Volvo S80 DRIVe Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Volvo S80 DRIVe
Prices: £23,485-£27,285 - on the road
Insurance Group: 15
Emissions: 119g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 11.7s / Max Speed 118mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 62.8mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact curtains WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4820/1830/1450

ECONOMY DRIVe

Our Rating: 7.0 / 10

Small engines and big cars haven’t been a good idea in the past but is the Volvo S80 DRIVe a sign that time are changing? Steve Walker reports.

Volvo’s S80 DRIVe is a full-size executive saloon weighing well over one and a half tonnes with a 1.6-litre diesel engine and 108bhp. Just think about that for a moment: If you managed to complete the task without having to stifle a yawn or being distracted by a patch of rapidly drying paint, it’s hats off to you. Whichever way you look at it, the S80 DRIVe is a big car with a very small engine and that is rarely a recipe for excitement. In its defence, we live in a time when excitement is a luxury that many motorists just can’t afford and cars like the S80 DRIVe might just be more in tune with that reality than the V8 supersaloons that top the executive car model ranges.

We’re used to seeing smaller engines going into compact cars but a 1.6 in an executive saloon? Audi has a 2.0 diesel in its A6 and BMW goes the same route with its most economical 5 Series but it’s hard to imagine these big German marques stooping to as low a capacity as Volvo has. Mercedes has a 1.8-litre petrol engine in its E-Class which comes closer but with the aid of a supercharger, it’s got quite bit of poke. Volvo may have gone precariously out on a limb in its quest for better economy or could it be the only brand brave enough and with the foresight to confront the inevitable? Much will depend on how the S80 DRIVe stacks up.

Volvo offers DRIVe versions across its range, but most of its cars are based on the same platform as the Ford Focus family hatchback and the S80 is far larger. The C30 tips the scales at under 1,400kg but the S80 is some 250kg heavier and yet the two cars use exactly the same engine. It’s a 1.6-litre common-rail diesel unit with 108bhp and 240Nm of torque. That’s a respectable total in a small hatchback but you have to worry about it in a car positioned as an executive conveyance.

You won’t be expecting this Volvo to handle like a BMW 5 Series – which is just as well because it doesn’t – so will a lack of power really matter? The S80’s strength has always been its long distance cruising ability and the torque of the small diesel engine in the DRIVe version should allow the car to keep up with motorway traffic in an acceptable manner. The real benefit then comes later in the shape of the fuel savings accrued and the not inconsiderable tax advantages available to business users.

DRIVe is Volvo’s efficiency brand and as well as a small, parsimonious engine, the S80 DRIVe features a series of aerodynamic modifications and low rolling resistance tyres to ease its progress through the atmosphere and across the tarmac. Otherwise, the vehicle is largely the same as any other S80 from the lower echelons of the range. The latest models feature a more distinctive nose with a larger badge, plus extra chrome detailing on the air intakes, the lower parts of the doors and under the tail lamps.

Inside, well, it’s all rather refreshing. Instead of trying to copy their German rivals, Volvo has gone its own way. The Swedes claim that their ‘design language’ radiates a simpler, more stylish and modern feel by combining aesthetics and technology in a more inviting and intelligent way. We’re not sure that we buy into that completely but there’s certainly a nice blend of no-nonsense Scandinavian style thanks to neat touches like the slim 'floating' centre stack in the middle of the dashboard, quality materials for upholsteries and a thoughtful choice of inlays and colour schemes that blend smoothly together. As before, there’s comfortable room for five adults and a huge 422-litre boot. For more carrying space from this brand, you’ll need a Volvo V70, effectively the estate version of this car.

There’s no cheaper way into a Volvo S80 than the DRIVe model. It’s available in ES, SE or SE LUX trim but there are hefty price differentials between them. The standard specification is far from shabby with an 80-watt stereo, electronic climate control and cruise control. On the outside, there’s a smart set of 16" alloy wheels.

The SE upgrade adds leather faced seats, an upgraded stereo, Bluetooth connectivity, rain-sensing wipers and 17" alloy wheels for around £1,600. The SE LUX comes at £2,000 on top of the SE and gets you Satellite navigation, electric seats and adaptive headlights. In-keeping with the austere approach of the DRIVe model and we’d be tempted to sti