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2008 Volvo V50 Performance Review

July 22, 2008

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

the 2.4i felt like a tortoise on Xanax
Car and Driver

frugal yet peppy five-cylinder engine
Kelley Blue Book

T5…loses its choice of transmissions
Cars.com

at 3,126 pounds…a relative lightweight
Edmunds

Don't confuse quickness with satisfaction
Jalopnik

The 2008 Volvo V50’s mechanical bits are all over the map, from sedate to ferocious, comforting to kidney-jarring, according to reviews from around the Web.

Comments on the V50’s standard 2.4-liter inline-five, which registers 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet, range from “perfectly adequate” (Edmunds) to “unimpressive, especially up long grades” (Consumer Guide). The optional 2.5-liter turbo in the T5 brings 227 horses to the table, but perhaps even more significant, its 236 pound-feet of torque is available from 1,500-4,800 rpm, allowing, says Car and Driver, “launches off the line” and great highway passing, all with “no noticeable turbo lag.” Kelley Blue Book feels the “turbocharged engine brings the little V50 to life.”

Some bemoaned the cancellation of the T5’s manual transmission option, leaving a five-speed automatic the lone choice for the turbo engine in 2008: “the Geartronic manual shift mode is not as quick nor as fun to drive as the discontinued six-speed manual,” declares Edmunds. The base engine still has a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic. “Go easy on it and the stick can be slid from gear to gear with barely two fingers,” remarks Kelley Blue Book reflecting general praise for the manual transmission. Of the automatic, they feel it “seemed to work quite well.”

Car and Driver hails the base suspension’s “firm ride that manages to be both comfortable and compliant.” Cars.com agrees: “curves produce only modest body lean, and the sedan corners crisply.” The stiffly sprung sports suspension, standard with AWD models and included with the Sports Package, “makes for an uncomfortably stiff ride,” discloses ConsumerGuide. Edmunds concludes, “most drivers would be more content with the standard setup as it offers a more livable compromise between performance and comfort.” Of note is the electro-hydraulically assisted power steering standard across the board. It's a willing ally with the V50’s responsive chassis, one that Edmunds feels provides “high-speed confidence and low-speed ease.” “Just the right amount of effort,” agrees Road & Track.

Remarkably, both base and turbo engine achieve identical city/highway fuel-economy ratings of 20/28 mpg with the five-speed automatic. All-wheel drive drops both figures by 2 mpg.

Conclusion

The best choice among the different versions of the 2008 Volvo V50 seems to be a T5 minus the sport package and all-wheel drive.

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:the 2.4i felt like a tortoise on XanaxCar and Driverfrugal yet peppy five-cylinder engineKelley Blue BookT5…loses its choice of transmissionsCars.comat 3,126 pounds…a relative lightweightEdmundsDon't confuse quickness with satisfactionJalopnik The 2008 Volvo V50’s mechanical bits are all over the map, from sedate to ferocious, comforting to kidney-jarring, according to reviews from around the Web. Comments on the V50’s standard 2.4-liter inline-five, which registers 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet, range from “perfectly adequate” (Edmunds) to “unimpressive, especially up long grades” (Consumer Guide). The optional 2.5-liter turbo in the T5 brings 227 horses to the table, but perhaps even more significant, its 236 pound-feet of torque is available from 1,500-4,800 rpm, allowing, says Car and Driver, “launches off the line” and great highway passing, all with “no noticeable turbo lag.” Kelley Blue Book feels the “turbocharged engine brings the little V50 to life.” Some bemoaned the cancellation of the T5’s manual transmission option, leaving a five-speed automatic the lone choice for the turbo engine in 2008: “the Geartronic manual shift mode is not as quick nor as fun to drive as the discontinued six-speed manual,” declares Edmunds. The base engine still has a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic. “Go easy on it and the stick can be slid from gear to gear with barely two fingers,” remarks Kelley Blue Book reflecting general praise for the manual transmission. Of the automatic, they feel it “seemed to work quite well.” Car and Driver hails the base suspension’s “firm ride that manages to be both comfortable and compliant.” Cars.com agrees: “curves produce only modest body lean, and the sedan corners crisply.” The stiffly sprung sports suspension, standard with AWD models and included with the Sports Package, “makes for an uncomfortably stiff ride,” discloses ConsumerGuide. Edmunds concludes, “most drivers would be more content with the standard setup as it offers a more livable compromise between performance and comfort.” Of note is the electro-hydraulically assisted power steering standard across the board. It's a willing ally with the V50’s responsive chassis, one that Edmunds feels provides “high-speed confidence and low-speed ease.” “Just the right amount of effort,” agrees Road & Track. Remarkably, both base and turbo engine achieve identical city/highway fuel-economy ratings of 20/28 mpg with the five-speed automatic. All-wheel drive drops both figures by 2 mpg. ConclusionThe best choice among the different versions of the 2008 Volvo V50 seems to be a T5 minus the sport package and all-wheel drive.  2008 VOLVO V50 STYLING | [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: “looks as if it had spent many a long winter's night at a Swedish gym” Cars.com: “substantially freshened for 2008” Edmunds: “Volvo didn't automatically commit to the 'longer, lower, wider' philosophy” Fresh and modern at its ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2008 Volvo V50 occupies a price range between that of economical five-door small hatchback models and wagon versions of smaller sport sedans such as the Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series. The more affordable Audi A3 is a closer rival to the V50 and includes a more fuel-efficient and surprisingly powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. However, the A3 isn’t as roomy inside; it doesn’t have many of the safety features that are optional in the V50. Another possibility is the Subaru Impreza; in its base 2.5i form, it’s a much more affordable alternative, with standard all-wheel drive and performance from its horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that’s similar to that from the base five in the Volvo. But the so-called Impreza Wagon is no longer a wagon—it’s a shorter five-door hatchback. The 9-3 SportCombi, from Sweden’s other car brand, Saab, is perhaps the V50’s most direct rival, but the 9-3 SportCombi also has a cramped backseat while not offering the ride refinement and poise of the V50. All-wheel drive isn’t available on the SportCombi either.

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See the Volvo V50 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

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