakers in the doors. Volvo’s console is gloss black, and for the life of me, I couldn’t find a wireless phone charger. Odd! But there are plugs in the center armrest to accommodate a charger.

The screen is a touchscreen that slides for additional layers of adjustment. I’m getting used to these Volvo screens, but it does take a while to master them and sometimes can be awkward to use while driving. Note this is now a Google-based infotainment system.

I’d love to see a flat-bottom wheel here to reflect the sporty nature of this luxury sedan, plus it’s not a power tilt/telescope wheel, but at least it’s heated. Better yet, you can set the seat and steering wheel heat quickly on the screen and it remembers the setting, even when you turn the ignition off and return. Bravo, many vehicles require resetting everything, a first-world annoyance in winter when running errands and hopping in and out of the car.

Volvo also includes a head-up display, along with a full bevy of safety equipment, not surprising for a Volvo as it earned its safety reputation ages ago. Standard are lane departure (which can be switched off via the info screen), blind-spot warning, parking sensors, collision avoidance, smart cruise control, automatic braking and more.

Overhead is a dual sunroof with power shade. That and the roof are controlled via a sensor overhead that you can just slide your finger over to retract the shade, and then the roof.

The optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo deserves mention too as it’s a monster with amazing sound, but adds $3,200 to the cost. Maybe save that for a home stereo unit. A fine harman/kardon premium sound system is standard.

The sparkly black paint job is gorgeous and only adds $695 to the price, but is sharper than most black paint schemes. Your call.

Rear seat room is good, plus those seats fold down to increase cargo room while also including a center pass-through for long items, something most European makes include that others do not. Rear seat headrests also can be folded down with the push of a rear-seat button, making for better rear visibility for the driver if there are no passengers riding in row two.

Trunk space is sufficient, but smaller than in some sedans at 11.6 cubic feet. Certainly it will hold 4-5 suitcases.

Finally, there’s the price, and this may surprise you. The S60 starts at a modest $41,300 for its front-drive version with a still generous 247 horsepower engine, and is a standard hybrid. AWD is a $2,300 option on lower trim levels. It was standard on the Recharge Ultimate.

Move up to the better-equipped Plus model and the price is $44,000, while the lowest cost Core plug-in hybrid lists at $51,250. The tested Ultimate was $59,045 to start, and $63,690 as tested. All prices include delivery fees.

That’s luxury sedan level pricing for sure, but if you consider its competitors, such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Genesis G70, Cadillac CT4, Lexus IS, or Mercedes C Class, they can approach that price too. Yet the Volvo melds luxury with power, styling and a plug-in hybrid system that is second to none.

FAST STATS: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate

Hits: Sharp looking sedan, excellent power, ride and handling. Big sunroof, heated wheel, heated front and rear seats, supper supportive multi-adjust seats, big screen, awesome stereo, a stylish luxury interior, plus head-up display and a full bevy of safety equipment.

Misses: Infotainment screen can be distracting to use while driving and no power tilt/telescope steering wheel. Pricy stereo upgrade. Prefers premium fuel.

Made in: Ridgeville, S.C.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo & supercharged I4 w/plug-in hybrid electric motor, 455 hp/523 torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Weight: 4,450 lbs.

Wheelbase: 113.1 in.

Length: 187.4 in.

Cargo: 11.6 cu.ft. (rear seats in place)

Tow: 2,000 lbs.

MPG: 74 elect./31 gas

MPG: 32.0 (tested)

Base Price: $59,045 (includes delivery)

Invoice: N.A.

Major Options:

Climate package (headlamp washers, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel), $750

Black metallic paint, $695

Bowers & Wilkins premium audio, $3,200

Test vehicle: $63,690

Sources: Volvo, www.kbb.com

Photos: Mark Savage

Advertisement
Car Reviews

2021 Volkswagon Arteon 2.0T SEL R-Line

Leave a comment

Arteon sedan delivers looks, refinement, value …

Only two years have passed since Volkswagen renamed and restyled its CC sedan as the Arteon, still a name that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

But VW assures us the term is Latin for Art, emphasizing how important design is for the model. Whatever it’s called, this large fastback-styled sedan proves VW is dedicated to handsome cars as well as crossovers and SUVs. Prosit!

As I intoned in my earlier review of Arteon, it’s a sedan that has virtually everything a crossover intender could want, with the exception of a tall ride and boxy shape. This is one of the finest looking family sedan on the road. Edgy, but with fastback styling.

But if you’re after AWD, mucho room for the family and cargo capacity to match, the Arteon checks all those boxes.

The VW rides on a 111.9-inch wheelbase so has oodles of leg and headroom for five adults and the trunk delivers a massive 27.2 cubic feet of cargo room, or up to 55 cubic feet with the split rear seats lowered. Heck, some small crossovers would struggle to offer that much. And instead of a pure trunk, the fastback opens as a hatch so loading and unloading is a cinch.

Yet you’re likely thinking the VW only stuffs a four-cylinder engine under the hood, so it’s likely weak on power. Wrong!

This 2.0-liter is strong, delivering 268 horses and 258 lb.-ft. of torque from the silky smooth turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The result is not only quick acceleration, but luxury car smoothness as it’s coupled with an efficient 8-speed automatic with Tiptronic to allow driver shifts, if desired.

Watch Mark’s video review: https://youtu.be/lsC8_z7ROUQ

There are five drive modes too, accessed easily via a button on the console. Sport mode firms the suspension, alters the gearing for better acceleration and stiffens the steering effort. That’s great on the highway, but in town or at sub-40 mph the Normal or Comfort modes seem best, easing steering and ride comfort. Midwest roads are crumbling!

Yet at all levels Arteon turns into corners with precision like a luxury sport sedan. Won’t find many crossovers doing that without some push or lean in corners. Plus being a sedan the ride is dramatically better than any truck-based vehicle. It’s well controlled, yet sporty. No serious bumps or thumps and railroad tracks and pot holes are barely a blip on your derriere’s radar.

My tested SEL R-Line model with 4Motion, that’s VW’s AWD system, was bathed in a beautiful King’s Red Metallic paint that got raves from onlookers, including my spouse who rarely comments on my test vehicles. That color costs $395 extra but is a stellar choice especially considering most cars are gray or white these days. This stands out!

Inside the styling is simple and elegant with a wide dash that features lean and expansive air vents, making cabin comfort a breeze, literally.

Clean and attractive dash with fine Nappa leather seats create a stylish interior.

The test car featured light gray Nappa leather seats with dark gray trim and a dark gray dash and door uppers with light gray inserts. The dash also had a textured metal trim strip that extended into the doors along with satin silver trim below that. Gloss black trim graces the stack and console surrounding the shift lever.

Controls are easy to see and use and the driver gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel that can be adjusted to meet a driver’s particular needs. Best for us seniors, the 8-inch infotainment screen mid-dash is simple to adjust, not always the case in today’s tech-laden touch-and-slide screened vehicles.

The power seats not only look sharp but are firm and well-shaped for long or short hauls, plus the driver gets three-memory settings Seats up front are heated, with three temperature settings. And get this, if you go full-on luxury with the top-tier SEL Premium model you get a massaging driver’s seat is too. Amazing in this price range.

Overhead is a large, but not panoramic sunroof, however the cover is a screen, not a shade so a little light, and warmth seeps through the roof in hot weather.

This SEL R-Line model that features a bit racier look and feel also adds a flat-bottomed steering wheel, naturally loaded with plenty of controls on it hub.

Arteon also comes with dual climate controls, but VW has gone to touch-controlled slides that are a bit too touchy at times, likewise there’s a radio volume slide on the steering wheel’s hub. Not sure why knobs needed to be replaced, but as with all touch-centric controls these are not easy to use when the car is in motion as their adjustment is imprecise.

VW loads up Arteon with electronic safety devices, including parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights, and an integrated crash response system to alert authorities if you crash. There’s also the standard blind-spot warning, smart cruise control, rearview camera, lane-keeping assist, and emergency braking with pedestrian recognition.

Stop & Go is standard too, an effort to save gas at stoplights, but the annoyance factor of the car shutting down seems hardly worth the minor gain it provides. That’s not a VW thing, it’s across the automotive market.

An economic downside is that Arteon prefers premium gasoline, the higher octane providing part of the VW’s prodigious horsepower. The VW will run on regular gas, but loses some oomph. Still, even powered up the car is rated at 20 mpg city and 31 mpg highway by the EPA. That highway figure is up 4 mpg from the 2019 model I’d driven, a big gain in efficiency. I managed 27.5 mpg, quite good for a large family sedan.

Good news on the pricing front too as a base Arteon SE starts at $38,190. It’s front-wheel drive. An SEL R-Line lists at $42,790 and one with AWD like the test car begins at $44,590. This one just added the sharp red paint job to end up at $44,985. Standard on the R-Line are 19-inch tires, the Nappa leather seats, sunroof, smart cruise control and adaptive LED headlights.

Going top-level Premium R-Line with 4Motion pushes the price to $48,190, but you do get the massaging driver’s seat, heated steering wheel and cooled seats, plus a 12-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo, 3D backup camera and power hatch.

This competes well with the likes of Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord, plus Nissan’s Maxima, Acura’s TLX and Kia’s Stinger, although it’s much racier in performance. I think it even approaches the gorgeous Genesis G80 2.5T tested a week ago, but just not as quiet inside or as luxurious feeling.

FAST STATS: 2021 VW Arteon 2.0T SEL R-Line

Hits: Slick looking fastback sedan with good power, sporty handling, but fine family sedan ride. Smooth and comfy, with a sporty edge, adjustable drive modes, and solid safety features. Roomy interior and trunk under a hatch. Heated seats, large sunroof, flat-bottom wheel, comfortable seats, good sized info screen and easy controls. Plus AWD.

Misses: Prefers premium fuel. Sunroof has screen, not shade. Touch and slide controls hard to precisely use. Awkwardly tight spot for phone under center stack.

Snazzy wheels make Arteon look fast, even while parked.

Made in: Emden, Germany

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo I4, 268 horsepower

Transmission: 8-speed automatic w/Tiptronic

Weight: 3,686 lbs.

Length: 191.6 in.

Wheelbase: 111.9 in.

Cargo: 27.2-55 cu.ft.

MPG: 20/31

MPG:  27.5 (tested)

Base Price: $44,590 (includes delivery)

Invoice: $42,811

Major Options:

King’s Red metallic paint, $395

Test vehicle: $44,985

Sources: Volkswagen, kbb.com

Photos: Mark Savage

Car Reviews

2019 Genesis G70 AWD 3.3T Prestige

Leave a comment

New G70 luxury sport sedan

delivers kick-butt performance,  value …

Hyundai cranks up the heat on Japanese and European luxury sport sedan makers with its new “entry level” Genesis G70. It’s long on performance and luxury, but modestly short on price.

OK, the tested pearly “Casablanca White” AWD 3.3T model equipped with Prestige and Elite packages, logs in at $50,995. A bit beyond many pocketbooks, but compare that with BMW’s 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz’s C Class, Audi’s A4 or a Lexus IS and you’ll think you’ve stumbled on a bargain that will allow you to leave some additional coin in your 401(k). Continue reading 2019 Genesis G70 AWD 3.3T Prestige →

Car Reviews

2018 Mazda6 Signature

Leave a comment

2018 Mazda6 SignatureMazda6 Signature adds turbo power to the mix …

Mazda has long had one of the better looking midsize sedans, its Mazda6. But if there was anything to slow its sales it may have been its somewhat modest horsepower.

Mazda’s efficient 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G I4 isn’t a weakling, it pumps out 184 horsepower, but there are competitors in this super competitive market segment with engines delivering 200+ horsepower. Continue reading 2018 Mazda6 Signature →

SUV/Truck Reviews

2019 Kia Sorento SXL AWD

Leave a comment

Sorento trims galore will fit all SUV lovers’ budgets … 2019 Kia Sorento

It had been a couple years and three model years since I’d driven Kia’s Sorento, its large SUV that aims to be a family hauler and has migrated, in top-end trim, to being a luxury vehicle.

Luckily all the good stuff remains, including a standard third row seat, and a few new goodies have been added. But at its core, Sorento is a stout entry in this market and comes in enough flavors (trim levels) to satisfy any SUV cravings a driver may have. Continue reading 2019 Kia Sorento SXL AWD →

SUV/Truck Reviews

2017 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription

Leave a comment

New Volvo XC90 packs in a lot … 2017 Volvo XC90 T6

Honestly, the new Volvo XC90 is a bit overwhelming.

It’s a big luxury crossover or ute, whichever you prefer. It looks buttoned-down collar sharp and has nearly every conceivable electronic doodad, safety device and feature one could expect. But there’s just so much here to enjoy and learn it’s a bit like going to flight school straight from junior high shop.

There’s no denying Volvo has been a fuddy-duddy brand for years, the square car in the round hole that is the wagon and now crossover marketplace. Safety was its gig, which is laudable, but styling and luxury were, let’s say, well down Volvo’s best practices list.

The luxury bit has been addressed in the past several years, but the XC90 brings Volvo up to and beyond some peers in the luxury market and now its sophisticated styling is a big help.2017 Volvo XC90 T6

First, the XC90 ranges from moderate luxury to full-on eye-popping price tag luxury. The base T5 Momentum starts at $46,745 in front-drive mode and still features the potent 2.0-liter, supercharged and turbocharged I4 that runs throughout the lineup. It creates 250 horsepower in the base model and 316 horsepower in the tested T6 model with all-wheel drive. Both feature a smooth shifting 8-speed Geartronic automatic transmission.

The tested T6 AWD Inscription lists at $51,600, plus $995 delivery, but the Inscription package adds another $5,600. The metallic black test ute ended up at $72,805 after adding nine more options and packages.

Now hold on for the upper end. Volvo’s plug-in hybrid, the T8 Excellence lists at $105,989 with delivery. You read that right, but it adds an 80-horse electric motor to the equation to boost gas mileage to a still mild 25 mpg, but can run 25 miles on an electric charge. It also includes heated and massaging rear seats, a built-in fridge and a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo.

OK, back to reality, sort of! Continue reading 2017 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription →

Car Reviews

2016 Audi TT 2.0T Quattro

Leave a comment

Audi’s latest TT is slick, squatty, luxurious, sporty2016 Audi TT coupe

Sports cars seem an endangered species and nearly as hard to find as polite political discourse. So my recent landing of a new Audi TT coupe seemed quite a coup.

I hadn’t driven a TT for nine years. That’s how rare they are in the automotive test fleets. But this new third generation coupe was worth the near epochal wait.

The TT still features a slick rounded roofline and low-slung squatty appearance that made it so darned appealing when it first launched in 1998. Yet this one looks more modern, what with its LED headlights and more aggressive nose.

Looks make any sports car and the TT remains a head-turner.

2016 Audi TT coupeBut luxury performance at a reasonable price has been its hallmark and Audi doesn’t stray from that formula. A sports car, for the uninformed, isn’t a supercar. Sports cars are light and lively, the sort of car you can toss around corners and zip away from stoplights without squealing your tires and without a growling V8 sucking down another gallon of gas.

TT, for instance, features a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 that gets 220 horsepower and delivers 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Turbos are always heavy on torque, that’s the fun part, zipping away from a stop while the “sport” utes lumber along behind you. Continue reading 2016 Audi TT 2.0T Quattro →

Car Reviews

2016 Kia K900 Luxury

Leave a comment

Kia K900 delivers luxury ride, amenities big time …kia

Ah, luxury; it has its perks.

For instance in Kia’s new K900 luxury sedan the rear seats partially recline, the steering wheel is heated, there’s a power rear sun shade, manual side window shades, a front passenger’s seat with full power and two memory settings.

Some of that comes with a $5,000 VIP package, but what’s standard here is impressive at the $54,900 list price. Ouch, you say, that much for a Kia?

Yes, but cars that are this quiet inside, this luxurious, with this much power and so many features often start at $60 grand or beyond. With the right logo on the hood or trunk, some can run $70 grand or more.

kia4So consider this, the K900 delivers excellent power from a 3.8-liter V6 that is strong, quiet and melds beautifully with an 8-speed automatic. Shifts are silky and there’s 311 horsepower to gently move the rear-drive sedan to speed.

Like many cars today, the K900 also has a button to engage a Sport mode that firms the steering a bit and gives the Kia more oomph, more punch off the line.

Handling is typical standard car handling, a bit of play in the wheel, but not much. Steering effort is easy, until Sport mode is engaged, then there’s more resistance to the wheel. It’s all easy to deal with though. Continue reading 2016 Kia K900 Luxury →

Car Reviews

2014 Dodge Dart GT

Leave a comment

Sporty, high-value Dart GT has power, but ride is too sportydart

My previous test of the compact Dodge Dart was near perfect. That was the Limited model, this metallic red beauty was the sportier GT.

Blame it on age or our increasingly decrepit roads, but this one was harder on the derriere.

Oh, I still like the Dart and would recommend the Limited or any model without the sport suspension that the GT features. This one is just too stiff with the ride bordering on harsh. Racy R18-rated tires didn’t help either. The GT intends to be a boy-racer toy at a modest price and it comes close to that goal.

There’s strong power here with a 2.4-liter I4 Tigershark engine with MultiAir to increase fuel efficiency. It generates 184 horses and a torque rating of 171. So pound the gas pedal and the Dart GT responds.

In normal city driving there’s good power too, although some hesitation as you accelerate. Linked to a 6-speed manual, which is standard, you could likely have some fun with the GT. But the test car added an optional $1,250 6-speed Powertech automatic that tames the oomph factor, mostly. You’ll still hit highway speeds easily, but the car feels a bit heavy and the shifts are not as crisp or timely as they would be if the driver was handling those duties.

Cool rear taillight bar!
Cool rear LED taillight bar!

Still, the car looks sporty with trim lines and an attractive profile. I like the car’s nose and the full body-width LED taillight that reflects other Dodge model styling. Dart looks sharp. Continue reading 2014 Dodge Dart GT →

Car Reviews

2014 KIA Cadenza Premium

Leave a comment

Cadenza delivers solid luxury, stellar looks

After a week of hearing jokes from colleagues about me driving a piece of office furniture, a more musically minded friend clued me in to the KIA Cadenza sedan’s true meaning.cad

For non-music majors, cadenza is usually an improvised ornamental passage, played or sung by a soloist, often at the end of a piece. Think of all the fru fru add-ons today’s singers often give us at the conclusion of the national anthem, for instance. You know: … “the home of the … braaaaaave, aaaaave, aaaaave!”

One assumes KIA was aiming more for the creativity and ornamental implications of the name. Surely the new large luxury-leaning sedan is a sparkling new addition to KIA’s lineup, and its styling, while not earth-shattering, borders on sporty luxury. It is certainly better looking and more original than say a Lexus, more along the lines of an Infiniti.

But to me it compared well with the previous week’s tested Chevy Impala. Both are nearly identical in dimension, riding on roughly 112-inch wheelbases. The Impala is 6 inches longer, contributing to its giant 18.8 cubic foot trunk, while Cadenza’s is a generous 15.9.

Both have roomy comfortable interiors, with plenty of leg, knee and headroom for four or five adults. I ran up to Road America in the Cadenza with a couple buddies and the back seat was deemed extraordinarily roomy and comfy. Continue reading 2014 KIA Cadenza Premium →