The Stoic Swede Volvo S80 T5

 I had the chance to drive an S80 one weekend, and the timing couldn’t have been worse; it was triathlon weekend. This would be fine if I was just going to watch, but then I was also joining AND bringing my family along.

“How in the world can I fit them all plus my gear inside the car?” I wondered. I nearly asked Viking Cars if I could test an XC60 instead, but decided not to for fear of having no test car in the end.

So, how does one fit all the required equipment plus passengers in a luxury car without causing as much as a scuff on the car’s leather seats?

The answer is, Very Carefully.

After some debate, and minus a few more points from the wife, we decided to ditch the nanny. This left our son Max enough space for his car seat, plus my gear carefully placed so as to not dirty up the leather.

Fortunately, the S80’s trunk is quite roomy, no doubt designed more for golf bags and suitcases but nonetheless big enough to swallow our gym bags, medium-size cooler, and wheel bags without breaking anything.

Then it was time to go. Starting it up and cruising on the road reminded me of a former, Swedish teammate of mine. Now in his 50’s, the man is an accomplished athlete, a banker, and a family man, which actually makes him more of an ideal S80 driver than me. Anyway, the guy has a reputation for being a badass. Long before triathlon became such a big thing in the Philippines, he was already tearing up the local scene thanks to a big engine and a strong, tough-as-nails work ethic. He wasn’t really fast fast, but fast enough to set a pace that never really seemed to slow down. And he never made any drama about the whole thing either. He’d quietly show up at the start line, get going, and the next time you’d see him would be on the podium while you were still puking your guts out in the medical tent.

And that’s why I thought about him as I became acquainted with the S80’s driving dynamics. The “T5” version of the car is the automotive equivalent of a rope-a-dope among big sedans. Its engine cylinder count is not 8, not 6, not 5, but 4, which may cause some concern among traditionalist who expect more cylinders than you could get in, for example, your average compact car. Except the T5 augments this with direct injection and a turbocharger, so the bottom line is 240hp and 320Nm of torque. At low revs, the turbo is barely working but there’s enough torque to get you moving briskly in city traffic. On the highway and on inclines, opening up the throttle creates enough thrust to gradually push you back in the seat and breach the speed limit in just a few seconds. In fact, had I not consulted the brochure or tuned my ears to the 4-banger’s peculiar growl I would have thought the car was running a V6.

Our modestly loaded T5 then made quick work of the highways and roads leading to Batangas, never giving any anxiety passing slower cars or just getting up to speed. I set the cruise control at 100kph on the SLEX and the car happily sailed along at just a tick over 2,000rpm while sipping an indicated 10 liters per 100 km. Pretty good for a big car.

Any concerns about calming our nanny-less toddler were quelled by the car’s plush suspension, which softened up the road harshness without ceding too much steering or seat-of-the-pants feel. The steering even has variable assist which you can set to your preference.

Eventually, both my wife and son liked the ride so much that they fell asleep, leaving me to entertain myself with the car’s other features like the Bluetooth phone system and the overall cockpit aesthetic. The gray theme with silver and maple wood accents looks timeless and, more importantly, low-maintenance. I’m more concerned with the car’s minimal allotment of cubbyholes and cupholders. The thin center stack for the climate control and stereo has a shelf behind it, and it’s easy to forget you actually put your wallet there hours after you started the engine. Nevertheless, the car is a great place to spend time in. And very safe, which aside from the numerous airbags includes a battalion of safety kit like blind spot warning sensors, and low-speed collision warning and automatic brakes.

Aesthetically, the S80 is the most conservative of the Volvo lineup in keeping with its stature as the flagship sedan. Still, the curvature of the hood crown as it gradually slopes to the fenders is art in itself, and so is the “Coke bottle” curve at the beltline that runs all the way from front to back, matched by equally sculpted taillights. It looks svelte and aerodynamic, no doubt helping fuel efficiency while also looking good to the eye.

At  P4.145M, the S80 is neither cheap nor hideously expensive. It doesn’t stand out in a crowd, but instead does its job so gracefully and competently that I can’t imagine real owners having “buyer’s regret” after taking it home the first time.