Volvo S80 Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Volvo S80 range
Prices: £21,745-£46,995 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 15-18
Emissions: 129-284g/km
Performance: [2.5T] 0-60mph 7.2s / Max Speed 148mph
Fuel Consumption: [2.4D] (urban) 32.8mpg (extra Urban) 57.6mpg (combined) 44.8mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact curtains WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4820/1830/1450

VOLVO’S PRIME MOVER

Our Rating: 7.0 / 10

Volvo’s S80 is the thinking executive’s choice. Jonathan Crouch explains why

Safe, sturdy and dependable virtues are all very well but to succeed in the executive car class, Volvo’s S80 needs to do more and the second generation car has had an impressive stab at it. Strong engines and a lively driving experience help, as does the slick Swedish interior. It might be unremarkable to look at but for Executive saloon buyers not obsessed with German badgework, the improved S80 makes remarkable sense.

Despite Volvo’s best efforts, their S80 executive saloon is probably best known as the car that wafts Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class passengers from their homes to their executive airport lounge. Few will have noticed it on the way – it’s that kind of highly efficient, yet unassuming car.

The first generation version was very similar and when it was replaced by this car in 2006, most assumed that Volvo would deliver something more dynamic. In many ways they have, but it isn’t immediately obvious. Still, if you find class-leading safety, V8 power or outstanding economy dull, then I guess that’s your loss. The car has recently received a more distinctive look and an improved diesel engine line-up.

You won’t be expecting this Volvo to handle like a BMW 5 Series – which is just as well because it doesn’t, even if you specify the optional ‘Lowered Dynamic Chassis’. But then, no other Executive saloon in the sector handles like a 5 Series either and few of them compensate by being such a relaxing long distance companion as the S80. Those that do are either much more expensive – or they depreciate like a stone. Better to go for the ‘Comfort’ chassis specification and enjoy this car for what it is.

The engine line-up is a lot more exciting than you’ll be expecting with plenty of headlines. A V8 petrol 315bhp flagship with four wheel drive is just the start of it. If you fancy something a little more home-grown, the next engine down – a 3.2-litre 235bhp six-cylinder powerplant – is actually built in Wales and is so carefully designed that it’s actually smaller than the two five cylinder engines that were carried over from the first generation S80 line-up. These include a 200bhp 2.5T petrol unit and the 205bhp D5 diesel, which puts out a huge 420NM of torque.

The version we’d go for though, is the 2.0D. Forget its 136bhp power output: what’s actually important is the 320Nm of torque, pulling power that’s comparable to the much more expensive 2.5T petrol version. We can’t imagine why any executive would need more everyday performance than this (and we certainly can’t see any point in buying the 175bhp 2.4D version). Rest to sixty is dispatched in ten seconds on the way to 130mph, yet you should average 50mpg on a daily basis – better than a common or garden petrol family hatch. None of the German makes can produce a model to rival the S80 2.0D and they certainly can’t get near to its sub-£25,000 asking price. For even less, executive buyers more concerned with low running costs than high power outputs can opt for a thrifty 1.6-litre diesel DRIVe model.

First impressions are deceiving with this car. It’s only when you get the Mk1 S80 next to the current generation model that you’ll see quite how far it has evolved. OK, so many of the primary design cues are still much the same - the distinctive shoulders that run all the way back to the tail lights, the arched roofline and the rather bluff front grille up front. Look beyond them though and you can see some significant changes to the vehicle’s stance and its fine detailing. The old S80 was a bit of a frumpy thing. This one has smartened up nicely and the most recent models feature a more distinctive front featuri