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First Drive: 2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.

First Drive: 2012 Volvo S80
Can a more powerful diesel and an iPhone app make the Volvo S80 a 5 Series contender?

   



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| First Drive | Gothenburg, Sweden | 2012 Volvo S80 |

Overall rating: 4 4 4 4 4

The 2012 Volvo S80 is not a facelift, but a series of minor revisions designed to detract from the fact its three main competitors are newer and, frankly, better. But the D5 S80 has an awful lot going for it, including having more poke per carbon emission than anything Germany has to offer.

Key Facts

Model tested: Volvo S80 D5 Executive
Pricing: £36,835
Engine: 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6
CO2 emissions: 129g/km
Combined economy: 57.7mpg
Top speed: 143mph
0-62mph: 7.6 seconds
Power: 212bhp at 4,000rpm
Torque: 310lb.ft at 1,500rpm

In the Metal: 3 3 3 3 3

We're looking at a 2012 model year car here, not a proper facelift, so there are no real cosmetic changes to speak of - a couple of new colours, some new wheels and repositioned indicators are about it.

Inside, the centre console still 'floats' but the screen design above it is slightly different, while Executive level versions get a stitched leather dash. None of this moves the cabin away from hackneyed 'functional but vanilla' references - you know, mentioning a Daim-selling furniture store - but the quality of the surfaces is excellent and it's all dead easy to use.

Driving it: 4 4 4 4 4

The only major criticism comes before pressing the start button: the seat is set too high. That aside, the Volvo S80 is extremely easy to get comfy in, partly thanks to its really soft chairs. No side support, but proper bum catharsis.

If the seat height and mild ennui-inducing properties of the S80 are its lowlights, the revised D5 engine and ride quality are highlights. For a start there's the sound, which for someone who's expecting a clattering old diesel will prove a Susan Boyle moment. And like the Hairy Angel, the S80 might not be the most nubile thing, but it can dance a bit. It feels faster than it is, and the combination of a dense gearshift action, quick steering and a fairly unflappable chassis make it better to drive than you might be expecting.

Don't go expecting a sports saloon, however: it's front-wheel drive in a rear-wheel drive executive world. The steering is light and the wheel seems desperate to return to centre at all times, while the wheels themselves tend to veer slightly if a gung-ho throttle approach is taken.

Nope, comfort is this car's forte. Apart from some tyre and wind noise around the pillars it's deadly quiet, and the damping rarely falters, keeping control of both the body and whatever's underneath it.

What you get for your Money: 4 4 4 4 4

As part of an overall model realignment for 2012, Volvo has given the D5 engine 10bhp more but 10g/km less, the latter coming by way of stop-start. Volvo's City Safety package - which automatically brakes if you're too slow-witted or gung-ho to do so - is standard now, and options include the company's newest smartphone-based connectivity programme. We'll explain that below.

Incidentally, this D5 engine has the highest power output for any sub-130g/km car on sale, which means for company car buyers it's significantly cheaper to run than an equivalently punchy German. Ask your accountant for more on that.

Worth Noting

Spend £325 on the Volvo On Call option and you'll be able to download a free smartphone application that will keep you entertained for literally minutes. Beyond that it's quite useful as well, endowing you with the ability to pre-heat, lock, open the windows and even honk the horn of your car using your generic fruity phone. It'll also tell you how much fuel you have remaining; and let you stream from the millions of songs on Spotify, if you have an account. Clever stuff.

Summary

It's a shame that the Volvo S80 has to drag its image around like the veritable grandfather clock, because by most measures the D5 is a lovely car. Comfortable, quiet and quick, it's easy to rationalise over a German alternative, mostly because of its exceptional power-to-CO2 ratio. Who'll be bold enough to be boring, though?


Mark Nichol - 23 Jun 2011



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2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 

2012 Volvo S80. Image by Volvo.
 






 

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