2019 Volvo S60 Meets Its Euro Competitors From Audi, BMW, Mercedes And Jaguar In A Visual Showdown

Volvo unveiled the 2019 S60 earlier today and it will be an attractive new addition to a highly competitive segment.

Besides having to lure buyers away from crossovers, the model will need to face serious competitors such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class. If that wasn’t tough enough, the car will also compete with models such as the Jaguar XE and Infiniti Q50.

We’ve pitted the S60 against its European rivals in a visual showdown and it’s pretty clear the car’s stylish design stands out from the crowd. The styling borrows heavily from the S90 but it seems to fit the S60 pretty well as the model has a wide grille which is flanked by Thor’s Hammer LED headlights.

While the car looks pretty good, so does the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE. The BMW 3-Series is really showing its age at this point but an all-new model is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show later this year.

Like most of the other cars in its class, the S60 shares styling cues with larger sedans. The taillights are heavily influenced by the S90 but the smaller sedan adopts a kinked beltline which makes it unique among its competitors. Judging by the initial comments from our readers, opinion is split on this decision.

In profile, we can see the S60 has a relatively short overhang especially compared to the A4 which is the only other front-wheel drive based model in this comparison. The difference isn’t huge but it gives the sedan a sportier and more compact appearance.

Since the S60 is the newest entry into the segment, it comes as little surprise that the model has a modern interior with a large infotainment system. By comparison, the screens on its competitors look tiny.

Given the age of both the 3-Series and C-Class, they feel a bit dated. The A4, on the other hand, still feels relatively fresh and so does the XE. However, the latter model is largely devoid of interior flourishes so it looks a bit bland next to the competition.

While all four models feature relatively small rear passenger compartments, the S60 offers 35.2 inches (894 mm) of rear seat legroom and 37.2 inches (944 mm) of rear headroom. Those numbers are virtually identical to the C-Class but the A4 beats them both as it has 35.7 inches (906 mm) of rear legroom and 37.4 inches (950 mm) of headroom.

The 2019 Volvo S60 will go on sale in the United States later this year and pricing starts at $35,800.