Volvo S60 R-Design DRIVe Powershift

We keep finding cars companies will love and the taxman will hate: Volvo’s S60 take a bow

Plus it's an auto that hits the same tax band as the manual version If you like alternatives to the usual German fare, here's a strong contender with great looks and low running costs. <br

M By Matt Morton

2 August 2012 3 min read

Volvo S60 R-Design DRIVe Powershift Start Stop

Car review: RALPH MORTON

What is it?

Volvo’s four door saloon given the go-faster treatment with the R-Design spec. It works, too. More to the point, here is an automatic – right in the heart of company car driver land – that costs no more in its company car tax banding than the manual version. Volvo calls this auto Powershift – a dual clutch autobox that allows very fast and smooth changes. Not only that, there’s a fuel-saving stop-start function too. The Volvo S60 R-Design tested here costs £27,980 on the road.

Volvo S60 — R-Design spec adds real road presence

What’s hot?

Figures first: the S60 is an auto but emissions are just 114g/km, which means a company car tax band of 16%
Translated into pounds shilling and pence, that’s £75 a month company car tax for a 20% tax payer
Then there’s 65.7mpg fuel economy – so running costs for any business are going to be very well contained
It’s also well under the corporation tax allowances for 2013, too, whether you are a business that’s leasing or buying your company cars
R-Design adds sporting touches to give the Volvo saloon real road presence
There are sports seats, an exterior styling kit, and big 18 inch alloy wheels
Despite the sports looks, motorway progress is serenely mile-eating
Thanks also to a comfortable cabin with excellent in-car entertainment system, and easy to use controls
Plus an extensive range of brilliant safety kit, from the standard City Safety system – auto vehicle stopping at low speeds if the driver doesn’t react – to adaptive cruise control
Smooth-acting gearbox and unobtrusive stop-start

What’s not?

Those figures – look under the bonnet and you’ll find a 1.6 diesel engine with only 115hp
Which means – unless you’ve got a good run at it – don’t bother to overtake cars on A-roads and so on…
…because you simply won’t have the puff
Sportingly firm ride will irritate some company car drivers who want more ride compliance
A few bits of the R-Design trim could do with better finishing

Business Car Manager verdict

Volvo S60 PowershiftAuto — Slick auto, with stop/start, and no more tax than the manual

What a refreshing company car choice this is for business car buyers. Boldly standing out from the default choice German crowd, the Volvo S60 R-Design DRIVe offers sporting good looks, exceptional running costs and low company car tax.

The Volvo is not quite as good in this executive car field in a company car comparison as the class leading BMW 320d EfficientDynamics automatic.