Volvo S80 DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 4dr Car Review - January 2012

The car delivers fairly low power of 133bhp, and a maximum torque figure of 199 lb-ft. The six-speed manual DRIVe SE Lux has a combined mpg of 62.8 which is actually the best in the S80 range. However, this particular model only has a 4-cylinder, 8 valve, 1560cc engine, already highlighting it as the slowest in the S80 group. It can only do a top speed of 118 mph, and takes a whole 11.5 seconds to go from 0-62 mph, making it a whole 4.8 seconds slower than the Volvo S80 T6 AWD Executive. Even though this car isn't the fastest, it is very economical to run.

Though the front wheel drive rides smooth like the other S80’s, it isn’t anywhere near as fast, and in all honesty, is borderline boring to drive. True there is little noise from the engine, and true it handles well, but the steering is vague, and at low speeds (which, with such a low bhp, it will mostly be doing), the ride is jittery and uneven.

Furthermore, the S80 DRIVe SE Lux has very thick front windscreen pillars, making frontal vision pretty poor. The gearbox is laid out conveniently though, and the adjustable seats and steering lend a bit in terms of comfort.

The Volvo S80 DRIVe SE Lux, from the outside, looks fairly smart, with a strong, muscular body made up of sleek, clean cut lines and curved headlights. In fact its 4851mm length elongates its 1861 mm frame.

The interior however, though very luxurious, gives the S80‘s age away. The four-door saloon has five leather seats, and plenty of baggage room despite there being only 422 litres boot space with the seats up.

The Volvo S80 DRIVe SE Lux comes with the usual standard luxury amenities, including blue-tooth, mp3 connectivity, sat-nav and a CD system, power-steering, alloy wheels, electric front windows, electric door mirrors, central locking and climate control.

It also has a load of safety features which include cruise control, six airbags, anti-whiplash seat restraints, DSTC stability control and rear-parking sensors.

As well as the nifty safety features and fully equipped interior, but the Volvo S80 DRIVe SE Lux is extremely reliable too. With a 3 year warranty or 60,000 miles, and a service interval every 12,500 miles, maintenance costs are kept low.

With regards to actual safety ratings, the S80 has a full 5 star NCAP rating for occupants, 4 star for children and 2 star rating for pedestrians, giving an overall 5 star Euro NCAP.

With its well-built, reliable body, luxury trimmings and glitzy gadgets, the Volvo S80 DRIVe SE Lux would seem a pretty decent buy at just £29, 595. Especially given that not only maintenance costs are low, but running costs too due to the low CO2 emissions exhaled. In fact with 119g/km of CO2 emitted, the S80 DRIVe SE Lux is placed in tax band C, making it the most economical in the Volvo S80 range.

However, all that does not make it the best value for money. For £29, 595, surely the diesel engine should be a tad more powerful? That or the vehicle should be even cheaper when you consider the saloon’s lack of horse power, and its dated interior. Overall you would probably be better off getting the S80 D3 SE, which is only a grand dearer yet has faster acceleration and a better overall performance.