North Point Volvo

Introduction

Wagons have become an endangered species in the U.S. market over the past couple decades, but the Volvo V50 is a good example of how the wagon design still makes sense. Rather than pretending to be a trail-busting champ, it's a smartly styled small car for people who need to carry more stuff than a sedan can handle.

The 2009 Volvo V50 is a wagon variant of the compact S40 sedan, offering all of that model's European elan along with an impressive 63 cubic feet of cargo capacity. This figure puts the V50's pack-mule credentials in the same ballpark as compact SUVs, yet the Volvo offers gas mileage that's comparable to or better than those models -- and it's actually a car, as opposed to "carlike," so its handling is relatively nimble and secure.

For 2009, a number of formerly optional or unavailable features are standard, such as Bluetooth compatibility, a six-CD changer and a sunroof. As ever, the V50 carries on Volvo's tradition of offering top-notch safety features and superbly designed seats. Moreover, despite a hefty price hike for 2009, the base V50 2.4i still undercuts entry-level German sport wagons by a few thousand dollars, making it a viable alternative for car shoppers who want the style and accoutrements of a premium sport wagon without the hefty price tag. With just 168 horsepower, the V50 2.4i is not an impressive performer, but there's a case to be made for it if styling, comfort and safety are high priorities.

There's plenty to be said in the 2009 Volvo V50's favor. It looks sharp inside and out, it's safe, it's got some of the best front seats in the business and the base 2.4i model is a compelling alternative to upscale compact SUVs.


Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Volvo V50 is a premium compact wagon available in two trim levels: 2.4i and T5 AWD R-Design. The new-for-2009 "R-Design" suffix refers to a collection of sporty exterior and interior styling cues. The V50 2.4i comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a sunroof, a trip computer, a power driver seat, neoprene-like "T-Tec" cloth upholstery, a tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, full power accessories, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker audio system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. In addition to its more powerful engine and AWD, the T5 AWD R-Design adds a sport suspension, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, heated front seats with a memory function for the driver seat, automatic climate control and "R-Design" styling cues, including a sport steering wheel and a watch-like gauge cluster.

Options for the 2.4i model include the Climate Package, which adds heated front seats, headlight washers and rain-sensing wipers. Leather upholstery is a stand-alone option, as are wood inlays. The T5 AWD R-Design can be equipped with a Dynaudio Package that includes a 12-speaker sound system. Stand-alone options for the T5 AWD R-Design include keyless ignition/entry and a navigation system (which is not available on the 2.4i). Active bi-xenon headlights and Volvo's blind-spot information system (BLIS) are options on all V50s.