Whatever your preferences, there is a better alternative at this price
Written: Jan 22 '04 (Updated Jun 17 '05)
Product Rating:
Pros: Acceleration, comfort
Cons: Numb non-linear steering, price
The Bottom Line: Despite the turbo, this car is not very sporty. The steering is a deal-killer. Even for luxury-seekers, the price is too high for what you get.
I’d never driven one, yet the S80 T6 was one of those cars I could not figure out the point of. Why would anyone spend roughly $45,000 for a Volvo, even one with a 268-horsepower turbocharged six? For that kind of money many other cars seemed more attractive to me. But perhaps I should not have rushed to judgment. Recently my local Volvo dealer offered a $60 gift certificate to the mall in exchange for a test drive of an S80 or XC90. By pledging said certificate to my wife, I was able to escape the house and kids for a couple of hours… I’d already driven a couple of XC90s, so it seemed the time had finally come to check out the top of Volvo’s line.
The S80 drove was equipped with the turbo six and the auto-adjusting 4-C suspension, a new feature on the S80 for 2004. (All-wheel-drive is also available on the S80 for the first time this year, but only with the 208-horsepower turbo five from the XC90.)
Volvo S80 Reliability
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Styling
Through the late 1990s Volvo’s were widely regarded as some of the least stylish cars on the road. Although beginning in the early 1980s some concessions were made to aerodynamics, none were made for aesthetics. Nary a curve was to be found. Somehow this boxiness did not hurt Volvo’s sales. Many loyal customers even found its cars’ simple lines appealing for their connotation of simplicity and strength. Their distinctiveness was also a draw—those Volvos could be mistaken for nothing else.
Volvo began to cast aside its proud frumpiness with the 1998 C70 coupe. However, this new, curvy body was based on the existing 850/S70 platform, and was a coupe, and thus was of limited significance. After all, a few times in past decades Volvo had sold a stylish coupe. Real change began with the 1999 S80 sedan, the top of the Volvo line. The S80 contained more stylish curves than any previous Volvo sedan, most notably an elegantly sweeping roofline and beltline. Lest all continuity be lost, these curves were highlighted by strong creases and sharp edges. Thanks to these, and a strong shoulder running the length of the car a few inches below the beltline, the new S80 retained a visual solidity that clearly said “Volvo.”
The resulting exterior is attractive, but not striking. More of a problem: it does not look as upscale as the price suggests it should (except perhaps in black). Most cars in this price range somehow look more special. I would blame the S80’s size—at just under 190 inches in length it is short for a top-of-the-line car—but the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Class, and Lexus GS are about the same length. Compared to those cars the S80 looks pedestrian.
Volvos’ interiors, which all look alike, have also become more stylish, but not to the same degree. Rectinlinear lines continue to dominate, softened only through rounded faceplate corners and soft-touch materials and controls. The overall look recalls Scandanavian furniture in its connotation of restrained luxury. Material quality is roughly equivalent to VW’s, which is to say it falls between that of good mainstream brands (Honda, Toyota) and the better luxury brands (Audi, Lexus).
Accommodations
Volvo has long produced some of the most comfortable front seats in the business, and the S80 acquits itself well here. Its front seats are generously sized, well-shaped, and well-padded for comfort over long distances. These seats are covered in a somewhat distinctive heavy-grained leather that feels durable. For the aggressive driver the seat’s cushy side bolsters are adequate, but could be better. They are too widely spaced for someone of my about average build. In hard turns my torso rolled a bit in the seat before making contact with the bolster. The driving position is pretty good, with an at least average view over the dash and door panels. Visibility to the rear is better than in many luxury sedans, with large headrests the main obstruction. Marking the S80 as not quite a true luxury sedan, the steering wheel’s tilt and telescope functions are manual.
The rear seat provides adequate but not exceptional room and comfort for this class of car. It’s too narrow and poorly shaped for a third passenger. The Premier version of the S80, about $4,000 more, adds some legroom, a rear sunshade, rear seat heaters, and a DVD player with a pair of screens. Another $900 gets you a refrigerator back there. So if you want a Volvo with an exceptional rear seat, that’s the one to get.
The trunk is about average for a midsize European sedan, and thus smaller than that in the Saab 9-5. It’ll do for most needs. The rear seat folds in two parts to expand the trunk.
On the Road
I detected considerably less boost lag in the turbo six in the S80 than I did in the XC90 SUV, most likely because the sedan weighs about a half-ton less. Acceleration is pretty good from a dead stop, and quite strong once over 40. I expected a healthy amount of torque steer, but detected little. I’ve heard sweeter sounding sixes, especially of the inline variety, but even one like Volvo’s sounds loads better than any four or five cylinder engine (i.e. a Saab 9-5 or Volvo S60).
The automatic transmission has a manual shift feature but I found it not very useful, both owing to the lux character of the car and the availability of only four widely-spaced gear ratios. A fifth gear ratio would enhance the car’s performance and fuel economy. Even with the four-speed the EPA ratings of 19/26 are at least average for a powerful midsize sedan. If you want a manual in a Volvo sedan, you’ll have to switch to the smaller S60.
As in other Volvo cars, the S80’s brakes feel very strong. If anything they feel too strong, so you often get more than you ask for until you learn to be very tentative with that pedal. A more progressive response would be welcome.
The T6 is supposed to be the performance version of the S80, especially when fitted with the $995 4-C auto-adjusting shocks. Well, even with 268 horsepower and 50-series tires it’s not very sporting. As in just about every other Volvo I’ve driven, the steering has an unusual, numb feel to it. There is very little gain in effort as the wheel is turned. Effort also jumps about, likely because a variable assist system could have been better implemented. In general the steering is neither smooth nor linear.
This even though Volvo revised the S80's steering for 2004 to reduce the numbness. How bad was it last year? Why is Ford basing a new family of large cars on this platform?
Feedback through the steering and seat of the pants is minimal, such that I did not feel comfortable driving the car anywhere near its limits. I played with the two suspension settings, but could not detect much of a difference between them despite numerous laps along two different circular roads. There might be a bit less float over rises in the road in “sport,” but that’s it. This does not mean the shocks aren’t working. More likely, they are working so quickly and transparently to firm up the shocks as needed in either setting that the specific setting doesn’t matter. With better feedback this car could probably be driven along curvy roads quite quickly.
Even with the T6’s sport suspension tuning the ride is very cushy and quiet. Even in T6 form the S80 is clearly intended to be more lux than sport. Sure, it’s got a turbo, but you can get a supercharger in a Buick Park Avenue. What we have here is a Euro Buick. Admittedly, this probably suits the typical buyer well.
Pricing
When I drove the 2004 there were still some 2003s about with hefty discounts. Anyone interested in this car might want to keep that in mind.
With the 4-C suspension, excellent uplevel audio, and heated seats the car I drove listed for $48,055. (Add $500 or so for a metallic shade.) According to Edmunds, the typical dealer discount brings this down to about $45,800.
A similarly-equipped Saab 9-5 Aero lists for $41,510 and costs about $39,800 after the typical discount. The Saab is much sportier and more rewarding to drive than the Volvo, but not as luxurious or cushy. Also, it’s down a couple of cylinders. So it depends on what your preferences are and how much six grand means to you. With my preferences, the Saab is my choice between the two big Swedes. For less sport but even greater savings the Saab comes in lower trim lines, but then so does the Volvo.
A similarly-equipped Audi A6 2.7T lists for about $45,890 and costs about $43,400 after the typical discount. This car is also more fun to drive than the Volvo, and falls between the Volvo and Saab in sportiness. Standard all-wheel-drive is an additional plus. I’d also prefer this one over the Volvo.
Among American cars the Lincoln LS is probably most comparable to the S80. A similarly-equipped Lincoln LS V8 lists for $43,845, and costs about $37,500 after the typical large discount and a $3,000 rebate. I did not much enjoy driving the Lincoln, but did enjoy driving it more than I did the Volvo and found it very quiet and comfortable. It is superior to the Volvo in nearly every area. It’s not an outstanding car in any particular area, but once price is factored in the Lincoln starts looking very attractive. Especially as a used car after the heavy depreciation these cars suffer from.
A similarly-equipped Acura RL lists for $45,600, and costs about $39,300 after the typical huge discount. I’ve never driven the RL, but have heard from others that it is a very comfortable if unexciting car. It’s performance might be more comparable to the regular S80. It hasn’t sold well, hence the heavy discounting.
A similarly-equipped Lexus GS 430 lists for $49,915, and costs about $48,200 after the typical discount. So this one is pricier than the Volvo, but in return offers much better performance and handling and a slightly nicer interior. The Volvo suffers from less road noise and might ride a little better. Between these two I’d find the extra cash for the Lexus.
A BMW 5-Series or Mercedes E-Class is much pricier than the Volvo, but those cars—and especially the BMW—are a different class of car.
Overall, the Volvo seems too expensive for what it offers. Most alternatives seem better to me. This might explain why a number of 2003s were still around in December and were heavily discounted.
Final Words
A test drive confirmed my suspicion that the S80 is not a good enough car to warrant its price. This car only makes sense for those who must have a Volvo because of the brand’s reputation for safety and need the largest sedan possible. Within the Volvo range the S60 makes more sense for those who can make do with a more cramped rear seat, but I’m not crazy about that car either. Frankly, just about every sedan currently sold in this price range is very safe. Every major manufacturer, especially those in Europe, pays a lot of attention to safety these days. No matter what your preferences, there is a better alternative to the S80 in this segment.
To learn more about my reliability research and sign up to participate in it, visit www.truedelta.com.
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