Volvo V50 (04 on) - Review

Review by Dan Harrison on
Last Updated: 16 April 2012
Volvo is one of the great estate makers - it's been doing it for decades. Volvos have always been practical, but those launched in more recent years - such as the Volvo V50 - have been increasingly stylish too. The V50 is essentially the estate version of the S40 saloon and is a good value alternative to the likes of the BMW 3 Series Touring with good levels of standard equipment, an elegant interior and strong build quality. There are also low-emissions DRIVe versions available that offer low running costs thanks to cheaper road tax and impressive fuel economy while the R-Design models get a sporty look inside and out. Volvo would like to consider the V50 a premium product and it’s fair to say that the interior is a classy affair with solid, aesthetically pleasing switchgear. Ergonomically, it’s unrivalled: seat comfort is among the best and the controls that sit in the ‘floating’ central console, are easy to understand. One might consider the V50 something of an unnecessary luxury when you consider the premium badge, but entry level models have a surprisingly low list price to go with a generous kit list. The DRIVe models might well be attractive to those looking to cut down their monthly costs but you’ll pay around £500 more on the list price if you go for the base ES model. The engine range isn’t confusingly exhaustive with a 143bhp 2.0-litre petrol, a 113bhp 1.6-litre diesel and a 149bhp 2.0-litre diesel. The 2.0-litre diesel can be specified with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the rest of the engine line-up comes with a six-speed manual. The ES only comes with the 1.6-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol however. If practicality is your priority then the Volvo is a strong choice: there’s plenty of leg- and headroom and the sizeable 417-litre boot extends to 1,307 litres with the rear seats down. The trim line-up of ES, SE, SE Lux and R-Design is pretty straightforward as you will see in our equipment section but we would recommend the DRIVe version in the SE Lux trim because it offers a generous level of equipment at a comparatively affordable price. For the full Volvo V50 review read on…
4 out of 5

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Buying new

A Volvo dealer would probably be happy for customers to negotiate a small discount on a new V50, particularly if it's a petrol model (diesels are more in demand), although they are popular cars and Volvo's best-seller. Some examples do crop up at car supermarkets occasionally, but the V50 is not a regular sight. It might be worth trying to persuade the dealer to throw in some attractive options for free. Cars with R Design styling will be more desirable when selling on.

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Buying used

There's plenty of used choice, from Volvo dealers, independents and in private sales. But it's worth being aware that not all engines were available from launch. probably the most desirable would be the DRIVe models launched in 2009, that have low annual road tax and - with the stop-start system - a 70mpg plus potential. All cars from late 2007 have iPod/MP3 compatibility while cars with R Design styling are desirable and command a premium over those without the kit.

  • Boot/Load Space Volvo V50 (04 on)
  • Interior Volvo V50 (04 on)

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4 out of 5

Selling

V50s are more appealing than the Volvo S40 saloon on which it is based and a diesel version should sell quickly, especially if it has the R Design styling kit. The DRIVe models are very cheap to run which is a strong selling point.