2005 Volvo V50 - leading a pack of European Sportwagons
By Vince Bodiford,
Automotive Editor
You heard it here first: the beginning of the new era of Sport Wagons (once called Station Wagons) is upon us. You can thank high gas prices, the utility of Sport Utilities and the rediscovery of automotive style. Consumers flock by the millions to SUV's because they are go-anywhere, do-anything all weather workhorses, all the while loathing their thirst for fuel and poor road manners. Now there is an alternative - in the good-looking, fun to drive all-wheel drive European Sportwagons.
The Europeans have the jump-start on this emerging, exciting new segment, and the Volvo V50 is one of the best. The all-new Volvo V50 is the five-door active lifestyle sportswagon that follows the introduction of the all-new S40 sport sedan, which made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year.
The Volvo V50 replaces the previous V40, which was launched in the United States in 1999. From the outside, the all-new V50 is unmistakably a Volvo, a modern evolution of the sportswagon design language that began with the V70 family wagon. The Volvo V50 is a totally new five-door model with aggressive lines, intelligent design solutions and a flexible interior.
"The all-new V50 is the result of a consistent design strategy, in which the Volvo character has been developed for each new model," says Henrik Otto, Volvo Cars' Design Director. "Our new sportswagon is indisputably a genuine Volvo but, at the same time, it has its own, totally individual and distinct profile - with characteristics from classics such as the Volvo 1800 ES, Volvo 480 and its most recent predecessor, the V40."
The interior is a revolution, with an ultra-slim center console - the first of its kind in the automotive world - creating an aura of exclusivity, simplicity and space. "The center console is a design icon for the all-new Volvo V50 and S40 sport sedan," says Otto. "What sets the all-new V50 apart is the ability for the car to carry both people and all the important stuff that allows them to live their lives to the fullest. It is truly a car with a large capacity for life!"
The interior boasts an amazing sound system, which has to be the best I've ever heard in a Volvo. It delivers rich and crisp sound, like you'd expect to find in a car costing twice as much as the V50. The seats are typical Volvo - the most comfortable you'll find in any car at any price.
In the all-new Volvo V50, Volvo Cars continues its innovative use of steel. In the new, patented front structure, four different grades of steel are used in an intelligent interplay to provide maximum safety for the car's occupants. "Naturally, our goal is that the all-new Volvo V50 should be the safest car in its class," says Volvo Cars President Hans-Olov Olsson.
The V50 offers a choice of innovative 5-cylinder engines: a normally aspirated 2.4-liter unit producing 168-horsepower, and a 2.5-liter 218-horsepower light-pressure turbocharged T5 engine. Those who crave an even more dynamic driving experience may equip their car with electronically controlled all-wheel drive.
Our car had the T5 engine and all-wheel drive, which dished up plenty of power and control. Steering was light and precise, with excellent braking and handling. It's a quite car, but the exhaust is tuned just right and has a very nice sound. It's a real pleasure to drive - and a good balance of performance and utility. The ride is a bit stiff at slower speeds on bumps, but smoothes out on the highway.
Our test car was equipped with the available Dynamic Trim Package, which enhances the aggressive lines of the car through specially designed spoilers on the front; sides and rear, along with larger wheels and dual exhaust tips.
"With the all-new Volvo V50, we now offer our customers the benefits and utility of the V70 in a sporting, exciting design with exceptional road manners. Once again, Volvo is setting the standard in the wagon segment," comments Olsson.
Expanding the brand to appeal to a broader age range is an important part of Volvo Cars' strategy - it is particularly important that this new model appeal to young buyers. "We want to attract customers into the Volvo family as early as possible, and the new Volvo V50 will definitely appeal to younger buyers," said Olsson.
Like the all-new Volvo S40, the Volvo V50 will be built at the Volvo Cars plant in Ghent, Belgium. Volvo's production operations in Born in the Netherlands will cease with the phasing out of the previous Volvo S40 and V40 models. The Ghent Plant, when fully extended, will be the company's largest production unit with an annual capacity of 270,000 cars. Volvo Cars of North America expects to sell 6,500 units annually in the U.S.
The all-new V50 is the second in a range of new Volvo models sharing common technology with Ford and Mazda. The V50 is built on the same platform as the Mazda Mazda3 and the European-spec Ford Focus, which says a lot about its handling and build quality.
COMPARISON VEHICLES: Audi A4 1.8T Avant Quattro, BMW 325 iT Sport Wagon, Volkswagen Passat Wagon 4Motion.
HIGHS: As in all Volvo cars, the seats are among the most comfortable in the world. Amazing sound system.
LOWS: Stiff suspension delivers a ride that's a bit harsh.
VEHICLE PRICING: Starting at $25,660; T5 AWD MSRP $28,910. base price. Prices and equipment vary, see dealer for details.
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA estimates, 21-mpg city, 29-mpg highway.
LIFE'S A TRIP - Enjoy the drive. Be a safe and courteous driver, obey all highway laws, never drive impaired and buckle everyone up. Copyright © 2004 The Weekend Drive, All Rights Reserved.
