MotorMouths

The 2013 Volvo S60 sedan is an understandable top seller for Volvo thanks to stylish looks, a contemporary interior and a price that takes some of the sting out of its monthly payment.

Think of the 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design as a high performance sports sedan for the more rational, practical person. Starting at a little over $43k, it’s also quite rational in terms of price.

Its price puts the S60 T6 AWD R-Design in the same power and size categories as Audi S4, and BMW 335i. This highest-performance Volvo is a unique choice and a comparatively good value.

With the S60 R-Design, Volvo has made a competent AWD sedan that is finally as fast as the Germans offerings. It is a vehicle that finally lives up to Volvo’s “naughty” branding by giving Audi shoppers a viable option from the frigid north.

While a 3500-pound, front-wheel-drive, family-themed four-door doesn’t sound like a car that would satisfy the majority of one’s performance driving needs, the Volvo S6 T5 manages to do just that.

If competent overall performance, long-haul comfort and unique, handsome styling carry more sway for you than ultra-sharp and communicative handling, the 2012 Volvo S60 T5 deserves serious consideration.

If you’re concerned with style, comfort, value for the money, safety and the badge of just-outside-the-norm respectability, the S60 T5 AWD is a solid choice.

Is the S60 R-Design a true sports sedan? No, not quite. But it is a sporty, comfortable, and stylish sedan.

Volvo’s S60 T6 turned the brand’s reputation on its ear, and the R-Design iteration is a mightier and meaner looking ride.

The 2012 Volvo S60 T6 R-Design was a blast to drive, and it debunked my previous notions about Volvos being simply practical. And it’s still got the cutting-edge safety features that put any driver’s mind at ease.

While competing in a small segment, the wide variety of options available for the S60, plus its solid luxury drive, powerful engine and handsome styling, make worth a serious look to a far wider group of customers.

The Volvo S60 T5 wasn’t a compelling car for me, and in the end it’s a combination of the noise and the bargain-basement styling that does it. Still, it has plenty of virtues, it’s perfectly respectable as a road-trip proposition, and on the track it was solid and trustworthy.