Volvo S80 Interior Review
The interior is all-new for 2007. The general shape of the instrument binnacle has been retained, with the traditional Volvo trapezoidal shape, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The freestanding center stack that connects the dashboard to the console was borrowed from the smaller S40 and V50 models and upgraded accordingly, adding a measure of Bang & Olufsen elegance to the interior design.
The switches, controls and instruments all follow traditional Volvo design themes, but everything is new, including the redone tachometer and speedometer, more classic and less industrial than the previous design. The navigation system, when ordered, pops up out of the dashtop, either by using the new steering-wheel-mounted controls on the right rear of the wheel or the provided remote control, which stores in the console. We found the steering wheel controls a bit fussy at first, and hard to use, but owners will figure them out quickly.
A menu system tailors the seats, rearview mirrors, climate control, audio, navigation, and, the amount of steering wheel feel in the car's speed-dependent power steering system.
The sumptuous surroundings in the new S80 are amplified by the wonderfully comfortable seats and the extra front and rear legroom that Volvo hopes will help to put the new car squarely into the luxury class. The seats are available plain, heated, or heated and cooled.
The 160-watt, eight-speaker sound system will play MP3 files and has an auxiliary input for iPods and other players. Volvo will also offer a five-channel, 13-speaker Dolby Pro Logic II surround-sound system developed in-house with Bang & Olufsen and Dynaudio.
Volvo S80 Road Test
We were very impressed with the overall behavior of the V8 engine, which sounds quite a lot like a Corvette V8 when first fired up in the morning, then settles down to a nice, smooth idle. This engine is a Yamaha-designed 60-degree V8 with balance shafts, so it doesn't sound like a conventional 90-degree V-8. It's smooth and creamy all the way up the rev range to 6500 rpm, and for its relatively small displacement, it pulls very well and can easily sustain speeds of 135 mph on the open road. At high cruising speeds, the cabin is quiet, with a bit of wind noise off the tires and a bit of tire noise coming in.
The Volvo chassis system underneath the new S80 is an evolution of the 4C chassis, with adaptive shock absorbers changing second by second according to inputs from the road and the car itself. The system has been upgraded with three different settings instead of just two on the previous S80, Comfort, Sport, and Advanced.
Speaking of settings, we tried the new dashboard-adjustable steering effort control, and found the firmest setting to be ideal for our tastes. Hefty and solid, the way we like our steering. With the steering set this way and the Advanced settings plugged into the chassis system, the Volvo was a paragon of driving for the sheer fun of it, taut, quick to react, and flat in the corners, with the V8 engine always ready to play.
We experienced the adaptive cruise control system, which worked as advertised to maintain our preset distance to the car ahead in the fast lane, and we heard and saw the collision warning system mounted directly in front of the driver on the dashtop, a system which we quickly silenced on the crowded two-lane roads.
We also had the opportunity to test the ABS brakes a number of times from very high speeds, over 100 mph, and they were as powerful and quick and positive as you could want.
Volvo S80 Lineup
The 2007 Volvo S80 is available with the V8 engine and all-wheel drive, with the six-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, or with the six-cylinder and all-wheel drive.
Option packages for the S80 include the Sport package with 18-inch alloy wheels and 245/40R18 tires and speed-sensitive steering with three-way adjustable steering effort. An audio upgrade includes a six-CD changer, MP3 player, auxiliary input and USB. Other options include satellite navigation with remote control, adaptive cruise control, front and rear park assist, dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system, run-flat tires, pearl or metallic paint.
The safety package on the S80 is simply world-class, from the patented body structure to the ABS, traction control, yaw control; front airbags; the new dual-chamber side airbags, with one chamber for the hips and one for the chest; radar adaptive cruise control that can brake the car without driver action; the collision warning system with pre-braking: and the new optional BLIS or blind-spot information system that senses vehicles in the right and left blind spots and delivers a warning if there's something there. The headlamps are now active xenon lamps that follow the road around curves. Also included in the safety roster is the Personal Car Communicator, a new electronic key fob design that can lock or unlock the car from distances up to 110 yards, and can tell you what state the locks are in. It can activate the alarm, and can sense the presence of a human heartbeat inside the car. A traffic distance warning system on top of the dash triggers a flashing red light and an audible warning, both of which can be defeated by the driver if desired.