First class economy with Volvo's S80

Introduction

You might have missed the S80, Volvo's big saloon rarely mentioned in the same breath as the German cars its size and quality rivals. A favourite among the chauffeur services whisking passengers to international first and business class terminals, the S80 is a discreet but classy machine that offers lots of rear seat space and comfort.

What is it?

The S80 is Volvo's range-topping saloon, it offered with everything from the 2.0 turbodiesel tested here to a rather more potent V8 petrol with four-wheel-drive. In these more economical times the smaller engines make far more sense, particularly this new 2.0 D offering. It might be a Volvo saloon but the boot has estate-car rivalling capacity while the interior is very spacious for all passengers. Volvo's typical fuss-free styling keeps the fascia clean and uncluttered, everything working with the sort of ease of function that you wish many of Volvo's premium rivals could muster. No sports saloon the S80 is a cruiser, it a very nice place to wile away hours pounding out miles in quiet comfort.

How does it drive?

Start up the 2.0-litre turbodiesel and the initial clatter is rather worrying. However, it all quietens down on the move and at anything above 40mph it's almost silent. A manual transmission is unusual in a car this size, but the Volvo's 6-speed shifts with clean precision and the engine's ample torque is such that you'll quickly be skipping gears anyway. The ride is a touch busy at low speeds, it smoothing out when the speed increases, the S80 the sort of car that excels at covering big mileages with little fuss. With its rather lifeless steering and a chassis that's more comfort-orientated than sharper-driving German saloons the S80 2.0 D's apparent lack of on-paper power isn't really an issue. It delivers 134bhp, not a lot in such a big car, however the 236lb.ft of torque from just 2,000rpm means the S80 never really feels slovenly on the move.

The turbodiesel actually suits the S80's natural relaxed gait rather well, its low rev linear shove allowing easy unflustered progress. Not a car you'll get excited about driving, but then not everyone is looking to get out of the car after a drive fizzing. The S80 is the perfect choice for those simply wanting a big, spacious and comfortable way of covering large mileages as easily as possible.

Planet hugger or planet mugger?

Among its similar-sized turbodiesel engine rivals the S80 beats all but BMW's EfficientDynamics equipped 520d for economy and emissions. The S80 2.0D manages a highly respectable 49.6mpg on the official combined cycle, while CO₂ emissions are just 151g/km. Compared to Audi's 2.0 TDI A6 or the Mercedes E220 CDI the Volvo is around 3mpg and 10g/km better. Volvo customers can judge the environmental impact of their purchase via Environmental Product Information, Volvo's analysis of its cars environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. The S80 is also built in one of the world's cleanest factories too, Volvo' facility using renewable energy sources, while every car produced there is 85% recyclable by weight.

Verdict

Volvo's S80 might not immediately spring to mind as a rival for the familiar premium saloons from Germany, but it's a very worthy alternative. Not sporting to drive its appeal lies in its comfort and ease of use. It's spacious, offers good economy and emissions and also benefits from being a few thousand pounds cheaper than the premium norm.

Kyle Fortune

Friday August 15