2012 Volvo S60 AWD: MPG and fuel economy
The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 21 combined MPG, with 18 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Compact Cars class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 20% worse combined MPG than the average car in the Compact Cars class for the 2012 model year (26.3 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2012 model year is the Ford Focus Electric at 105 MPG.
- The Volvo S60 AWD has gained 6 MPG since its first rated model year, the 2002 Volvo S60 AWD at 20 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $3,500 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 21 MPG |
| City MPG | 18 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 26 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,850 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 423 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD compares
The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD returns 21 combined MPG. Cars in the Compact Cars class for the same model year average 26.3 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 20%.
The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2012 model year is the Ford Focus Electric at 105 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Volvo S60 AWD alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2012 model year (across all classes) returns 21.7 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2012 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 714.3 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,425 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,850 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $4,750 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Volvo S60 AWD
The EPA has rated the Volvo S60 AWD across 19 model years, from 2002 Volvo S60 AWD through 2021 Volvo S60 AWD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
The 2002 Volvo S60 AWD returned 20 MPG. The most recent 2021 Volvo S60 AWD returns 26 MPG. That is an improvement of 6 MPG over 19 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26 MPG | 2021 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2020 | 25 MPG | 2020 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2019 | 25 MPG | 2019 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2018 | 26 MPG | 2018 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2017 | 26 MPG | 2017 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2016 | 25 MPG | 2016 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2015 | 23 MPG | 2015 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2014 | 23 MPG | 2014 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2013 | 23 MPG | 2013 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2012 | 21 MPG | this page |
| 2011 | 21 MPG | 2011 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2009 | 21 MPG | 2009 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2008 | 21 MPG | 2008 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2007 | 21 MPG | 2007 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2006 | 20 MPG | 2006 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2005 | 20 MPG | 2005 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2004 | 20 MPG | 2004 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2003 | 19 MPG | 2003 Volvo S60 AWD |
| 2002 | 20 MPG | 2002 Volvo S60 AWD |
Compare against other Compact Cars for 2012
If you are cross-shopping the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Compact Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Ford Focus Electric leads this group at 105 MPG, 84 MPG ahead of the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD.
Specifications
The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD runs a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (s6), sending power through all-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Compact Cars
- Engine
- 3L 6-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 14.2 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD.
-
Is the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD returns 21 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Compact Cars class for the same model year by about 20%. -
What MPG does the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD get?
The EPA rates the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD at 21 combined MPG, 18 MPG in city driving, and 26 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2012 Volvo S60 AWD per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,850 for the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD use?
The EPA lists the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Volvo S60 AWD become more fuel efficient over time?
Yes. The first EPA-rated Volvo S60 AWD, the 2002 Volvo S60 AWD, returned 20 combined MPG. The most recent 2021 Volvo S60 AWD returns 26 MPG, an improvement of 6 MPG over the run. -
How much CO₂ does the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 423 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 6,348 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD?
City driving returns 18 MPG and highway driving returns 26 MPG, a gap of 8 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD?
The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD has a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD have?
The 2012 Volvo S60 AWD comes with a automatic (s6) transmission and all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive variants typically read 1 to 3 MPG lower than the front-wheel-drive equivalent of the same engine, since the extra hardware adds weight and parasitic loss. -
How does the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2012 model year is the Ford Focus Electric at 105 combined MPG. The Volvo S60 AWD returns 21 MPG, a gap of 84 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.