Volvo S80 DRIVe : ECONOMY DRIVe

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Small engines and big cars haven't been a good idea in the past but is the Volvo S80 DRIVe a sign that time are changing? Steve Walker reports.

Volvo's S80 DRIVe is a full-size executive saloon weighing well over one and a half tonnes with a 1.6-litre diesel engine and 109bhp. Just think about that for a moment: If you managed to complete the task without having to stifle a yawn or being distracted by a patch of rapidly drying paint, it's hats off to you. Whichever way you look at it, the S80 DRIVe is a big car with a very small engine and that is rarely a recipe for excitement. In its defence, we live in a time when excitement is a luxury that many motorists just can't afford and cars like the S80 DRIVe might just be more in tune with that reality than the V8 supersaloons that top the executive car model ranges.

We're used to seeing smaller engines going into compact cars but a 1.6 in an executive saloon? Audi has a 2.0 diesel in its A6 and BMW goes the same route with its most economical 5 Series but it's hard to imagine these big German marques stooping to as low a capacity as Volvo has. Mercedes has a 1.8-litre petrol engine in its E-Class which comes closer but with the aid of a supercharger, it's got quite bit of poke. Volvo may have gone precariously out on a limb in its quest for better economy or could it be the only brand brave enough and with the foresight to confront the inevitable? Much will depend on how the S80 DRIVe stacks up. Volvo offers DRIVe versions of its C30, S40 and V50, cars that are based on the same platform as the Ford Focus family hatchback. The C30 tips the scales at under 1,400kg but the S80 tips the scales some 250kg heavier and yet the two cars use exactly the same engine. It's a 1.6-litre common-rail diesel unit with 109bhp and 240Nm of torque. That's a respectable total in a small hatchback but you have to worry about it in a car positioned as an executive conveyance. You won't be expecting this Volvo to handle like a BMW 5 Series - which is just as well because it doesn't - so will a lack of power really matter? The S80's strength has always been its long distance cruising ability and the torque of the small diesel engine in the DRIVe version should allow the car to keep up with motorway traffic in an acceptable manner. The real benefit then comes later in the shape of the fuel savings accrued and the not inconsiderable tax advantages available to business users.

"â€¦it's a car of its time and more and more people might be coming around to its way of thinking"

DRIVe is Volvo's efficiency brand and as well as a small, parsimonious engine, the S80 DRIVe features a series of aerodynamic modifications and low rolling resistance tyres to ease its progress through the atmosphere and across the tarmac. Otherwise, the vehicle is largely the same as any other S80 from the lower echelons of the range. The latest models feature a more distinctive nose with a larger badge, plus extra chrome detailing on the air intakes, the lower parts of the doors and under the tail lamps. Inside, well, it's all rather refreshing. Instead of trying to copy their German rivals, Volvo has gone its own way. The Swedes claim that their `design language' radiates a simpler, more stylish and modern feel by combining aesthetics and technology in a more inviting and intelligent way. We're not sure that we buy into that completely but there's certainly a nice blend of no-nonsense Scandinavian style thanks to neat touches like the slim 'floating' centre stack in the middle of the dashboard, quality materials for upholsteries and a thoughtful choice of inlays and colour schemes that blend smoothly together. As before, there's comfortable room for five adults and a huge 422-litre boot. For more carrying space from this brand, you'll need a Volvo V70, effectively the estate version of this car. There's no cheaper way into a Volvo S80 than the DRIVe model. It's available in SE or SE Premium trim but there's a hefty £2,000 price differential between the two. The standard specification is far from shabby with a 160 watt stereo, rain-sensing wipers and a rear-view mirror with integrated compass (who needs satellite navigation). On the outside, there's a smart set of 17" alloy wheels. The Premium upgrade is basically leather trim and satellite navigation, so many buyers will deem it worth the £2,000 but such luxuries aren't really in-keeping with the austere approach of the DRIVe model and we'd be tempted to stick with the car in its most basic and cost effective form. It certainly is cost effective too. As we've said, the S80 is in the same sort of size ballpark as an Audi A6 or a BMW 5 Series but at under £22,000, the DRIVe derivative drops it down to the sort of money you'd expect to pay for an unremarkable medium range family saloon. You'll need at least £3,000 more to get any kind of Audi A6, so while the S80 DRIVe may be under-powered, it's also under-priced. Executive car buyers who've made it this far are probably holding out for a breathtaking economy figure. They're thinking; "this car is going to have to be spectacularly economical for me to turn up at the golf club in it and avoid the ridicule that would accompany a 1.6-litre executive saloon". Well, the bottom line for the S80 DRIVe is a 57.6mpg economy figure and CO2 emissions of 129g/km. That's pretty darn good and it makes the S80 DRIVe just about the most fuel and tax efficient car in the executive car sector. The big names BMW, Audi and Mercedes all have models that run the S80 DRIVe very close with economy in the low 50's from cars that have far superior performance but if outright economy is your bag, the Volvo will hold definite appeal. Company car user-choosers and fleet managers will take particular interest in the big Volvo, which could represent a viable alternative to the downsizing into a compact model. There are no two ways about it, a 1.6-litre Volvo S80 diesel is not the stuff that executive car dreams are made of. The S80 DRIVe only has 109bhp with which to shift itself up the road but it's a car of its time and more and more people might be coming around to its way of thinking. The little engine produces remarkable economy and, in a big Volvo that has never relied upon outright pace to attract customers, it might just make sense for those looking to slash their car costs while keeping up appearances.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Volvo S80 DRIVe
PRICES: £21,745-£23,745 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 15
CO2 EMISSIONS: 129g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.0s / Max Speed 110mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 57.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact curtains WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4820/1830/1450