Auto review: Volvo blazes hybrid trail with 2020 S60 e-AWD

While Volvo has always been a step ahead of the crowd when it comes to safety, the Swedish carmaker these days is carving a new trail with hybrids and plug-ins, too.

Volvo sold nearly 23% more plug-in hybrids last year than the previous one. This year it expects plug-in hybrid cars to make up 20% of its total sales, according to Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson. And, know this: Volvo is the only carmaker in the world to offer a plug-in variant of every model in its lineup.

The 2020 S60 T8 E-AWD Inscription proves another point: Volvo isn't shy about packing plenty of punch into these fuel-efficient creatures. The S60, among the most powerful of hybrids, touts a combined 400 horsepower from the alliance of its 2.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged I-4 engine (313 hp) and two electric motors (87 hp).

With gas and electric working together, the nearly two-ton sedan can get up to 60 mph in an amazing 4.4 seconds — without drama, fuss or much noise. The S60 also produces 472 pound-feet of torque, an impressive figure for a smallish midsize luxury sedan.

The T8 plug-in for 2020 gets a larger 11.6-kWh battery pack but that doesn't mean a longer driving range: It still gets only 22 miles on electric alone. Volvo claims fuel economy of 69 mpg-e combining gas and a full charge, but that could take some magic. The gas engine is rated at around 30 mpg when operating alone.

So here's the deal: If you don't wander far, you could go days before tapping the gas tank. A full charge takes 3 hours at a 240-volt station; not bad. The trick with hybrids is that you must be diligent about charging daily. It's easy to forget, or get lazy. For those folks, a nonhybrid S60 is available with the same 313-hp 2.0-liter engine.

Power is delegated via a smooth and decisive 8-speed Geartronic transmission. Annoyingly, the shifter drops it into neutral first so you have to tap it twice to get into a drive gear from reverse. All-wheel drive is standard across all four trim levels of the S60. .

This is the third generation for the S60. It's also the first Volvo to be built in the United States at its new factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina. It gets Volvo's new signature grille, a streamlined profile with curved hips and a ducktail trunk lid. Volvo designers say they set out to give it a "confident and playful" look.

But it's inside where Volvo really shows off its style, build quality and exceptional materials, especially with the Inscription trim. Elegant touches include a gem-shaped crystal shift knob designed by a prominent Swedish glassworks firm, and gray driftwood inlays on the dashboard and doors.

A $2,200 luxury seating package offers soft Nappa leather seats, heated and cooled, with bottom-cushion extensions to provide added comfort for taller folks. Seats are 10-way power adjustable, include four-way lumbar support and back massage for long-haul comfort.

On the tech side, all S60s now get the expanded 12.3-inch virtual instrument panel and head-up display for convenience. A 9-inch vertical touch screen accommodates Volvo's Sensus infotainment system. Slide the screen of icons horizontally to reveal apps and functions, but good luck getting familiar with it. It's sluggish at times and not the most intuitive of systems.

But the optional Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system ($3,200) will blow your sneakers off. The volume capability is triple what human ears can endure.