2011 Volvo V50 T5
MSRP $29,000
The 2011 Volvo V50 T5 is a 5-passenger compact wagon. Wagons used to be “uncool.” They were percieved to be for boring people who led boring lives. Now, though, with the proliferation of crossovers out there and the restyling of wagons, they don’t carry a stigma anymore. Indeed, one would have to look really hard to distinguish the V50 from a small crossover.
The V50 T5 has a 2.5 inline 5-cylinder engine that produces 227 horsepower. It has 17-inch wheels, front wheel drive, and a 5 speed automatic transmission with a manual override. It is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway.
The T5 is the lesser of two trim levels. The other, the T5 R-design, is tweaked for sportier performance. The T5 is already sporty enough for a luxury or family wagon, so a move up in trim level isn’t essential here. The T5 comes with a tilt-telescope steering column, an 8-way adjustable driver’s seat, cruise control, and Dalaro upholstery. The sound system has AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, a USB/iPod interface, and bluetooth.
The V50 comes with anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints. There is also an optional blind spot warning system. Their test results aren’t available right now, but Volvo has always had a reputation as one of the safest cars on the highway. It is a great part of how they built their business.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The V50 T5 is a lot of things rolled up into one package. It is compact wagon, but it has elements of luxury and a very sporty engine. The interior is a stark contrast from the usual European understatement. The shapes, colors, and materials are very modern, and almost arty. The dash looks sorta like a high-tech panel in a movie.
The seats are ergonomically-designed and are both comfortable and supportive. There is plenty of legroom and headroom in the front, and adequate amounts of both in the back. The cargo space is great, too, especially if you fold the back seat down.
The drive and ride are both very good. While the T5 is sporty, it isn’t over-sporty for a wagon. The engine has a lot of pep, but not at the expense of mileage. It won’t remind you of a muscle or pure sport car, but it is enough to get in and out of traffic OK. The handling is responsive and accurate. The suspension is tweaked more toward sporty, but without sacrificing ride quality.
There really aren’t a lot of negatives here. The ones most cited are the unavailability of crash test results, and the features to price ratio. If there is any pattern to the criticism, it’s that the V50 T5 is a “tweener.” It’s sporty but not a sport car. It’s luxurious but not a luxury car.
The verdict: good car, but overpriced by about $5,000.
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