Volvo V50 Sportswagon 2004-2007

The Volvo V50 is a medium size family car built on the Ford Focus platform. Technically, it’s the estate version of the 2nd generation S40 sedan, so why did the car get a new index instead of being named a Volvo V40? The marketing department of Volvo wants the public to perceive the V50 as an entirely separate car, with a separate image and entirely different target market. Considering that the sales of the V50 are dwindling year in year out, the marketing message has failed to hit home.

Pros and Cons:

• Good build quality
  A great choice of powerful diesels
  Cheaper than similar German cars

• The larger petrol engines consume too much fuel
  The firm ride may disappoint

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Exterior and Interior

From the front end, both S40 and V50 looks the same, except of a small amount of chrome detailing on the V50’s nose. From the side, the car is completely different. The V50 is 2 inches longer than the sedan and it’s got uniquely styled rear lights.

The V50 repeats the lines of the larger V70 and is easily recognizable as a typical modern Volvo. The only thing that still connects it with the old boxy era, is the grille with the characteristic diagonal line and the blue logo. The lines are very smooth and curvy, maybe even too smooth for the people who liked the angular appearance of the older Volvo cars.

The interior design is elegant and conservative, made from great-quality materials. There is a unique feature that you won’t find on other Volvo models, not even on the S40. It’s a semitransparent central console resembling the 1980s kitsch phones or the high-end Swiss watches that have all the ’guts’ showing. Although not necessarily visually pleasing, the centre console of the Volvo V50 will make you appreciate how sophisticated your car’s electrical system actually is.

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Engines

The petrol range includes: 1.6-litre 98bhp, 1.8-litre 123bhp, 2.0-litre 142bhp, 2.4-litre 167bhp, 2.5-litre turbo T5 226bhp engines; the 3 diesel engines available are: 1.6-litre 107bhp, 2.0-litre 134bhp and 2.4-litre D5 177bhp.

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Performance and Economy

It’s more affordable than its direct competitors, unfortunately, it’s image is confusing. The engines offered with the V50 present a good opportunity for everyone to choose something that fits their driving style. The range is really wide. The basic 1.6-litre engine delivers under 100bhp and that makes it too weak for a certain amount of customers. However, 39mpg fuel economy is a decent return for an estate car. The 1.8-litre engine offers better dynamics and is only slightly thirstier at 38mpg.

With the larger engines, the fuel efficiency falls dramatically. The advertised value for the 5-cylinder engines is 32mpg, but in reality it can even be lower than that.

Overall, there are more economical petrol cars in the compact estate sector and this is where the V50 loses out.

That’s why choosing a diesel V50 is often the best way forward. The 2.0-litre diesel returns more than 45mpg and is a very quick car. It also has the same torque amount as the top of the range T5 turbo petrol engine. The large D5 common rail engine offers around 40mpg, but makes for a very active ride and give acceleration to 60mpg in around 8 seconds!

The V50 is equipped with an all-wheel drive system. Normally, 100% of torque will be sent to the front wheels, but the very instant the front wheels start loose traction and start spinning, the rear axle gets the torque and saves the situation.

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What it's like to Drive

The V50 offers an enjoyable driving experience. It has got sharp handling ability and the steering provides enough feedback regardless of being so dependant on electronics. With the larger petrol and diesel engines, the V50 gives a breathtaking performance that is easily comparable with the top German and Japanese ’sportwagons’. The only thing that some people might find disappointing is the firm suspension.

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Faults and Repairs

The first generation of the Volvo’s family car was based on the Mitsubishi Carisma and often suffered from reliability issues. The newer generation of both the V40 and V50 are built on the high-quality Ford Focus platform. This means the basis of the car is reliable and strong.

The turbo Volvos continue to suffer from the issues that have haunted the Swedish cars for decades, however, a full service history usually ensures that the car’s engine will be trouble-free.

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