JTang

Anyone have any thoughts on the Volvo s60 versus the Acura TL-S? Just curious...I'm a fan of Acura since I currently owned one, but my first car ever was a brick-of-a-car 84 volvo. They have change lots since then...any opinions?

TLwiz

I am VERY intrigued by the S60 BLUE BOLT. I really like the styling and I know that Volvo makes a nice car. However, having a TL and loving it makes me lean towards them (my dad has a S70, so I have driven it exstensively). I want to see the final TL-S of the production line before I make a final decision. If it is as ho-hum as the photo I have seen, I wont rush out to get one. I will drive both and then determine the winner (as for right now, just on looks, my vote goes to the Blue Bolt.)

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'99TL Laguna Green
Burlwood shift knob and full woodgrain kit w/ custom glove box
Custom grill

Coming soon: 18's!!

Guest

I also considered the S60, specifically the T5 version. It's well-styled, has decent hp, has a lot of safety features (duh, it's a Volvo), and is probably well-built.

The base price is reasonable, BUT, when you start adding options that a car in this class should have, the price goes up really fast! My guess is that an S60 similarly equiped to the TL-S would sticker at roughly $37,500.

Finally, I still think there's something strange about a 5-cyl engine.

steve-o

I drove the S60 (4cyl turbo and T5). T5 halled ass – 4cyl turbo was not too bad. But, for the money, it's toooo toooo small inside. Would rather have a BMW 3 Series. I felt very cramped and I'm only 5'8", 150lbs. Did not feel as luxurious as the TL. Was not impressed at all (except for the speed). Get the TL -- but wait for the 2002 TL-S in March!!!!!!

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-- Steve-o
'01 TL (non-nav) - Silver
'00 Lexus ES300 - Pearl White, 16" Wheels, Xeon

SonyMan

I was also considering an S60 T5 but after driving it was not pleased at all. It is very small inside, and no room for anything but grocieries in the back. More of a replacement for the coupe than the V70. Even the dealer I dealt with was unhappy. Plastic interior too. But,,, the sport seats are by far the most comfortable I've ever been in. Over $37K loaded too.

JTang

I test drove the S60 today...not bad. I didn't like how touchy the breaks were and the cheap plastic stuff inside. The power was very good and the transmission was very smooth...didn't really know when the gears were changing! And the sport shift is very similar to the TL's. But, of course, it is 7-9K more than a TL-S I think. I've got to test drive a TL-S!! March chan't come quick enough!

Guest

Re: Phatboy

I actually priced out a S60 T5 with just about every option comparable to the Acura and it was $41k.

Ack!

JTang

I'm reviving this topic again..sorry if this seems like a mute point. I am just so impressed with the Volvo S60, I need to decide which car I want to be driving day after day for the next 7-10 years...

Anyway, I drove the S60 T5 for the second time the other day and noticed substantial torque steer when I really pushed down on it. Is this an issue that may potentially plauge the TL-S?

Also, the drive is fairly luxurious with a bit of road noise. For anyone who has driven that and a TL/CL, do you find that the TL has a sportier feel? Both are front wheel drive, both have a good deal of power. The 247 horses will be less than the TL-S, but Torque will still be significantly higher in the Volvo I think.

Also, a fully loaded Volvo has more goodies than the TL (like dual zone AC, whipplash protection, 13 speaker stereo with Dolby Pro Logic, etc.)...the price that I can get it for is about 37K. The TL-S will probably be priced around 32K, but I will need to add a spoiler and underbody kit...that will make it like 34K. Worth it? Who knows...

What do you guys think?