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Vehicle Overview
Volvo's small wagon, the V50, comes in 2.4i and T5 trim levels, the latter of which is only available with all-wheel drive. Competitors include the Audi A4 Avant, Subaru Impreza Outback Sport and Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen.
New for 2009
The front-wheel drive T5 has been discontinued.
Exterior
The V50's looks are similar to its S40 sibling. A V-shaped hood bulge runs down into a sculpted nose, and there's a broad lower air intake. T5 models come with a standard sporty appearance package called R-Design, which includes a different grille, a sport body kit with body-colored side skirts, and front and rear spoilers.
The V50 comes in at 178 inches long, and its width is 69.7 inches. The V50 is longer and wider than the Impreza Outback Sport, but is smaller than the A4 Avant and Jetta SportWagen. Mirror-integrated turn signals, power moonroof, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and fog lights are standard on the V50. Aluminum roof fails are standard on T5. Bi xenon headlights with articulating headlamps are optional.
Interior
The standard upholstery in the five-occupant interior has a slightly coarse woven feel said to be inspired by sportswear. Leather upholstery is available. The T5 comes with unique premium leather seating surfaces with embossed R-Design logos, aluminum sport pedals, a sport shift knob, R-Design inlays, a watch-dial instrument cluster and a sport steering wheel. Aluminum trim is now standard on both the 2.4i and T5, while Nordic Light Oak trim is optional.
The rear seatbacks fold down separately, and the front passenger seat's backrest also folds flat. Passenger volume comes in at 92.7 cubic feet, larger than the A4 and Jetta SportWagen but slightly less space than the Impreza. Cargo space comes in at 27.4 cubic feet, but with the back bench down it increases to 62.6 cubic feet, larger than the A4 and Impreza but smaller than the Jetta. There are standard locks and windows with express down/up, leather gearshift knob, parking brake and steering wheel, eight-speaker sound system with six-disc in-dash CD player, and Sirius Satellite Radio. The V50 has optional heated front seats (standard on T5) and navigation system.
Under the Hood
An inline-five-cylinder engine is standard on either model, and high-performance T5 editions employ a turbocharger for more power. The T5 also comes standard with all-wheel drive and a sport suspension. There is 168-horsepower, 2.4-liter five-cylinder with 170 pounds-feet of torque and 227-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder with 236 pounds-feet of torque. The V50 has standard five-speed automatic transmission and optional keyless drive. There is also front- or all-wheel drive.
Safety
Though its sister model, the S40 sedan, earned good crash-test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the wagon hasn't been tested. Unfortunately, differences in weight and construction mean we can't assume the same crash-test performance in the V50. The V50 does have a long list of standard safety features, including new-for-2009 automatic hazard lights that turn on when the airbags are deployed. There are standard side-impact and side curtain airbags, antilock braking system with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability system and traction control, security system, and immobilizer-encrypted ignition key. Blind-spot detection system and rain-sensing windshield wipers are optional.
