Compare the2023 Volvo S60VS 2023 Dodge Charger

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo S60 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Charger doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The S60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Charger doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the S60 and Charger have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Charger’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo S60 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Charger doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The S60 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Charger doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The S60’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Charger.

The S60 offers an optional 360° Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Charger only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The S60 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Charger’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the S60 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Charger.

The S60’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Charger doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the S60 and the Charger have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Dodge Charger:

	S60	Charger
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25.7%	26%
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	230 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	395/518 lbs.	582/440 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	33%
Neck Stress	146 lbs.	155 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Charger:

	S60	Charger
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	72	222
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	20 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.7/.6 kN	3.7/3 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.57/.37	1.21/.58
Tibia forces R/L	2.2/.1 kN	3/4.7 kN

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Dodge Charger:

	S60	Charger
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	103	138
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	194 lbs.	212 lbs.
Hip Force	212 lbs.	372 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	490 lbs.	692 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the S60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Charger is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The S60 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Charger’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The S60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Charger’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the S60 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Charger.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the S60 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Charger.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the S60 has a 210-amp alternator. The Charger’s standard 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the S60 has a standard 800-amp battery. The Charger’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The S60 has more powerful engines than the Charger:

	Torque
S60 T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid	523 lbs.-ft.
Charger 3.6 DOHC V6	260 lbs.-ft.
Charger GT/SXT AWD 3.6 DOHC V6	264 lbs.-ft.
Charger R/T 5.7 V8	395 lbs.-ft.
Charger Scat Pack 6.4 V8	475 lbs.-ft.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the S60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Charger:

			MPGe
S60
	AWD	T8 Electric Motor	74 city/73 hwy
Charger
			MPG
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/30 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	16 city/25 hwy
		6.4 OHV V8	15 city/24 hwy
	AWD	3.6 V6	18 city/27 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the S60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Charger:

			MPG
S60
	FWD	B5 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/35 hwy
	AWD	B5 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/33 hwy
		T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	28 city/33 hwy
Charger
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/30 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	16 city/25 hwy
		6.4 OHV V8	15 city/24 hwy
	AWD	3.6 V6	18 city/27 hwy

The S60 T8 can travel with zero emissions for 41 miles. The Charger can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the S60 T8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Charger doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the S60’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available T8). The Charger doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo S60 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Dodge Charger (1 to 5). This means the S60 produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Charger every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The S60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Charger SXT are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the S60 has larger tires than the Charger (235/45R18 vs. 215/65R17).

The S60’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Charger SXT’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S60 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Charger SXT.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the S60’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Charger Scat Pack’s (37.1 feet vs. 37.5 feet). The S60’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Charger Scat Pack Widebody’s (37.1 feet vs. 39 feet).

Chassis

The S60 is 10.3 inches shorter than the Charger SXT, making the S60 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Volvo S60 amounts to more than styling. The S60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Charger (.304 to .38) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S60 get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the S60 Core is quieter than the Charger Scat Pack:

	S60	Charger
At idle	42 dB	52 dB
Full-Throttle	75 dB	87 dB
70 MPH Cruising	68 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

The S60 has .5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Charger.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the S60 easier. The S60’s trunk lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Charger’s liftover is 30.1 inches.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the S60’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Charger doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the S60 offers cargo security. The Charger’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the S60’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Charger doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Towing

The S60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Charger’s (2000 vs. 1000 pounds).

While the Charger 392 Hemi is not recommended to tow, any S60 can tow a minimum of 2000 pounds.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Charger, the S60 Ultimate/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The S60 Ultimate/Polestar has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Charger doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The S60’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Charger’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The S60’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Charger’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the S60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Charger can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The S60 has a standard locking fuel and charge port door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Charger doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The S60’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Charger’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The S60’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Charger’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Charger doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the S60 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Charger doesn’t offer cornering lights. The S60 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The S60’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Dodge charges extra for heated mirrors on the Charger.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo S60 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Charger doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The S60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar’s Park Assist Pilot can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Charger doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the S60 is less expensive to operate than the Charger because typical repairs cost much less on the S60 than the Charger, including $439 less for a muffler, $44 less for front brake pads, $141 less for a timing belt/chain and $96 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volvo S60 and the Dodge Charger, based on reliability, safety and performance.