Trusty Swede might dip on zing but it's long streets ahead on value

AS THE Government prepares to plunder the nation’s pockets to pay for the follies of recent years, we thought it only appropriate…

AS THE Government prepares to plunder the nation’s pockets to pay for the follies of recent years, we thought it only appropriate last week to seek solace in an eco-friendly Volvo S80. After all, this is one of the cars that Brian Cowen will take shelter in at Copenhagen’s Climate Summit, hoping to tackle global warming as the political heat at home reaches boiling point.

The Taoiseach will no doubt be hoping to reap some benefit from Volvo’s much-heralded safety. The brand has made much of this focus on safety and while it may not have as great a lead over rivals as its advertising department would have us believe, it has reaped the rewards in terms of family buyers.

In recent years the Swedes have sought to add a green hue to their cars. They initially embraced biofuels as a worthwhile alternative to oil. That route has turned into a cul-de-sac following a backlash over the use of valuable arable land to grow fuel crops rather than food. Almost overnight the green lobby swung from ardent supporters of biofuels to vocal critics. Volvo was left explaining to those who would listen that buying biofuel cars didn’t mean taking food from the mouths of starving African children to fill the tank of some Irish commuter’s S40. It was often a fruitless task: the biofuels debate seems to have been lost.

The race to lower emissions has continued apace however, driven partly by behavioural tax policy, such as our own emissions-based system introduced in July 2008. Overnight, diesel became the only show in town. Given its lower emissions and a national fixation with motor tax rates, car firms have been battling to give their models a fighting chance. Hence this 1.6-litre diesel S80.

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Even 18 months ago, the idea of powering such a large car with such a small engine would seem like a nod too far to the greens. You might as well slap the body of the S80 onto one of those cycle rickshaws and be done with it. Instead of a speedometer you’d need an anemometer to gauge whether you had a decent tailwind to overtake.

The reality is not so dire, however. As engineers strive to reduce car emissions to double digits, they are working from the template that cutting emissions should not come at the cost of power. It’s yet another example of the power of human endeavour – the massive advances in less than a decade.

What we are witnessing is the car industry once again responding to consumer demand. Just as they didn’t force people at gunpoint into SUVs, so they are reacting to customer demands and governmental targets for lower emissions.

In this car you have the latest example of efforts by Volvo and its outgoing parent company Ford. This plucky 1.6-litre diesel is more than able for the S80 and there are few complaints from the driver’s seat, except perhaps that the gearbox lacks a little precision.

There may be an audible degree of engine noise at idle, but nothing we haven’t encountered in rivals powered by 2-litre units. It doesn’t scream in agony when you kick down on the motorway or overtaking. Perhaps the greatest compliment to the Volvo engineers came last weekend, when three strapping petrolheads being chauffeured to Top Gear Live thought it was either a 2- or 2.2-litre unit.

The S80 was never designed to be as nimble as some of the more esteemed German rivals, playing the comfort card in place of a sporting ride. The chassis feels a little anaesthetised and the steering is not as pinpoint as the BMW 5 Series, for example. Yet in terms of comfort, it’s right up there with the rest, while cabin space and refinement on the SE version and above is impressive.

Taken as read that every statement on this car comes with the qualifier “for its size”, it puts out a healthy 240Nm of torque and even with just 109bhp it’s still capable of reaching 100km/h from standstill in 11.9 seconds. That’s not fast by any means, but the car does feel more powerful than these figures would have you believe.

Its real strength, and the one that Volvo is hoping customers focus on, is the fuel consumption figures. With an average of 4.9 l/100km – or 57.7mpg in old money – the claim is that you will manage nearly 1,450kms on a single tank. We drove it for a week, mostly in suburban traffic that meant we were burning more fuel for less distance, and still when we returned the car the onboard computer estimated we had about 750kms left in the tank. With no noticeable sacrifice in either comfort or refinement and only a mild petrolhead yearning for more power, we reaped the reward in our pocket.

So is this the car for indigent eco-friendly Ireland? Shall Cowen return from Copenhagen and hand back the keys to his Mercedes? That’s not so certain. The reality is that Volvo isn’t the only firm to cut its carbon footprint. The German brands in particular have concentrated on carbon for several years now.

While Volvo was busying itself with biofuels and the Japanese were matching cylinder heads with circuit boards to create petrol electric hybrids, the Germans were getting down to the business of reducing emissions on regular engines. The end result is a range of models in this market segment that fall into the same tax band as the Volvo, and in many instances offer more power.

The Volvo’s strongest suit is that it’s such a small engine but engine size doesn’t matter a jot these days; it’s all about emissions and in turn fuel consumption. And while the Volvo betters all its rivals in terms of emissions, the limited number of tax bands under the current Irish system means it doesn’t reap any cash reward for its efforts.

Its German rivals garner the same tax benefits but offer more power. Mercedes has its new E200CDI in the same tax band but offers more torque and pace. The same is true of Audi’s A6 and even the outgoing BMW 5 Series – due to be replaced with an even cleaner model next March – tops the billing in terms of power and performance yet still qualifies for the same tax as the S80. Up against these rivals the Volvo loses much of its lustre.

Yet all is not lost for the eco-friendly Swede. One area where the Volvo really shines is in price. While the test car was the range-topping SE Lux specification, the starting price for this S80 range is just €34,500 – the same price as a mid-range Ford Mondeo or VW Passat.

For a quick comparison, the entry price for an S80 in January 2008 was €51,000. A similarly equipped diesel version of our test car would have cost €60,570.

Prices in the new car market are rock bottom. You can now get quality executive saloons with decent equipment levels for under €45,000. Admittedly, used car prices are falling at a similar scale, which means you pay a hefty price on selling your current car. But for those who can afford one – or company car buyers on a fixed budget – the choice is incredible.

That means this S80, at €38,000 for the well-equipped SE version, challenges not only its direct executive rivals but the smaller German entrants – such as the 3-Series, A4 and C-Class. They may be sharper, sportier drives but in terms of comfort for the cash this Swede is very much in the game.

Factfile

  • Engine: 1,560cc four-cylinder turbodiesel engine putting out 109bhp @ 4,000rpm and 240Nm torque @ 1,750rpm
  • Specification: standard features include ABS, electronic brake distribution, electronic climate control with quality system and pollen filter, 16" alloys, front foglights; SE version (add €3,730) adds 17" alloys, leather seats with electric-adjusted driver seat, rain sensor wipers, aluminium trim interior; SE Lux (add €2,360 to SE) adds modern wood interior finish, rear park assist, auto-dim mirror, auto-folding wing mirrors, cornering headlights; optional extras on our test car included Bluetooth handsfree system and temporary spare wheel
  • L/100km (mpg): urban – 5.9 (47.9); extra-urban – 4.3 (65.7); combined – 4.9 (57.7)
  • CO2 emissions: 129g/km
  • Tax: VRT – 16 per cent; annual motor tax – €156
  • Price: €42,092

Competition: the alternatives



      Saab 9-5 1.9 TiD

      CC: 1,910

      BHP: 150

      0-100km/h: 9.5 secs

      Torque: 320Nm

      L/100km: 6.4

      CO2: 174g/km

      Motor tax: €630

      Price: €40,120

      Mercedes E200 CDI BlueEfficiency

      CC: 2,143

      BHP: 136

      0-100km/h: 10.7 secs

      Torque: 360Nm

      L/100km: 5.2

      CO2: 139g/km

      Motor tax: €156

      Price: €43,550

      Audi A6 2.0 TDI SE

      CC: 1,968

      BHP: 136

      0-100km/h: 10.3 secs

      Torque: 320Nm

      L/100km: 5.3

      CO2: 139g/km

      Motor tax: €156

      Price: €42,900

      BMW 520d SE Business edition

      CC: 1,995

      BHP: 177

      0-100km/h: 8.3 secs

      Torque: 340Nm

      L/100km: 5.1

      CO2: 136g/km

      Motor tax: €156

      Price: €41,890