Volvo S80 Saloon 1998-2005

The S80 was a fresh breeze in the conservative Volvo’s model range. Since the famous 480 it was probably the boldest move ever taken by the Swedish car manufacturer. By the time the classic well-loved 940/960 range had reached the crossroads, they decided to scrap the popular rear-wheel drive executive car and replace it with a front-wheel drive S80, which didn’t even have an estate version. Many devotees of the make were disappointed, but the S80 had never planned to have an estate version. Apparently it was done to establish Volvo in the difficult-to-conquer luxury car market.

Apart from an entirely different visual message, the new Volvo’s flagship included several technical innovations: it featured a transversely mounted V6 engine (a layout first seen on a British Leyland Princess of the early 1970s) coupled with the world’s smallest multispeed gearbox.

Pros and Cons:

• Large and comfortable
  Better fuel efficiency than in other luxury cars
  Great level of safety features

• Body roll and imprecise handling

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Exterior and Interior

The S80 was nothing like the cars that Volvo made previously. It was a notable move from the classic boxy bodies and traditional rear-wheel drive. A curvy Volvo might send some people into state of shock but generally, the new car was eagerly accepted, and Volvo built up on its initial experience and introduced similarly styled bodies in its smaller cars.

The interior is excellent and full of quality. The S80 is a big car and it offers a great level of comfort. It’s also the first car to come with a built in GSM phone, including a hands-free system.

The S80 also took the safety considerations to an entirely different level. It was the safest car in its class for 5 years in a row.

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Engines

The S80 is supplied with a range of powerful petrol engines: 2.4-litre 5-cylinder 140 – 200bhp, 2.0-litre turbo 5-cylinder 180bhp, 2.9-litre 204bhp and 2.8-litre V6 272bhp. There’s also a diesel 2.5-litre 140bhp 5-cylinder unit.

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Performance and Economy

Volvo positioned the S80 as an environmentally friendly car. You cannot really say it about the higher spec models that hardly manage 25mpg (although that’s good compared to its competitors), but I guess there is certain sustainability to the way the car was manufactured and distributed. The Swedish engineers had modelled a full-circle life for the car including designing a way the car will be dismantled and recycled after it has reached its maximum resource.

Despite the totally new image, very few people think of a Volvo as of a sporty car. Its boxy slowish image still clings on after decades. Nevertheless, the S80 with the high-spec T6 drive system could match dynamic characteristics of a top-of-the-range BMW model. The T6 can accelerate to 60mph in less than 7 seconds and its maximum speed is limited to 155, just like almost any large luxury sedan in Europe.

The most efficient engine from the S80 range is the 2.5-litre diesel. Although some might feel it is a little underpowered, it can still accelerate the car to 60mph in a little over 10 seconds, but it’s mainly the fuel economy that attracts the buyers at 44mpg.

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What it's like to Drive

Driving in a sporty manner in a Volvo 940 was quite a scary thought. Its successor, the S80, was an entirely different story. Not only was sporty driving possible, it was even encouraged. The front-wheel drive S80 feels strange if you switch from an earlier Volvo model. However, if you come fresh, you might like the S80 just as you’d like any other large powerful car. Compared to the similar models from the Mercedes or Audi range, there are differences. The S80 could do with a stiffer chassis. At high speeds the car wallow a lot, there’s significant body roll and steering is not sharp. It definitely is a sportier Volvo, but not there yet.

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Faults and Repairs

Although the diesel engine provides good economy, it is rather unrefined. It is a bit noisy and can produce several mild issues that should be addressed as soon as possible. Overall, the S80 is a reliable car.

Unlike other luxury cars, the S80 is relatively cheap to repair and maintain. The repair bill would never run as high as that of a Mercedes S Class.

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