2019 Volvo S60 in T5 Inscription trim at the Singapore motor show

KUALA LUMPUR: The Volvo S60 is severely underrated against its more famous and more German mid-size sedans rivals. The S60 in its new guise for 2019 and Inscription trim being previewed at the Singapore Motor Show just makes this fact even more apparent. This new model benefits hugely from Volvo’s recent ongoing redesign exercise.

The Volvo S60 is now based on the same Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) as its other bigger brother, the S90 and its SUV cousin the XC60. Along with the architecture, it also shares many design features like the “Thor’s Hammer” LED DRLs and taillights. Other notable design elements include the diamond cut 19-inch five-spoke alloys, a new six-point grille and sculpted sides. The Inscription trim package brings in a few touches of its own. These include vertical slats in the front grille and chrome trim along the fog lights and exhaust tips. The biggest changes courtesy of the Inscription trim can be found inside. Being a new for 2019 model, it now features the same dashboard layout with a 12.3” digital infotainment system as more recent Volvos. Also featuring in the interior are the Sensus infotainment system, Linear Lime inlays and Bowers and Wilkins sound system.

In the S60 lineup, the T5 forms the base variant. Suitably, under that svelte hood is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 254 hp and 350 Nm of torque which is mated to a Drive-E unit which sends power to the front wheels through an Aisin-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

Sources have confirmed that Malaysians can expect to find the new S60 in showrooms in the third quarter of 2019, where at least in the beginning it will be a CBU import. Volvo expects to eventually start assembling the S60 in their Shah Alam plant, both for domestic consumption and for export to markets like Thailand. If this plan comes to fruition then it should give this Swedish marque a big leg up against the competition from its trio of German rivals: the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.