Volvo S80 Executive Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Volvo S80 Executive range
Prices: £32,705-£38,930 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-19
Emissions: 139-284g/km
Performance: [4.4] 0-60mph 6.0s / Max Speed 155mph
Fuel Consumption: [D5] (combined) 53.3mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact curtains WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4820/1830/1450

VOLVO’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

Our Rating: 7.1 / 10

The Volvo S80 is always at its most appealing when it’s heaving with kit. Andy Enright takes a look at the well-stuffed Executive versions

There can be few more underrated cars on sale than Volvo’s S80. Somehow it’s never quite managed to capture the public’s imagination despite being one of the most technically accomplished cars in its class. Technical accomplishment clearly only gets you so far. Undeterred by this relative apathy, Volvo has hit upon a slightly more overt tactic with the latest S80 Executive models. Load them up with standard equipment until it’s virtually impossible to crowbar anything else in. What’s more, it’s a strategy that might just work.

The trouble with a beautifully-finished chassis member or a half-million euros ploughed into fine tuning an anti-roll bar is that the prospective customer in the car showroom looking at the car rarely actually cares one way or the other. Yes, these factors matter when it comes to buyer retention as it means the owner will value the way the car drives but buyer retention is a moot point if the car lacks the showroom wow factor to turn potentials into punters. That’s where this Executive model scores so highly. Sit in one of these, softly turn the key and you’ll find more toys to play with than Hamleys. There’s the sort of chrome, wood and leather you thought were the preserve of British car manufacturers. It’s all rather agreeable.

So let’s take a deep breath and run through the specification of this Executive model. It’s based on the already well-appointed SE Lux variant but adds a premium sound system with Dolby Pro Logic surround sound, twelve speakers and an auxiliary input to fire mp3s from your iPod down the stereo’s neck. Add to that a DVD-based satellite navigation system and Volvo’s clever Personal Car Communicator with keyless drive and you’ll have more than enough buttons to press to enable you to find new functions months after you think you’ve got these systems taped.

In addition, buyers also receive active bi-xenon headlights, heated front and rear seats, heated windscreen washer nozzles, front and rear park assist and a rear seat audio console with a pair of headphone sockets. It’s a spec list that makes any of its comparatively-priced rivals look rather basic.

If that were the sum total of the Executive’s goodies, it would still raise a few eyebrows but there’s more. A lot more. The Executive is identifiable from the outside by its unique 18-inch alloy wheels and chrome sections on the lower air intake, fog light trims, door mouldings and rear lights. Don’t try to full beam an S80 Executive in other words as it has enough chrome to return the favour.

Inside, there’s soft leather upholstery that’s swathed across the door inserts and armrests with contrasting stitching and piping. As you can see, this is no mats’n’flaps lash up. Some serious thought has gone into this model. There’s a walnut wood framed centre console with contrasting aluminium inlays and a walnut and leather gear knob. That’ll do as far as specification goes. Let’s take a look at the engines.

Three powerplants are offered, a petrol and two punchy diesels. With a 315bhp V8 four-wheel drive flagship model on offer, Volvo has really upped the ante but elsewhere there are more accessible attractions that also catch the eye. The 2.0-litre five-cylinder D3 engine still holds appeal for the keen driver. 0-60mph in 9.2 seconds is good enough but 400Nm or torque between 1,400 and 2,850rpm is better. This economical diesel engine has the muscle to make the S80 feel like an executive car. At the top of the diesel line is the D5 with a 2.4-litre capacity, 202bhp but only 20Nm more torque than the D3. Unless you’re really pressing on, it won’t feel that much quicker but going all out, it can hit 60mph in 8.0s. Fuel economy for the D3 and D3 is an identical 53.3mpg.

Safety technology for the S80 includes active safety systems such as Collision Warning and Brake Support with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and a patented body structure developed at the Volvo Safety Centre. The S80 includes an optional key fob offering 'keyless drive' and incorporating a world first innovation – the Personal Car Communicator (PCC). This system features intelligent technology to remotely