Getting your player ready...
Happy New Year’s Day to the many Post readers in cold Colorado. It was this day 43 years ago Jan and I were packing the U-Haul and loading the kids in the car for the move from Sterling to Denver and an adventure in big-city newspapering.
The ride continues, and I head into new year 2011 having driven back-to-back competing models the Volvo S60 AWD T6 and the Lexus ES350.
The four-door sedans share an identical-length wheelbase – 109.3 inches. Otherwise, the Volvo is shorter, wider and heavier than the Lexus.
Nine inches of additional overall length provide the Lexus ES350 with roomier rear-seating area and more trunk space. The front-wheel-drive Lexus is smoother in its performance than is the Volvo, and the E350 outshines the Volvo in average fuel mileage. The Lexus would deliver four adults from Denver to Phoenix more comfortably than the Volvo.
On a joy-of-driving scale, though, the Volvo S60, with its turbocharged V-6 and all-wheel drive, rates several notches higher than the Lexus.
Volvo, owned since summer by Chinese automaker Geely, has redesigned its S60 for the new year with smooth, clean, fairly soft lines, added an inch of length and 2 inches width. The review model showed up in vibrant copper metallic exterior, an outstanding color for an automobile, I’d say (Jan wasn’t all that impressed with the color). Open the door and the same color is dazzling from the leather-covered seats and door panels. With copper as the outside color, I would opt for a lighter interior tone.
A turbocharged, 300-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine has replaced turboed 5-cylinders of previous years. Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the engine performs impressively in acceleration, aided by quickened shifts with the transmission in sport mode. The S60 averaged 22.6 miles per gallon of regular fuel.
Volvo remains stout with safety. Adding security is an advanced traction control for anti-skid protection and a corner traction control which reduces understeer in cornering.
The ride with the standard dynamic chassis of stiffened springs is somewhat harsh at times; it can be softened with an optional touring suspension or also available at added cost is one with a choice of comfort/sport/ advanced settings. The Volvo has a relatively wide turn circle of 39 feet.
The redone S60 boasts a Pedestrian Detection feature. Sensors, in the grille and top-center of the windshield, upon detection of someone stepping in front of the car, will warn the driver with sound alerts and flashing lights, and, if no response, provide full braking.
A long list of luxury and technology options raised the Volvo’s sticker price to $46,200. The pedestrian and collision warning systems and adaptive cruise control head the list, along with dual xenon beams with active bending light in which the headlights will move up to 15 degrees when cornering. Others are navigation with real-time traffic alerts, surround-sound with 12 speakers, rearview camera, heated front seats and heated windshield washer nozzles, headlight washers and moonroof.
Push-button start is standard, along with dual-zone climate control, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, power folding rear headrests, electric parking brake and trip computer.
The ’11 Lexus ES350’s sticker price of $44,637 was approximately $1,500 below that of the Volvo.
The Lexus, like the Volvo, was loaded up with approximately $9,000 worth of options. On the ES350, these included panorama glass roof, power rear sunshade, navigation and Mark Levinson premium audio with 14 speakers, backup camera, leather-trim interior, wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob.
Among a long list of standard items are rain-sensing intermittent wipers, integrated foglights, dual-zone climate control, push-button start and satellite radio.
Steady power, highlighted by a fuel-mileage average of 25.6 mpg, was delivered by the Lexus’ 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and 6-speed automatic transmission. The ride is exceptionally smooth and comfortable.
The ES350 is assembled in Fukuoka, Japan.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Bud, I am happy to hear that the Chrysler Pentastar is one of the 10 best engines in the world for 2011. I would be much happier to hear that Chrysler’s quality control and quality assurance programs are among the 10 best in the world so the Pentastar I buy will not be the boat anchor usually produced by Chrysler. Thanks for decades of good reading. – M.B.
A: You’re right, Marshall, in that Chrysler’s many outstanding products and great moments through the years have generally been overshadowed by some disastrous doings. Even longer ago than the ill-fated decision to do away with the Dart and Valiant in the ’70s. Let’s hope the Fiat guy Marchionne can do an Iacocca imitation and turn things around once again. Thanks, too, for the anchor mention. Even after I went to a heavier anchor a year or two ago, my Bass Buggy still seems to move about in the wind out on the lake.
