Volvo V50 T5 2006 Review

It carries a premium price tag but justifies this with a fair roll-call of comfort and convenience plus a bit of road presence.

For the Volvo T5 is a very, very tidy wagon, inside and out. The body has a clean, lean look with the hint of athleticism, set off by smart 17in alloy wheels.

The centre console treatment should be a lesson to a number of manufacturers in how to keep a clean, uncluttered look. All the gear is here — stereo with six-stacker CD plus climate-control airconditioning with dual zones. There is no unnecessary labelling yet knobs and dials remain intuitive.

The only drama here (sometimes) is a hamfisted operator shifting through the manual gearbox (a little notchy on the gearshift) may knock some of those little centre console switches inadvertently, turning on heated seats for one thing. And the ignition switch, mounted on the dash to the left of the steering column, takes a week before a driver recalls the spot every time.

That's neither here nor there, for the most part this Volvo T5's cabin ergonomics and comforts are well-sorted. The premium sound system with a dozen speakers can have those loud and long-haired Los Lonely Boys belting out their Tex-Mex rhythm 'n blues with enough feeling to rattle the traffic.

It is a practical cabin with quite some ambience. The rear seat is best left for kids and the cargo space isn't huge (more border collie than labrador) but that's offset to some extent by the quality of the fit and finish and the understanding this cabin should last for some time. Out on the road the Volvo needs a little consideration off the line, needs a little belt of revs to get the show on the road.

It is fine once up and running through the gears, a handy machine for highway work and overtaking, but not a deal happens below 3000rpm.

This V50 T5 is not quite the rip and roar machine that first T5 wagon, a great stealth machine, was back in the 1990s.

Here the performance is fine, rather than fast and that fits the style of this wagon.

All-wheel drive allows for safe and sure handling. Steering can feel a little slow at the first turn but is sure and accurate as the lock is wound on. Brakes are good, saving this wagon with grace from someone else's freeway swerve and wobbles.

And the ride is good, even if there is a little suspension noise through sharp potholes.

Volvo's V50 package here is subtle and stylish. It is comfortable and the price is right for a premium wagon, albeit one on the compact side of medium size. And there is a good deal of character, sometimes lacking in this league, that sweetens the deal.