Volvo’s Stylish Station Wagon

There was once a time when the words "stylish" and "Volvo" could hardly be uttered in the same sentence. That was, of course, way before the Swedish engineers of Volvo realized that "safe" need not necessarily mean "boring". Gone are yesterday’s "boxes with wheels". Today’s Volvos are in fact among the most aesthetically appealing cars you can hope to find on the road. Their station wagons included (the multi-award winning XC70 immediately comes to mind).

We’re here to talk about a newer — albeit smaller — station wagon, though. But first, here’s a little backgrounder. The Volvo V50 is the station wagon version of the company’s entry-level sedan, the S40. Now in its second generation of production, the S40 raises the Volvo styling bar a few notches higher than its predecessor did. While the previous S40 hinted of softer styling lines, in turn paving the way for much sexier larger sedan versions like the S60 and S80, the new S40 — which came out after the S60 and S80 made their smashing debuts — has more pronounced swooping lines all over it. The result is an even better looking, head turning exterior that just demands one’s attention. Both versions of the S40 are actually pretty, but very distinct, as the new one is absolutely more flamboyant.

Despite the obvious disparity in the exterior, it’s in the driving characteristics that both versions actually seem much farther apart. While the previous generation S40 seems to have been built with the driver in mind, the new iteration pays more careful attention to the car’s passenger. With a relatively softer ride and more visually appealing interior appointments, the new version tends to exude a more luxurious feel for both its driver and passengers. The previous version, meanwhile, drives harder and accelerates with much more gusto even as it seems to have a stiffer ride. Which way to go? Depends on what you’re looking for, really. The bottom line here is that Volvo’s entry-level sedan has actually grown up in more ways than one — and it has spawned an even more functional twin in the V50.

Yes, the Volvo V50 sports the same interior appointments as its sedan sibling — monolithic, free-floating center console included. The console, a highlight of minimalist styling translated into automotive terms, takes the cake, actually. Because of it, all other luxury sedan interiors seem bland and uninspired. Despite the rather toned-down feel of hard plastics and plush upholstery seats, the console makes the V50’s interior seriously pretty. Oh, and much more inspired leg room detailing and a functional 60/40 split folding rear backseat do wonders to raise the comfort level and functionality a bit further.

Now, on to the car’s driving dynamics. While the V50’s 2.4-liter, 5 cylinder DOHC engine is ably powered by 170 horses, those familiar with the T4 (the S40’s 200 hp twin turbo version) will still be left wanting. Despite its top speed of 215kph, the V50 seems to need an extra few seconds to throw in that juicy 230Nm of torque. Acceleration, therefore, is much more on the tame side compared to its earlier, much meaner iteration.

That being said, the new V50 still holds the edge where taming road undulations are concerned. The longer wheel base and wider width of the V50 helps immensely in keeping the car more glued to the ground, it seems. MacPherson strut, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar up front and multi-link independent suspension also with coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar in the back make sure that the car is balanced well enough. The meticulously put together suspension system is also responsible for drowning out a substantial amount of road noise, vibrations and harshness. Thunks and thuds, unless you go through moon-sized craters (which unfortunately will soon be the norm now that the summer season is officially over), are thus few and far in between.

While the Volvo V50’s P2,345,000 price tag is nothing to scoff at, inside and out, it still seems like it’s worth every hard-earned peso. And, a word to the wise: you can throw away that comparatively low resale value stigma down your nearest bin. If you are in search of a functional yet pretty and luxurious station wagon, the Volvo V50 is probably your best bet. Because once you make that purchase, with all the after sales service packages Viking Cars is now throwing in with the vehicle, the last thing you’ll think of is selling this impressive Swedish station wagon. Oh yes, you’ll probably want to keep this Volvo for life.