Another sedan is about to meet its demise on our market. At the end of the month, Volvo plans on ending production of the S60 in South Carolina and there has been confirmation that the model will not be imported.
The good news is that the facility in Ridgeville, South Carolina, will remain operational so that it can produce the rather-large EX90. While the S60 will continue to be manufactured in China, Volvo recently told Car and Driver that it has no intention of exporting the model back into our market.
“The S60 is still being produced currently as a MY25 vehicle and is available at Volvo retailers across the country,” explained a corporate representative. “Customers interested in the S60 are encouraged to reach out to their local retailer or visit volvocars.com/us to learn more.”
Looking at the whole of Volvo’s 60 Series, sales have trended down in recent years. But it has likewise been eliminating gasoline models, contributing to the steepening sales decline. The only survivors have been the plug-in and mild-hybrid variants of the V60 and XC60. While Volvo claims to still be going all-electric by 2030, it still produces a fair number of vehicles that are at least partially reliant on the combustion engine.
Priced to compete with other compact luxury vehicles, the S60 actually undercuts many models in the segment that would be considered bargains. However, it’s not the most engaging platform to drive and it also misses the mark on practicality. Perhaps showing its Chinese roots, the current S60 seems to prioritize comfort above literally everything else. However, the plug-in variant does offer an impressive amount of power — even if that doesn’t translate into an engaging drive.
This one likely wasn’t a lot of hardcore enthusiasts’ favorite. But it’s still a little sad to see our market lose yet another sedan.
[Images: Volvo Cars]
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