Volvo S80 D5 facelift review

"Has the facelift done enough to make the S80 a competitor?"

What is it?

In the face of strong competition from Audi, BMW and Jaguar, Volvo has given the evergreen S80 a thorough facelift to increase its appeal. And it’s not a bad effort.

What’s it like inside?

The Volvo S80 feels special enough to take on the competition. The dash features some really nice, tactile materials, while there’s a splash of matte aluminium on the gearknob and centre console. The new dials for the speedo and rev counter have an expensive watch-look, and that works too.

The new steering wheel looks great and, in a a change from the Volvo norm, isn’t the size of a cruise liner’s. 70% of S60 buyers opt for leather trim, and the super soft, supple hide which covers the S80’s seats is really rather nice to park your bum on.

What’s it like on the outside?

As part of the S80 facelift development process, Volvo spoke to lots of BMW 5-Series, Jaguar XF and Audi A6 drivers. And they said that if they were to be tempted to buy a big Swede it’d have to look more distinctive.

So Volvo grafted on a bling front grille, added some chrome to the doors and rear lights and the facelifted S80 was born. And to be honest, despite the minimal tweaks, the S80 looks a lot better, especially if you spec the optional diamond cut alloys.

What’s it like to drive?

Volvo’s engineering team has been hard at work with the S80’s chassis. You can choose between two setups:

The one you don’t want is the Comfort Chassis. It’s really soft and wallowy, and only really makes sense if you only drive on motorways. I kept looking for an Audi Magnetic Ride-style switch to firm up the dampers.

But the standard fit Lowered Dynamic Chassis is a big improvement over the pre-facelift car. Shorter suspension springs, improved shocks and harder sub-frame bushings all combine to give a sure-footed drive. The steering is faster and much more weight than the over-light setup on the Comfort version.

Under the bonnet of my test car is an all-new version of the five-cylinder D5 engine. Twin turbochargers, as used on BMW’s superb 535d engine, help boost power to 205hp, while fuel economy rises eight per cent, to 45.6mpg. What’s more Volvo reckons that the new engine’s real world improvement in efficiency is more like 20% more than the outgoing unit.

On the road the new engine feels perfectly at home moving the S80’s bulk around. But what’s most impressive is how quiet the new engine is, especially on the motorway where the only noise you hear is from the wind and the tyres. It really is an effortless car to drive and be driven in, which is what the S80’s all about really.

Verdict

Some cars are best defined by what they aren’t, rather than what they are. The fact that the Volvo S80 isn’t a BMW, Audi, Jag or Mercedes is integral to its appeal. And with the new facelift, chassis improvements and lusty engine, the S80 deserves to be seen as a serious competitor.

by Tom Phillips