Volvo S60 Drive-E

It’s becoming rarer and rarer to find a vehicle with more than four cylinders under the hood. While it feels like smaller engines are being forced upon us as government fuel-economy regs become tighter and tighter, Volvo is coming at it with a different attitude: it doesn’t matter how many cylinders there are.

The downsizing is not an immediate shift for all Volvo models, but it has begun with the front-wheel-drive S60 sedan and the related V60 wagon. Both are using Volvo’s latest “Drive-E” power system.

The new four-cylinder is the first engine developed by Volvo since being purchased from Ford by China-owned Geely Automotive. It’s a mid-model-year addition to the current five- and six-cylinder engines, which will now only power the all-wheel-drive models (Volvo actually refers to the S60 Drive-E as a 2015.5 model).

S60 buyers will have their pick of two distinct Drive-E models. Starting at $34,700, the turbocharged 2.0-liter S60 T5 makes 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. However, for the T6 — also a four-cylinder — those ratings increase to 302/295. Its extra punch is derived from supercharging and turbocharging the engine.

At low engine speeds, the supercharger is strictly a solo act, but as speed increases, the turbocharger produces more cylinder pressure, a.k.a boost. The idea is to cram more fuel and air into the engine, which effectively mimics a larger-displacement engine. The supercharger/turbo combo is supposed to smooth out the power delivery through the engine’s rev range without any delay, or lag, which is a general issue/problem with small-displacement turbocharged engines.

Comparatively, the carryover turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder in the T5 all-wheel-drive produces 250 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, while the T6 AWD’s turbo-six-cylinder spools up a maximum 325/354 pound-feed of torque.

Yes, the four-cylinder engines make less power, but that’s offset by a 100-150-pound reduction in weight over the front wheels as well as a significant improvement in fuel economy.

For example, the four-cylinder T5 is rated at 25 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway, which is up a lot from the 21/30 for the previous five-cylinder T5. In fact, the four-cylinder T6, at 24/35 highway, comes close to matching the T5’s numbers.

Note that both four-cylinder models use regular fuel and not premium.

A new eight-speed automatic transmission no doubt is partly responsible for making the smaller engines both thrifty and strong feeling.

The transmission’s function is further enhanced when the driver activates the ECO+ mode that comes standard with Drive-E. The system adjusts the shifting and softens the throttle for optimal fuel savings. It disconnects the air conditioning and enhances the start/stop feature that shuts off the engine when the S60 is briefly stationary, and it also cuts out the engine at low speeds when coasting to a stop.

Volvo states that ECO+ can improve fuel economy by as much as five percent, depending on climate conditions and driving style.

Another significant feature for all S60s is Volvo’s touch-screen “Sensus” connectivity.

It adds to the existing communications and optional navigation functions with an Internet browser (subscription required for activation), music apps and data storage and can also display the owner’s manual.

Additionally, the optional Volvo “On Call” can remotely start the engine, issue directions to specific destinations through the navigation system and automatically provide emergency assistance if airbag deployment is detected. On Call also turns the S60 into a wireless Internet hotspot, providing multiple passengers with smart phone, tablet and laptop Internet connectivity.

A variety of safety features are available for the S60 Drive-E, including Cyclist Detection (in addition to Pedestrian Detection), Road Sign Information (displays speed signs on the instrument panel) plus other electronic aids aimed at keeping the car and its passengers out of harm’s way.

Technology aside, it’s Volvo’s forthcoming Drive-E models, eventually encompassing gas-electric hybrid and turbo-diesel spin-offs, that will lead Volvo into a new era of performance and fuel economy comparable to other European and North American luxury brands.