July 7, 2005 - Light beer and diet soda marketing wanks have sold consumers the “less is more” mantra for years. Originally coined in the 1855 Robert Browning poem, Andrea del Sarto, the phrase was directed towards an apparently unfaithful missus to ease up on the infidelities. In the case of the new V50 premium compact wagon, Volvo is hoping less is definitely more.

Of course, Volvo’s been down this road before. With the “less is less” V40 wagon and S40 sedan, the Swedish brand masters attempted to coax potential BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 owners to come on over to Volvo’s side. But with a lightly turbocharged four-banger driving the front wheels, no available manual transmission, and not an athletic bone in its very forgettable body, the only thing linking the previous premium compact Volvo to its German competitors was that fact the car had round wheels. If Volvo has it their way, the new 2005 V50 wagon and sister S40 sedan premium compact replacements will make up for the previous car’s sins—and then some.



Both new Volvos are based on a Ford global platform that has also spawned the Mazda3, Mazda5, and the European Ford Focus. In addition to the current models, expect a three-door hatch, a Cross Country version of the wagon. and a folding metal-hardtop cabrio added to Volvo’s compact lineup over the next few years.

Unlike General Motor’s tepid approach of mildly upgrading a mainstream Subaru Impreza, and then marketing it as a “premium compact” Saab 9-2X, Ford’s taken a much more comprehensive approach. With exclusive exterior and interior styling, luxury features and drivetrains—and a base $32,120 starting price where it’s hard to spend more than $25k on a loaded Mazda3—the Volvo is distinctively different from its Mazda mate. And, at least on paper, safer.

Crumples zones made up of three types of SUV-absorbing steel, four wheel/four-channel anti-lock disc brakes with electronic brake distribution AND emergency brake assist are all part and parcel of every new S40 or V50. Standard safety features also include the WHIPS head restraint whiplash protection system, seatbelt pre-tensioners for the four outboard passengers and seatbelt force limiters for the front occupants, a deformable steering column, collapsible pedals, and dual-stage front airbags. And then there is Volvo's SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) which includes reinforced tubular beams between the A-pillars, side-impact airbags, curtain airbags, diagonal beams of high strength steel in the doors and significantly reinforced B-pillars.



So, yah shoor, the V50 is a Volvo all right. And with a range of naturally aspirated and turbo engines, front- and all-wheel drive, plus manual and automatic transmissions, if you can’t find a V50 drivetrain option that doesn’t catch your fancy, don’t blame Volvo.

My test car was a base 2.4i front-drive model that came with the same 168 horsepower, 170 lb.-ft. of torque 2.4-litre, straight-five and five-speed manual tranny found in the larger V70. Pay $5k more for the turbo 220 horsepower T5 model and you also get the slick six-speed stick that usually resides in the Q-ship V70R. The final rung in the V50 hierarchy is the T5 AWD at $39,620 that adds, yup, you guessed it, the Haldex all-wheel-drive also found in other more premium-priced Volvos, Volkswagens, Audis, and Ford’s Five Hundred and Freestyle. A five-speed automatic 'Geartronic' automanual transmission is optional across the board.

The V50’s exterior is damn near a Xerox reduction of every other Volvo out there. However, inside, the most diminutive of Volvos takes its own design path.



The industry’s first “floating” centre console is the big attraction-getter. Apparently inspired by high-end audio remotes, it’s a combination of old-style big knobs with a flat central info screen that frees up storage space where a console would normally attach to the dash. The soft rubber on the four large controls is grippy, and easy to use even with gloves on. The main display provides HVAC and audio info as well as some basic car settings. Besides being a conversation starter, the slick centre console is simple and it works.

Other ergonomic highlights were some of the most orthopedically correct and structurally safe seats in the biz, a steering wheel that both tilts and telescopes, a wide cabin that belies its compact roots, and excellent all-around visibility.

Base cars come with a durable synthetic Volvo calls T-Tec. The extra cowhide on the steering wheel and shift knob is part of a $2,900 Sport Package that also adds 17-inch alloys and tires, power and memory to the driver’s seat, lumbar to the front passenger seat, front fog lights, and stiffer springs and shocks. For those who can’t pony-up for the T5 AWD model, potentially the most attractive item is the Stability and Traction Control system that’s also included as part of this package. A $900 Climate Package adds heated bun warmers to the front seats, headlight washers, electronic climate control, a rain sensor and an interior air quality system—all luxury features that the Mazda3 is bereft of.



Driver instrumentation on the V50 is straightforward with two large dial. Tach on the left, speedo on the right, oil temp and fuel below—with a smaller electronic display sandwiched in-between. Despite the lack of quality plastics, the switchgear felt solid. Unfortunately, it also appeared to be proportionally Munchkin-sized. Every button, knob, door handle, etc. is about 60% smaller than what you would find in a V70. The light switches nestled to the left of the steering wheel and the floor pedals are particularly tiny.

On the road, despite having all of that safety “stuff” jammed into the V50, its the most fun-to-drive car in the current Volvo lineup with a surprisingly sprite 1,387 kilograms curb weight. You can thank its compact proportions and a suspension made up of struts, coil springs and stabilizer bar up front with an independent multi-link rear suspension with coil springs and a stabilizer bar that’s been breathed on by the excellent Euro Ford suspension gurus. The 17-inch rubber helped in overall grip, and the car corners flat because of it. But it felt like the additional unsprung weight of the larger wheels and tires overwhelmed the suspension causing a harsh ride over sharp bumps that a BMW 325i Touring ($41,400) or an Audi A4 Avant 2.0 T ($42,200) would shake off with aplomb. Other debits in the driving dynamic is steering that was accurate, but vague in feel; especially on-centre.



The non-turbo five-banger's performance is adequate. With its distinctive fiver growl, its actually fun running through the gears. Getting to 100 kms/hr from zero takes about eight seconds. The T5 will lop about one and a half seconds off of that time, but with compensate turbo lag. The five-speed stick had short throws, with only a slight indecisiveness in the throw from second to third.

One might look at the pricing on the V50 and say, “Wow! That’s a lot less than what BMW or Audi wants for their compact wagons.” Um, well, yes, and, no.

From a features (especially safety) standpoint, no doubt, the V50 stacks up well against the BMW or the newly updated Audi A4. Comparably equipped, the two mentioned compact German wagons get to $50k really fast. However, the V50 can’t match these two cars in build or material quality and sophistication in the ride and handling department. It really comes down to the ol' "You get what you pay for."



It’s more of a fair fight if you shop the Volvo V50 is in the emerging premium compacts segment. Newbies such as the said Saab 9-2X Linear ($28,950), Audi’s new A3 five-door ($33,550), or even the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz B Class (which will be similarly sized and priced), can’t match the Volvo on the value scale.

Add to the facts that these competitors are really five-door hatches, not true wagons, for now, the 2005 Volvo V50 is unique in its class. With generous luxury and safety features, and an athletic platform, the 2005 Volvo V50 is the best driver's car in a Volvo showroom, and genuinely proves that less really can mean more.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com



Just the facts…
Build quality 
Features 
Performance 
Fun-to-drive
Overall value 

Model reviewed: 2005 Volvo V50 2.4i
Vehicle Type: Front-engine, front-drive, five-passenger compact wagon
Engine: Variable DOHC, 2.4-litre V-8, aluminum block and heads
Horsepower: 168-hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque: 170-lb.-ft. @ 4,400 rpm
Curb Weight: 1,387 kilograms
0 to 100 kms/hr: 8.0 seconds
Top Speed: 220 kms/hr
Wheels & Tires: 17 x 8 in. alloy, 205/50 R17
Base price: $32,210
Price as Tested: $37,795