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2009 Volvo V50 Performance Review

February 21, 2009

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

no noticeable turbo lag
Kelley Blue Book

curves produce only modest body lean, and the sedan corners crisply
Cars.com

high-speed confidence and low-speed ease
Edmunds

From sedate to ferocious, comforting to kidney-jarring, performance reviews of the 2009 Volvo V50 are all over the map.

Opinions regarding the Volvo  V50’s 2.4-liter inline five-cylinder engine, which registers 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet, range from “perfectly adequate” (Edmunds) to “unimpressive, especially up long grades” (ConsumerGuide).

The optional 2.5-liter turbo in the T5 increases horsepower to 227, but perhaps even more significant, its 236 pound-feet of torque is available beginning at 1,500 rpm, allowing, says Car and Driver, impressive “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.”

The base engine still has a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic, but “the Geartronic manual shift mode is not as quick nor as fun to drive as the discontinued six-speed manual,” declares Edmunds. “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.”

The stiffly sprung sports suspension, standard on the T5 AWD and included with the Sports Package, “makes for an uncomfortably stiff ride,” discloses ConsumerGuide. 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.” 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 says provides “high-speed confidence and low-speed ease.” “Just the right amount of effort,” agrees Road & Track.

Conclusion

The 2009 Volvo T5 AWD offers the best performance but brings a hard ride.

PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:no noticeable turbo lagKelley Blue Bookcurves produce only modest body lean, and the sedan corners crisplyCars.comhigh-speed confidence and low-speed easeEdmunds From sedate to ferocious, comforting to kidney-jarring, performance reviews of the 2009 Volvo V50 are all over the map. Opinions regarding the Volvo  V50’s 2.4-liter inline five-cylinder engine, which registers 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet, range from “perfectly adequate” (Edmunds) to “unimpressive, especially up long grades” (ConsumerGuide). The optional 2.5-liter turbo in the T5 increases horsepower to 227, but perhaps even more significant, its 236 pound-feet of torque is available beginning at 1,500 rpm, allowing, says Car and Driver, impressive “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.” The base engine still has a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic, but “the Geartronic manual shift mode is not as quick nor as fun to drive as the discontinued six-speed manual,” declares Edmunds. “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.” The stiffly sprung sports suspension, standard on the T5 AWD and included with the Sports Package, “makes for an uncomfortably stiff ride,” discloses ConsumerGuide. 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.” 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 says provides “high-speed confidence and low-speed ease.” “Just the right amount of effort,” agrees Road & Track. ConclusionThe 2009 Volvo T5 AWD offers the best performance but brings a hard ride.  2009 VOLVO V50 STYLING | [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: “athletic, highlighted by short overhangs and bulging fenders” Edmunds: “Volvo didn't automatically commit to the 'longer, lower, wider' philosophy” Cars.com: “substantially freshened” The 2009 Volvo V50 remains fresh and ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

The 2009 Volvo V50 occupies the price range of smaller sport sedans such as the Audi A3 and BMW 3-Series. The more affordable Audi A3 is a closer rival to the V50, but the A3 isn’t as roomy inside and doesn’t have as many of the safety features that are optional in the V50. The A3 does feature a more fuel-efficient, and surprisingly powerful, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In its base 2.5i form, the Subaru Impreza is 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; compared to the V50, the 9-3 SportCombi doesn't offer any more usable interior space, but it does promise more performance, with a more powerful line of four-cylinder and V-6 turbocharged engines. And all-wheel drive is now available throughout the 9-3 lineup—as opposed to on a single model as in the V50. The new VW Jetta Sportwagen is another close competitor; compared to the V50, the Sportwagen also feels very refined inside and has the settled ride of a larger car; the VW also has an interior configuration that feels roomier than that of the V50, although the V50 maintains a more distinctive appearance and feel inside.

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See the Volvo V50 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

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