2005 Volvo V50 Test Drive

Smokin' Swedish Sport Wagon

The Volvo V50 stands out like a modern Ikea chair among frumpy La-Z-Boys.

The 2005 Volvo V50 exudes a certain verve lacking in the competent, but unremarkable, 2004 V40 wagon it replaces. The V50's sleek Scandinavian style overlays a nimble chassis, punchy engine, abundant safety features and a roomy, flexible interior. The T5 trim level with its 218-horsepower turbo-charged engine and firm suspension is deceptively fast and even more fun to drive than the base model.

Volvo has broadened its appeal and dialed up the hip factor in recent years thanks to a corporatewide makeover that began in 1999 with its top-of-the-line large sedan, the S80. The company has been methodically reinvigorating its lineup with inspired design, better performance and elevated levels of luxury. At last this revolution has reached the bottom of the lineup, evidenced by the all-new 2005 V50 wagon, more stylish, powerful and sporty than its predecessor.

The front-wheel-drive V50 is basically the wagon version of the S40 sedan and is virtually identical to it from the front doors forward. The two models comprise Volvo's entry-level offerings.

The V50 2.4i ($25,990) has a 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine making 168 horsepower. The V50 T5 ($27,610) comes with a turbocharged, 218-hp, five-cylinder and can be optioned with all-wheel drive for $1,775, which is a good deal considering it also comes with a stiffer sport-tuned suspension. The latter is available as part of an $850 option package (including larger wheels, fog lights and aluminum trim) on the 2.4i and a $750 package (including larger wheels) on the front-wheel-drive T5.

In keeping with Volvo's well-deserved reputation as a leader in safety technology, all V50s have abundant safety features, including standard front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes,  reinforced safety cage around the passenger compartment, collapsible steering column, energy-absorbing interior panels, seatbelts that automatically tighten up in a collision, headrests designed to reduce whiplash and a host of other things.

National Highway Transit Safety Administration crash test data was not available for the V50. But the sedan version of this car, the S40, recieved four out of five stars for driver safety in frontal crashes, five stars for passengers in frontal crashes, as well as five stars for both front and rear occupants in side impacts.