2010 Volvo S80 - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 2010 Volvo S80? MSRP: $39,200 - $50,950

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As the flagship model and largest sedan in Volvo's lineup, the 2010 Volvo S80 places a clear priority on comfort, safety, and technology over outright sportiness. However, it's still possible to imbue the S80 with a performance edge with either the turbocharged T6 model or the V-8 model.

The S80 has a conservative look from the outside; its profile and details play it a little too safe, in the opinion of the editors. A new grille, more chrome accents, and a more visible dual exhaust system help update the outside look for 2010, while inside the S80 gets other minor changes, such as silk-metal inlays and new door panel stitching. The interior is a little more overtly stylish, with a thin center stack that resembles a high-end audio system, including extra storage just behind for smaller items. While the design might be a bit stark and Scandinavian, the materials have verged more to the realm of traditional luxury cars in recent years, with chrome trims and real wood as well.

With a 235-horsepower, 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, the base 2010 Volvo S80 has plenty of power and a somewhat perky feel overall, and it sounds nice and refined. However, it's not nearly as exciting as the available 311-horsepower V-8, which comes with all-wheel drive and can get to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds. In between there's a T6 model, also with AWD, plus a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine making 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The all-wheel-drive system that comes in T6 and V-8 versions sends nearly all torque to the front wheels during normal driving but can reapportion up to 50 percent to the rear wheels as needed. Across the board, the S80’s powertrains are way too thirsty, and this is one of the S80’s chief failings. The base six-cylinder version gets an acceptable 18 mpg city, 37 highway, but both the turbo six and the V-8 will rarely break 20 mpg in real-world driving, with ratings of 16/24 mpg and 15/22 mpg, respectively. With any of the versions, the six-speed automatic transmission is quick to respond and quite smooth-shifting. In T6 or V-8 trim, the Volvo S80 offers an active suspension system that continually adjusts the S80's shocks from Comfort, Sport, and Advanced to fit varied types of driving; it can also tie in with the variable-assist power steering, which ranges from light to firm. TheCarConnection.com's editors strongly prefer the V-8 version, which brings thrilling acceleration, but it’s hard to get excited about the S80’s handling, which feels safe but too disconnected for a sport sedan.