The Volvo V60 Polestar didn’t win Car of the Year — but this Swedish wagon has race-car soul

But as soon as I fired up the Swedish beast and went for a drive, those concerns quickly dissipated. The V60 Polestar is a joy to drive.

Hollis Johnson

The inline-six proved to be smooth and immensely capable. Power arrived with great ease as the 3.0-liter engine’s twin-scroll turbocharger help mitigate any appearance of the turbo lag common on high-performance engines of this type.

However, the transmission could be quicker in its shifts — and could use a couple of extra gears, for that matter.

The V60’s engine and Polestar stainless steel exhaust system team up to make one of the best sounds I’ve heard come out of a car in a while. It’s neither a low-pitched rumble like that of a Chevy small block nor is it a high-pitched Ferrari wail. For me, the best way to describe it is as an authoritative growl.

Whatever you call it, it’s a sound that makes working through the transmission’s six gears a true pleasure.

As for the handling, the V60 Polestar defies the laws of gravity. In and out of corners, the wagon remained poised and ready to tackle whatever I could throw at it, surpassing what a 4,000-lb. station wagon should be able to achieve.

Much of this can be attributed to the performance extras Polestar’s tuners worked into the car. This includes a retuned all-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring, upgraded springs that are 80% stiffer than the regular V60, and a carbon-fiber reinforced front-strut brace. Not to mention the all-important set of adjustable Öhlins shock absorbers known to many in the racing world as “Swedish Gold.”

When you piece together the smooth engine, confidence-inspiring handling, and the Grammy-worthy exhaust sound, you get a car that’s easy to love. The sound, the speed, and handling made me want to just drive and drive and drive some more. My colleagues at Business Insider had to forcibly remove me from the driver’s seat.

As a result, the V60 Polestar may not necessarily be faster than its souped up rivals from Germany or the US, but it’s certainly a more soulful and charismatic experience.