Volvo S80 Review
There's a great range of engines for the S80, petrols include a 2.0 litre, a 2.5 Turbo, a 3.2 six cylinder and for those of larger wallets a 4.4 V8. More popular will be the diesel variants, starting with a newly introduced 2.0 diesel, and the evergreen 2.4 Diesel in either standard 16o bhp trim or the more powerful 185 bhp D5 unit. All except the 2.0 litre units pull the car strongly, with the 2.0 diesel being popular as a company car choice but slightly underpowered. The 3.2 6 cylinder has a very sporty character and does like to be revved, whilst the D5 will be the popular choice among private buyers.
The S80 is competitively priced, and its main disadvantage comes when customers think of an executive car with a premium badge, thoughts naturally drift towards the German manufacturers, so the S80 might not be the first that comes to mind. Depreciation will be slightly heavier on the S80 because of the lack of a more prestigious logo on the Bonnet - if you're badge sensitive, look elsewhere.
The interior of the S80 is shared with the V70 and XC70 estates, which means its stylish and solid, if lacking a little of the class of some of the rivals from Audi or Mercedes. comfort is a given, with Volvo being known as masters of the comfortable seat and great when it comes to positioning of all the major controls, everything falls within easy reach and is well laid out. controls feel like they would last years of abuse from clumsy fingers too. Being such a big car it can easily seat 5 in comfort, and there are plenty of cubby holes scattered around the cabin for storing oddments in, and boot space is generous, although if you need something larger, look at the V70 estate sister car.
Volvo's standard equipment eclipses anything rival manufacturers offer, with the SE giving dual zone climate, electric seats and a good sound system, Lux models get soft leather as standard. SE Sport brings 18" alloys and the active-four chassis, which adjusts the firmness of the suspension depending on the type of road you're on, making it feel agile and composed on the twisty stuff, along with heated ventilated leather sports seats. top spec Executive models even give you an inbuilt fridge!
Volvo is now also offering Free RTI satellite navigation on all models built from July 2008 onwards.
Overall the Volvo S80 is a great alternative to some of the more predictable German manufacturers, with plenty of standard equipment and a good ride, although lacking a little in flair. It may lose a little more come resale time, but you can make up for this with a healthy chunk of discount up front with just a little bartering, and that's the price you pay for individuality.
