2005 Volvo V50 Sportwagon

When you think "Volvo," two words usually pop into mind: safety and wagons. Following last-year's S60R, this year's all-new S40 sedan and the 2005 V50 Sportwagon, Volvo is hoping at add a third word: sporty. The V50 shares components from the new S40 chassis, which incorporates suspension and subframe components from the new Mazda3 and the new Focus's platform.

Aimed toward a more sporty-image-conscious buyer, the V50 was designed to offer more transportation versatility for active lifestyles; the Sportwagon also has safety levels on par with the S80. U.S. models will be available with a normally aspirated 2435cc version, producing 168 bhp or a light-pressure turbo T5 engine, which displaces 2521cc and produces 218 bhp. By using a low-boost pressure turbo system, Volvo engineers gave the T5 an elastic powerband with boost coming on at a relatively low 2500 rpm. The result is a stated 6.8 sec. 0 to 60 mph for the front-drive automatic T5.
Both motors are transversely mounted inline five-cylinder units with four valves per cylinder and variable camshaft timing. This configuration offers optimal power and engine balance while maintaining a minimal size for increased safety.

The T5 motor uses a new exhaust manifold with an integrally cast turbine housing. Both engines are offered with either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

T5 models are also available with the awd system derived from the S60R and V70R. This front-biased drive system uses an electronically controlled wet clutch system to apply power to the rear wheels in the event of front wheel spin. With 236 lb-ft of torque on tap, the T5's awd really helped minimize unintentional front wheel spin when pulling out from a dead stop.


The Sportwagon's handling is certainly more sporty than the its larger siblings, with more precise steering, added steering effort and improved suspension feedback. Through winding mountains roads, the flat torque curve ensured the engine never bogged down at the exit of a corner or on a hill climb-even when equipped with the automatic transmission. When pushed hard through tight corners, the wagon exhibited a minor amount of twitchiness in the tail and more rotation instead of the pronounced understeer of many awd cars. The twitch or instability is not from loss of traction but suspension tuning. Once accustomed to the added rotation, it provided a bit more driving excitement on the twisty bits. High-speed performance was certainly not deficient and the chassis remained confidently stable at triple-digit speeds. At those speeds, NVH was minimal and above par for a car of this size, so much so that the only indication of the velocity was the lessened response from the throttle at 100 mph.

Overall, the V50 displayed good balance in performance and practicality. When called upon, the car provided the required performance for on-ramp and lane-change acceleration, and handled these maneuvers without excessive roll or pitch. In fact, the ride quality was just what I expected for a wagon this size-not too rough or too soft. Even in the dirt, the ride was controlled and adaptively compliant.

The new look for Volvo's sporty vehicles combine classic Volvo features and more mainstream styling cues. The sweeping shape is a good combination of the old orthogonal lines and edges and the more excessive complex curves of the larger S80. The overall profile of the wagon and tall taillights make the V50 a more handsome car than the S40, and it far surpasses the more conservative look of the previous generation V40. When equipped with the optional lowering springs and Exterior Sport styling kit, which features additional front and rear spoilers, side skirts and a rear hatch lid spoiler, the V50 definitely stands out as my favorite Volvo in appearance.

The interior is a good combination of avant-garde design and functionality with trims and instruments clusters that are clean and simple-the perfect complement to the exterior. In fact, the audio console package was more reminiscent of Bang & Olufsen with its motion-image-capable dot-matrix display and tightly integrated buttons. The gauge cluster also repeats the theme of the interior with aluminum trimmed gauges and digital gear-select displays. The only gripe would be the need for more sporty supportive seats on the T5 awd model, though I do not imagine too many V50 owners slinging around corners with a wagon full of groceries or camping equipment.

The V50 Sportwagon goes on sale in the U.S. this summer with an MSRP ranging between $25k to $35k, depending upon engine configuration and packaging.