2005 Volvo V50 Review

Volvo feels it's safe to mention station wagons again, now that it's pretty much buried its old image as a producer of boxy, underpowered wagons and sedans.

Such an image wouldn't play well in today's vehicle market, which is leaning toward sporty "crossover'' vehicles that essentially are sporty station wagons.

Even Volvo stops short of calling its new entry level four-door V50 a station wagon -- calling it an "active lifestyle sportswagon,'' instead. However, small, sporty wagons also are becoming popular, and the V50 is good enough to go grille-to-grille with small wagons such as the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The rather small but roomy 178-inch-long V50 succeeds the discontinued, small Volvo V40 wagon, which was based on a Mitsubishi design. The V40 was considerably slower than the V50 and never felt like a true Volvo. The V50 shares its chassis and some parts with the Mazda 3 and 2005 European-market Ford Focus, as Ford owns Volvo and controls Mazda.

The V50 is similar to Volvo's slick new S40 sedan (March 15 AutoTimes) and is made in Belgium, not Sweden. The V50 comes with front or all-wheel drive (AWD) and goes from $25,660 to $28,910. That makes it more affordable than the larger 2004 V70 and XC70 Volvo wagons, which start at $28,460 and go to $38,750.

Despite lower prices, the V50 is well equipped. Even the base front-drive 2.4i version has standard air conditioning, cruise control, tilt/telescopic leather-covered steering wheel, split-folding rear seat, AM/FM/CD sound system and power windows, mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry.

The higher-line T5 version, which comes with front or all-wheel drive, adds automatic climate control, a power driver seat and nifty aluminum interior trim.

This is a Volvo, so it's packed with safety features. All V50 versions have front side and curtain side air bags, front-seat active head restraints and anti-lock brakes with a brake assist feature to allow surer panic stops. An anti-skid system is offered for $695.

Options include a power glass sunroof and leather upholstery, which each cost $1,200, and $300 dual integrated rear child seats. A $2,195 Premium Package for the T5 and T5 AWD versions has the sunroof, leather upholstery, power front passenger seat and memory function for the driver's seat.

The 2005 V50 wagon looks good enough to appeal to younger buyers. They can make the T5 look racier and handle better with the $2,025 Dynamic Trim Package; it has spoilers, side skirts, larger 17-inch (vs. 16-inch) wheels and wider 50-series (vs. 55-series) tires. It also has a sport suspension, which is standard for the V50 T5 AWD model.

You don't get more power with the Dynamic package, but the V50 is plenty fast with the 218-horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. It was in my $28,910 V50 T5 AWD, which had a responsive five-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift capability.

The front-drive T5 also offers a six-speed manual gearbox, which is a youth-oriented item in a wagon -- or "sportswagon,'' if you will.

The 2.4-liter engine in the $25,660 V50 2.4i front-drive wagon provides 168 horsepower and is offered with a five-speed manual gearbox or the $1,200 five-speed automatic with the manual-shift feature.

While decidedly better than the old V40 wagon, the V50's five-cylinder engine may seem odd to some people. (Why not a smoother six-cylinder?) However, the T5 engine has little turbocharger lag, which would cause hesitation during acceleration. It whisks the T5 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and provides quick 65-75-mph passing.

The V50 2.4i five-cylinder engine provides decent, but hardly neck-snapping, acceleration, but delivers a few more miles per gallon in the city and on highways with either transmission.

The solid-feeling V50 T5 AWD has quick steering and a tight turning circle, although some may feel it's overly light. Handling is good, and a firm-but-supple suspension provides a nice ride. The brake pedal feels rather soft, but has a progressive action. Stopping distances are short.

The seats provide good support up front and sufficient thigh support in the rear. There's decent room for four tall adults in the tastefully restrained interior, thanks to an especially large rear-seat area -- although the center of the back seat is hard. Rear armrests contain cupholders, but they're too shallow for some beverage holders.

The windshield wiper stalk interferes with easy access to the dashboard mounted ignition switch, and inside door handles are small. However, the slim center console and stack, which houses audio and climate controls, take up a minimum amount of space and look elegant. Front doors have convenient pockets and all doors have hand grips above them.

The tilt-telescopic wheel helps allow a comfortable driving position. Gauges can be quickly read, and audio and climate controls are commendably large and easy to use when driving.

The roomy cargo area has a low, wide floor. And the entire rear seat easily folds forward to greatly increase cargo room -- although rear seat headrests must be removed when that's done. The tailgate has a nice pull-down grip to help close it in a hurry.

The sporty, practical Volvo V50 wagon is a good companion to the above-average S40 sedan and should widen the audience for entry-level Volvos.

2005 VOLVO V50

PRICES
$25,660-$28,910

LIKES
Roomy new version. Fast with T5 engine. Comfortable. Available all-wheel drive.

DISLIKES
Overassisted steering. Rather soft brake pedal. Wiper stalk blocks ignition switch.