Test Drive Volvo V50 since 2007 Universal

Nordic excitement

In the days of the test drive in Moscow, for the first time this year, a blizzard began, a rich snow sprout. Volvo V50, as if recalling his Swedish roots, behaved like fish in water, demonstrating full neglect of terrible weather conditions.

 
Restyling S40 / V50 models, which have been produced since 2004, passed quietly and calmly. Without excess pathos. Nice and Easy, as the British say. Or I LUGN OCH RO, as the Swedes say. And the result of restyling is also very discreet. Not everyone will say from the first time than the new V50 wagon differs from the old one. But there is a difference. There is a desire to pull up to the older brother V70. New bumper, air intake, headlights and grille with an enlarged Volvo icon appeared in the front. Vertically oriented front part is designed to facilitate the appearance of the V50 Swedes position this Volvo as a sports station wagon.
 
However, we will continue about changes in the exterior. Rear, in support of the face of the face, also a new bumper appeared. The lanterns have become thinner and climbed 30 mm upwards. Stop signals are now on LEDs. They are equipped with an EBL function that makes them flash 5 times per second with emergency braking. When a speed drop is reduced to 10 km / h, the accident is included. Overall lights are located at the very edges of the body. Thus, they emphasize the longitudinal podium of the windows line characteristic of Volvo. In the lower corners of the bumper, retroreflective elongated strips are located. The dominant in the rear of the horizontal has determined the oval shape of the tips of the exhaust pipes. Here, perhaps, all changes in appearance.
 
In the interior of the new, too, a little. Modernizing salon, designers The main efforts were sent to the optimal use of space of space inside the car, especially with regard to storing small things, and there is a grid and hooks for fasteners in the trunk. The useful space in the door panel is released due to the new shape of the speakers of the stereo system. The lower part of the front doors is now condensed differently. A4 format documents are placed without problems, there are also tanks under beverage jars. On the central tunnel behind the shift curtain two large cup holders. Between the seat-armrest seats, but the size of it is still a little, the CD-box can only be diagonally.
 
The central console hanging in the air with the microclimate and audio control buttons remained unchanged. Behind her shelf for things. It is not very convenient to use it, but it looks beautiful. It is possible to finish some parts of the cabin, including door handles, a light northern oak. This interior was on the test car. In combination with white leather, the chairs and the upholstery of the door looks just great! The seats really liked. They have large electrically regulatory ranges and a good profile. Coming without excessive stiffness, do not tire on the road and keep the body well. A comfortable position behind the wheel is easily.
 
The steering column is adjustable in two planes, and even in the lowest position, the tidy does not overlap the rim of the three-spoke steering wheel. Exactly what is needed! Insert the key transponder into a special slot. By the way, the car is equipped with the Keyless Entry system, which spoys the doors itself. With a rotation of the key under the hood with a characteristic sound, a transversely located row 5-cylinder engine comes to life. But the sound of this barely penetrates the salon, sound insulation is the strong side of all Volvo.
 
Test car with an engine with a volume of 2.4 liters and with a capacity of 140 hp In the database equipped with a 5-speed Geartronic machine. This automatic transmission, despite the high smoothness of switching, is quite damping, there are practically no complaints to her work. In manual transmission mode, switches the top-down lever. To move the selector, it is required to make a noticeable effort, a pleasant elasticity is felt. Motor 2.4 Golden Middle. There are engines and weaken, there is the same volume, but with a capacity of 170 hp, it is finally a top 2.5 l 230-strong turbo engine for T5. But even in such averaged version V50 accelerates alive. According to the passport of 9.6 seconds to hundreds. Of course, not a racing temperament, but in the standard modes of movement in the city and on the highway is enough.
 
The word sports is most applicable to the suspension. She assembled, tightly shot down! And comfort at the height. Excellent practices the irregularities and flaws of the roadbed, smoothly twisting them, while remaining at the same time on the trajectory. She liked it much more than tough, but raven and loud on dorestayling S40 T5 (Motor, September 2005). The car clearly responds to the action of the steering wheel, having fun having treated in turn. Even the winter tires of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 could not spoil the impressions of excellent handling on the asphalt.
 
But when it began to snow, I was very pleased that I was on Hake. I was pleased with me and Volvo. He seemed to be in his native element! Stability and confidence when driving on very slippery coatings inspires respect. At the same time, the character of controllability, of course, is slightly softened, but the behavior of the universal remains unequivocal. At the entrance, the turn should be a small demolition, and then the car begins to slide to all four wheels. At this point, the DSTC stabilization system is entered, reducing the thrust and slower the desired wheel. If the DSTC is disabled, then little will change, only the anti-duct system will completely turn off, but it is still a bit of stupid.
 
In response to provocative actions (gas reset in turn, or the handbrake in turn) the V50 is easily breaking into the skid, and the car smoothly and calmly moves sideways along the arc. But only until you begin to adjust it on your own. Time to catch the car, the car, can even beginner. But at the exit of turning the stabilization system, in my opinion, has a bear service, you turn the wheel a little in the opposite side of the side to align the car and then start accelerating already in a straight line, but at that moment the DSTC brazenly seashes the motor, almost stopping the car.
Although much of the owners of the family station wagon want to ride it sideways? Hardly. They, most likely, will want to take their households without adventures and fuck to the destination, and the V50 will help them do it with pleasure. And your passengers will seem that you are moving at all quickly, they will enjoy silence, warm and comfort, while you will lay the devices or just rush in a straight line. A rare car has similar quality, especially considering a moderate price of $ 35,000. Snow, rain is not a hindrance. Volvo V50 retains his face to any weather and transmits this confidence to his owner.
 
Prices and equipment

Dealers offer V50 with the following power plants: 1.6 liters (100 hp), 1.8 liters (125 hp), 2.0 l (145 hp), 2.4 l (140 L.S.), 2.4 L (170 hp) and T5 (230 hp). With all 4-cylinder engines, as well as with a motor 2.4 l, a 5-speed manual gearbox is aggregated. The T5 version comes with a full AWD drive and a 6-speed handle. Machine with five gear transmission and the possibility of manual switching GEartronic is set to a pair with a 2.4 engine. It can also be ordered for all-wheel drive option T5 AWD or with a 2.4 liter engine.
 
The basic configuration includes: Driver and Passenger PB, ABS, SIPS side airbags, security curtains, Wheeling injury protection system, emergency braking system (EBA), Volvo anti-theft system, air conditioning, Russified on-board computer, AM / FM Radio With a CD player on one disk. Such a car is estimated at 687,500 rubles. The most expensive modification of T5 2.5 AWD with a rich set of options costs from 1 101 100 rubles.
 
Dmitry Krotov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [December 2007]