2014 Volvo V60: Up Close

Wagon enthusiasts rejoice: The Volvo V60 wagon sold elsewhere in the world is coming to the U.S. in early 2014. As a wagon version of the S60, Volvo's V60 is as sleek and classy as its sedan counterpart; it looks more organic and warm than competitors like the edgy Acura TSX Sport Wagon. Volvo had a V60 R-Design on display at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, though that won’t be the first model on sale.

More 2013 New York Auto Show Coverage

The currently available S60 holds up well against German competitors like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 sedans, and the V60 will pull Volvo's U.S. offerings even closer to its German rivals with its own wagon counterpart — both 3 Series and A4 lineups have wagon variants.

Recall Alert: 2013 Volvo S60, XC60

Volvo is recalling just seven model-year 2013 S60 sedans and XC60 crossovers due to identification labels with an incorrect manufacture year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles were manufactured on Jan. 7. An incorrect date of manufacture on the certification label means the vehicles are noncompliant with regulation requirements, and owners may not be able to determine whether their vehicles are affected by future recalls.

The recall began March 8. Volvo has already quarantined the affected vehicles and will install correct labels before sale; no owner notification letters will be sent. For more info call NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.

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2014 Volvo S60: What's Changed

• Most significant changes: Smoother front styling, new instrument cluster and multimedia system
• Price change: TBA
• On sale: This summer
• Which should you buy, 2013 or 2014? Unless you're a gadget fiend, the 2013 should do just fine.

Volvo's S60 luxury sedan is the automaker's best-seller in the U.S., so it's no surprise Volvo didn't change the new one too much; the 2014 model will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The 2013's stylish looks are improved slightly for 2014, and there's new technology on the inside as Volvo's trademark metallic instrument gauges are replaced with a configurable digital display; a new multimedia system is available. 

The S60's front and rear styling doesn't appear radically changed at first glance. Closer inspection reveals a much smoother appearance with the removal of all chrome trim around the wider front grille. The previous washer fluid nozzles, which used to be visible, have been relocated out of sight for 2014. Also cleaned up is the radar for the adaptive cruise control — it's now masked black with a grille line painted on the cover so the entire grille appears uniform. The S60's signature daytime running lamps are relocated to the fog light area, and the rear exhaust tips now sit flush with the bumper.

Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Volvo S60

The 2013 Volvo S60 base model isn't quite a performance machine, but the sedan's stylish looks, contemporary cabin and interior space make it a notable competitor among its peers such as the Audi A4 and BMW's 3 Series, according to Cars.com reviewer David Thomas. To find out what the S60 and an Ikea kitchen have in common, read his full review.

2013 Volvo S60 Review

2013 Volvo S60 Video

Volvo has made strides over the years and now prices and markets its vehicles against German luxury rivals. But can a Volvo really stack up against a BMW or an Audi? In many respects, the Volvo S60 is a Swedish luxury car that can compete, especially in two important categories, according to Cars.com reviewer David Thomas.

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2013 Volvo S60: Car Seat Check

Although it's on the compact side, Volvo's five-passenger sedan can easily carry a small family in comfort and style. The S60 has a high-quality interior and easy-to-access lower Latch anchors and top tether brackets.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Recall Alert: 2013 Volvo S60, XC60

Volvo is recalling nine model-year 2013 versions of the S60 sedan and XC60 SUV due to problems with the supplemental restraint system, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A faulty supplemental restraint system control unit could cause the seat belt pretensions and/or side airbags to inadvertently deploy. This could cause an accident.

Volvo claims none of these vehicles have been sold yet, and the issue will be fixed before the cars go on sale. Owners can call Volvo at 800-458-1552 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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Cupholders Take on Starbucks' Trenta Size

In 2011, after finding some two-thirds of iced-beverage customers already pony up the stomach capacity for a Venti, Starbucks introduced its Trenta size — a 31-ounce tribute to America's appetite for 1,000-watt stereos, quadruple burgers and Cowboys Stadium. More than a year later, Trenta is alive and well, leading us to wonder if car cupholders are up to the job of holding it. After all, the mismatch prompted 7-Eleven to downsize its titanic Double Gulp from 64 ounces to 50. Oh, the toil.

But Starbucks has the bigger footprint, with some 11,000 stores in North America compared with 7-Eleven's 9,375. What's more, cupholders and Starbucks go together like Korean rappers and YouTube. So we bought two Trenta iced teas and a Venti for comparison (pictured), and we took them to our current crop of press cars: a 2013 Infiniti G37 IPL convertible, 2012 Honda Insight and 2013 Volvo S60, plus our two long-term cars, a 2011 Chevrolet Volt and 2011 Nissan Leaf.

I'm still working through one of the iced teas. My head hurts a little.

Why Isn't the Buick Regal Selling Well?

Over the past few years, we've seen a global convergence and streamlining of major vehicle lineups, which means more of the Eurocentric vehicles that automotive enthusiasts covet are coming here. But many of them aren't selling well.

For proof, just look at the relatively poor-selling BMW 1 Series, Smart ForTwo, Suzuki Kizashi or Scion iQ. (The latter two were designed with Europe in mind.) At the top of the list is the Buick Regal, which historically was one of Buick's best-selling models. In 2004 it was redesigned and renamed LaCrosse — now Buick's flagship sedan in the U.S. After a six-year hiatus in the U.S., the Regal returned to our shores, but as a different beast.

Mercedes, Lexus and Audi Fail Latest IIHS Crash Tests

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and two Lexus sedans — the IS 250/350 and the outgoing ES 350 — failed the latest round of IIHS frontal tests.

As we reported Monday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new offset frontal-barrier test simulates a 40-mph collision with a rigid barrier that overlaps just 25% of the car. The test simulates a front-corner collision with a tree, a pole or another vehicle, a scenario that is responsible for almost 25% of front crashes that seriously injure or kill someone in front, IIHS says. The new test will augment the agency's existing frontal test, which crashes a car at 40 mph against a deformable barrier that overlaps 40% of the front.

"Outside of some automakers’ proving grounds, such a test isn’t currently conducted anywhere else in the United States or Europe," IIHS said in a statement, noting that despite an increasing number of cars that score well in frontal crash tests, some 10,000 highway deaths still come from frontal collisions each year.