Vehicle: 2008 Volvo V50 2.4i with Sport Styling Pkg, Sport Pkg and Dynoaudio Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$43560

Performance: Instead of given us an uplevel T5, Volvo has provided us an entry-level motor for our compact wagon tester. This 2.4 liter 20-valve DOHC engine is certainly not a technological breakthrough even if its running on 5-cylinders. That’s despite its running quite smoothly for an odd-cylinderical displacement powertrain. 168hp and 170 lb/ft of torque are numbers that won’t get your heart bumping neither. This engine note is uninspiring and the responsiveness is adequate, due to the fact that maximum torque arrives at 4400 rpm. Once again, nothing spectacular. Even its CVVT, or Continuously Variable Valve Timing, doesn’t enhance its performance too much. This motor would serve well for an appliance, which is certainly suitable for V50’s application. However, when you look at the price tag, its another story altogether. Matched with the motor is Volvo’s usual Geartronic gearbox. Without the manumatic function, it makes a driver harder to squeeze the performance out of this rather unrefined motor. Unfortunately, the gear ratios don’t seem to match well with low-speed accleration nor high-speed cruising abilities. To make matters worse, 3400 lb of gross weight vehicle doesn’t help at the same time.

Handling: Even with our Sports Package’s so-called dynamic chassis setting, V50’s dynamic abilities remain as underwhelming as the S40 we drove a couple of years ago. As one expects from a safety-first company, driving pleasure has been taken a backseat to benign driving limits when engineered the car. The whole car is over-forgiving and civilized when pushed into the limits, not to mention its over-instrusive Dynamic Stability and Control traction kicking in whenever an enthuisastic driver tries to let the tail out. Surprisingly, its steering provides the usual feedback and confidence provide by Volvo. Ride quality is firm without being twitchy. Its actually a suitable cruiser during Westcoast’s fall weather. But when its time to push through black top twisties, there are much better cars out there.

Brakes: Volvo’s brakes have always been performed at expectations, same goes for this V50. Consider how much rain we got during the month of November, its brake continues to impress us with the sure-footness and confidence generate for the driver.

Interior: Volvo has improved most materials during initial facelift for V50. Both the center console and door panels have received softer and classier materials. The level of fit-and-finish have improved with solid fitting of those materials.

However, the major downfall of floating center console still haven’t solved. It remains ridiculously hard to reach for the back for console for smaller items. Thankfully, Volvo has engineered more console space for storage behind the center armrest. As expect from a Volvo, those seats are superb when it comes to support. Those sofa-like seats, however, are more suitable for long-distance cruising than pushing through corners. Because, for latter, the lack of side support would slide around with its slippery surface.

The backseat continues to be seriously lack of legroom. Headroom is adequate thanks to V’s straight-up C-pillers over S’s sloppy ones.

Despite of its low liftover and plenty of cubbyholes, V’s cargo space remains average despite its wagon status. Its not the level of spaciousness we usually expect from an affordable Volvo wagon.

Conclusion: Its hard to imagine if anyone is willing to dough out 43 grand for this underperforming Swedish wagon. Its not as versatile as we used to in Volvo wagons of old, it doesn’t have the driving pleasure of a sportswagon nor the performance of one. Worse of all, it doesn’t scream value and longevity through its track record.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2008 Volvo V50
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.25/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2.5/5