Volvo S80 Overview

Last year Volvo updated and upgraded its flagship S80 with more than 700 changes, improving the ride, handling and cabin quietness and generally raising the level of refinement. So overall the 2005 version reflects mostly only adjustments to the options, however there are big changes to the actual model lineup and major component availability.

The non-turbocharged version of the six-cylinder engine has been dropped from the S80 lineup, replaced by the trusty turbocharged five-cylinder. It's this engine that comes with the all-wheel-drive system Volvo has been using so successfully in the midsize S60 sedan. The 2.5T five-cylinder is adequate, but lacks the smooth power of the T6 six-cylinder, which seems a better match for the S80.

The S80 offers luxury, interior comfort and a stylish body. The suspension is highly sophisticated. It offers a smooth ride and feels extremely stable on the highway. And Volvo's safety engineering leads the automotive world. The S80 is not a flashy or showy car. Like any Volvo, it doesn't shout out its quality, it simply and quietly delivers it.

Safety is what Volvo is known for, and the S80 reaches new levels. With side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, anti-whiplash seats, as well as a sophisticated steel structure that's computer designed around crash-resistance, the S80 achieves the coveted 5-star crash-test rating in both front and side collisions, as well as a 5-star rollover-resistance rating.