2008 Volvo V50 T5

Peter Bleakney

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Call me superficial, but the Volvo V50 T5 can win me over on looks alone. Sure, it's not in-your-face gorgeous in an Italian exotic sort of way, but the wagon's taut, well-resolved lines look great from any angle, and its purposeful, planted stance gives it a sporting yet elegant demeanour.

This tester's optional exterior styling kit and 17-inch wheels added some extra visual zing.

It's more than just a pretty face, though. My front-wheel-drive tester with standard six-speed manual transmission proved to be a zippy, stable and suitably refined mini-hauler.

For 2008, the T5's light-pressure turbo 2.5 L five-cylinder engine gets a mild bump in power – up nine horses to 227 at 5,000 rpm. Torque remains at 236 lb.-ft. available from 1,500 to 5,000 rpm.

This is a smooth and flexible engine, with a torque plateau that resembles Saskatchewan. It doesn't feel as sporting as VW/Audi's 2.0 L FSI turbo four, as throttle response is more elastic and it's not so much of a revver, but in the mid-range, this five-pot provides a nice steady shove when called upon.

Volvo claims a 0-to-100-km/h dash of 7.2 seconds for this manual-equipped wagon. And a sweet manual it is. Clutch effort is light – some might find it too light – but take-up is progressive and silky smooth.

Similarly, the shifter action is light, but there's no vagueness, and gears slot in with a feel of well-oiled precision. If you can't drive this car smoothly, take the bus.

The electro-hydraulic steering is – you guessed it – low-effort as well. It does, however, deliver decent feel and accurately guides the sport wagon as you explore its balanced handling. Start pushing and the V50 defaults to understeer, but up to that point it is a very nice handling car with excellent body control and a firm yet compliant ride.

Inside, all the controls fall easily to hand, and the tilting/telescoping wheel and stubby shifter (both with aluminum inlay as part of the $2,750 Sport Styling Package) are a visual and tactile treat. Materials and tolerances are up with the best from Germany.

The centrepiece of this Nordic cabin is the stylish "floating" console – an arching sweep of aluminum (or a clever imitation) where you find the HVAC and audio controls. Four simple rotary knobs, a clutch of buttons in the middle and a stylized icon of a seated human for vent selection make for an elegant, artful and functional piece of interior design.

This tester's buckets, covered in Volvo's slick new T-Tec fabric, were a paragon of comfort and support. They weren't as armchair-cosseting as some other Volvos I've tested, but proved just right for extended motoring jaunts.

A nifty option for parents is e the $500 integrated child booster seats. The bottom cushions of the two outboard rear seats fold up, giving little tykes a raised perch and better seatbelt placement.

To fold the 60/40 rear seats flat, you must first flip up the lower cushions and then slide out the head rests, but the resulting load space is flat and comparable to other wagons in this class, I had no problem putting my bike there.

My tester had the optional $1,000 12-speaker, 650W DynAudio Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound upgrade. The sound was sensational.

Volvo has built its reputation on safety, so it's not surprising to find a plethora of electronic aids (ABS with electronic brake distribution and emergency brake assist, dynamic traction and stability control, active headrests, seat-belt pretensioners) and a full count of airbags. Volvo also touts the V50's side impact protection system and its collision energy management body structure.

All-wheel drive is a $2,500 option on this car. While the extra traction would be a welcome addition, I crossed the GTA in a winter storm, and this tester shod with 205/50R17 Gislaved Nord Frost winter tires felt all but unstoppable.

The V50 T5 carries a base price of $38,995, but swells to $47,745 with the addition of the $3,850 Sport Package (17-inch wheels, dynamic chassis, heated/powered/memory seats, bi-xenon headlights, Homelink), the $2,750 Sport Styling Package, upgraded audio, booster seats and metallic paint. This puts it right in the thick of the Audi A4 Avant 2.0T FSI Quattro and BMW 328xi Touring territory.

The V50 T5 may not be as dynamically engaging as some of its German counterparts, but it has its own charms, not the least of which being its refinement and sense of grown-up solidity.

Freelance auto reviewer Peter Bleakney can be reached at pebleakney@sympatico.ca

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