Review of The New Volvo S80 T4

There’s been much talk in recent times about Singapore’s COE and road tax structure syster as being outdated and well, Victorian to say the least. Critics have been saying that charging the amount of road tax based on engine size isn’t exactly a fair way of doing things especially when the road tax  is supposed to be charged for the amount of space a vehicle occupies. Well, a 3.2-litre Golf R32 will never occupy as much road space as a Mercedes-Benz S280L so why does the Golf owner end up paying more road tax thas the Mercedes owner needs to?

It’s the same with the COE system. Since Cat B is for bigger passenger cars, why does a Toyota Prius buyer has to buy a Cat B COE when a Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor buyer needs a Cat A when the latter is a bigger car than the Prius? The flaws in our COE and tax system is further compounded by car manufacturers’ recent trends to downsize their engines.

The new Volvo S80 T4 full sized executive saloon is a case in point – despite its generous exterior proportions, the new S80 model is powered by a small but powerful 1.6-litre motor, which makes it fall under the Cat A COE class and hence compete with buyers of budget models and superminis for a Cat A COE when it is an executive saloon roughly the size of a BMW 5 Series.

On the outside, the new S80 T4 variant can be differentiated from the 2.0T only by the T4′ badge on the boot lid instead of ’2.0T. Everything else on the exterior, including the design of the alloy wheels are similar to the 2.0Ts. Overall styling of the five-year old S80 though, is starting to look aged, especially when it is parked next to newer and sleeker Volvos like the S60 and V60.

Volvo’s T4 utilises the same Ford sourced 1596cc unit. Like Volvo’s latest 2-litre units, the four-cylinder engine features turbocharging and GTDi direct fuel injection to muster an impressive 180bhp at 5700rpm, which makes it one of the most powerful engines in the Cat

A class. Outright performance of the entry level S80 is reasonably sprightly -0-100km/h in 9.2 seconds and a 220km/h top speed are numbers that are nothing to be ashamed of for such a large car with a relatively tiny motor. Surprisingly, although the 1627kg S80 is almost 100kg heavier than the 1532kg V60, Volvo quotes similar performance numbers for both cars.

When compared to the 2.0T, the T4 is just seven-tenths of a second slower off the line to 10Okm/h and has a 10km/h slower top speed than the former’s 8.5 seconds and 230km/h performance figures. On the road, the T4′s on paper performance deficit to the 2.0T definitely doesn’t feel as much of a gap as the numbers suggest, with the T4 having more than enough go to keep up with the fastest of traffic on our roads.

With 240Nm of torque on tap from 1600rpm, the T4 offers ample pulling power in the mid-range. Despite its relatively flat torque curve, the engine does suffer from a bit of turbo lag at slow crawling speeds.

Mid-range performance is strong but just like the S80 2.0T’s i 2-litre turbo lump, the T4 unit can feel a little short of breath and hence lose momentum at higher engine speeds. On the upside, the 1.6 unit does sound like it is rewier than Volvo’s larger 2-litre four-pot.

The T4 motor is hooked up to Volvo’s familiar six-speed Powershift twin clutch transmission. Powershift isn’t programmed to shift lightning quick like BMW’s DCT boxes but it offers smoother operation almost to the point that many will mistake it for a torque converter auto instead of a twin clutch unit.

The S80′s chassis is set up more for wafting along than for spirited driving so don’t expect it to be as dynamic as a BMW. It goes round corners decently enough but the steering feels wooden and is rather lifeless for the handling to be truly rewarding. Body control is lacking as well as the S80 can roll noticeably in the bends.

On the upside, the S80′s non-sporting pretensions means it offers a pliant ride at all speeds, offering its occupants a comfortable journey every time. In terms of ride comfort, it certainly betters rivals like the Saab 95 or the Audi A6. There aren’t any immediately noticeable differences over the 2.0T when it comes to the cabin other than the slightly different inserts on the steering wheel and gear knob and the lack of the 2.0T’s sports pedals.

The S80 T4 is superbly equipped for a Cat A model. It comes with the same standard equipment and luxuries as the $1 Ok more expensive 2.0T model that includes all the usual Volvo passive and active safety kit like WHIPS, SIPS, Inflatable Curtains, DSTC electronic stability control and luxuries like cruise control, rear park assist, rain sensors, electrical adjustments for the front seats, factory fitted stereo with iPod connectivity and so on.

It’s entirely not Volvo’s fault that the sizable S80 T4 needs to fight for COEs with buyers of much smaller or cheaper models. It is more like a masterstroke on Volvo’s part in exploiting the flawed taxation and COE system that show no signs of getting changed just yet. Thumbs up to Volvo but an even bigger thumbs down to the Victorian transport policies of Singapore.

The New Volvo S80 T4

At A Glance

Engine: 1596cc, in-line 4,16V

Performance: 180bhp/5700rpm,

240Nm/ 1600rpm to 5000rpm, 0-100 9.2 sees

Top Speed: 220km/h

Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic

Price with COE: S$188,000

Testdrive & Enquiries:

In a Nutshell

• Plus: Punchy performance despite engine size

• Minus: Ageing looks

• Verdict: Volvo exploits the system and gives us a winner in the S80T4

Wheels Asia