Volvo XC90 - Best Off-road 4×4 - Winner: Volvo XC90, commended Land Rover Discovery and Volkswagen Touareg. The market for large 4×4s is coming under pressure from tax hikes and parking restrictions which have been imposed by national and local governments. The net result is slowing demand and cheaper motors available for second-hand buyers, although premium models such as the Volvo are not as badly affected as mainstream machines. (more…)
Volvo V50 - Volvo V50 D5 SE Sport. Volvo mildly revised load lugger looks better, but does it load better?. The Swedish brand has revised its smallest estate range with the addition of two new engines. Alongside a fresh entry-level 2.0-litre petrol unit, there’s now the option of the potent D5 diesel powerplant for the first time. (more…)
Volvo V50 - The V50 is the ’sports estate’ sister car to the S40 saloon range, competing head-on with the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring and Jaguar X-Type estate. Much more athletically-styled than traditional boxy Volvo estates, it’s the best-looking load-lugger ever to come out of the Swedish company. The stylish front and strong shoulder lines of the S40 remain, combined with a slick rear that’s sportily-raked without loosing the ‘family’ look; those strip tail lights are enormous. (more…)
Volvo S80 - Volvo’s S80 is excellent value and well laid out inside, but the driving experience falls short and the diesel engines are comparatively unrefined. (more…)
Volvo C70 - The Volvo is a luxurious, roomy coupe-convertible, wearing a premium badge. But the company does charge quite a premium over less prestigious rivals. (more…)
Volvo S60 - Volvo’s 3-Series rival somehow hasn’t quite managed to be spoken of in the same sentence. Even now, it’s still a great-looking car, with a coupe-like profile at the rear and strong, broad-shouldered looks. But in a group test, it’s always Mercedes, Audi, Saab and (more recently) Lexus you think of. That’s probably due to Volvo’s approach with the S60. (more…)
Volvo V70 - Volvo’s large estate is, for many, the definitive load-lugger. But it’s a whole lot more, too. Classless in a way few cars of this ilk are, it’s also as stylish as older Volvo estates weren’t; even now, quite a few years after its introduction, the V70 still looks elegant. It’s not the largest estate around - shock, horror, even a Vectra estate offers significantly more space - but it’s brilliantly useable and some of the detailing is exquisite. The interior is also a treat to sit in, with fantastic seats, very high levels of comfort and a characterful dash made from tactile trims. (more…)
Volvo S40 - The Volvo S40 is talented and affordable, offering something more than mainstream models - but not quite the ability of a BMW 3-Series. (more…)
Volvo XC70 - Should you quite like SUVs but don’t want a big seven-seat giant such as Volvo’s XC90, the Swedish company offers just the car for you; the XC70. Based on the four-wheel-drive V70, it sports beefed-up styling, tough bumpers and raised ground clearance, yet is barely any bigger than the standard estate it’s based upon. Perfect for hushing green campaigners. And, since the launch of the XC90, Volvo is doing good business with the XC70 on the back of it, despite a seemingly-restricted model range; just two engines, one petrol and one diesel. (more…)
Volvo XC90 - The brilliant XC90 may be big, but it’s also well packaged and not as costly and inefficient to run as you might imagine. Practicality and versatility are also high. (more…)