Leonard Shelby would love the 2007 Volvo S80 AWD. As the protagonist of the film Memento, Leonard was afflicted with a condition that prevented him from forming new memories. Brief conversations were fine, but 10 minutes later he'd have no idea with whom he was talking.
Just like us, when Leonard would approach this S80 for the first time, the V8 badge would arouse his anticipation of the drive to come. But thanks to his unfortunate condition, Leonard would be among the few to feel this eagerness on subsequent occasions.
Since we're burdened with the curse of memory, our many drives in the 2007 Volvo S80 AWD have led us to learn that it takes more than a purring power plant to lead the way in the luxury-sedan segment. It takes that little something extra, a certain je ne sais quoi, for a fine luxury sedan to become a truly memorable driving experience.
It's Like Waking; Like You Just Woke Up
The S80's woofly V8-ness is totally out of character with Volvos as we've come to know them. And we mean that in the best sense. At part-throttle, the S80's 4.4-liter DOHC V8 is subdued, but when you give it the wood, it pumps up the burbling, mellifluous intake notes that only a V8 can deliver.
The S80 is reminiscent of those engine swaps into older Volvos popular among Q-ship lovers, those staid, boxy 1980s Volvos with the unexpected gurgle of a domestic V8 under the hood. The same goes with the S80, but the difference is that the modern V8 in the curvaceous S80 is far more refined and more powerful than those found in any FrankenVolvo.
Distantly related to the 60-degree V8 in the last Ford Taurus SHO, the S80's V8 heart transplant is certainly the highlight of this luxurious Swedish sedan. This is the same power plant found in the Volvo XC90, and it's a cube compact enough to be mounted transversely under the S80's hood.
All-wheel drive helps funnel all the V8's 311-horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque to the pavement, so there's no time-wasting wheelspin at the launch for the quarter-mile, resulting in a sprint of 14.4 seconds with a trap speed of 97.1 mph. This efficient launch helps deliver the S80 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, which is a solid 0.7 second quicker than the factory claims. Remember when a 0-60 time of less than 6 seconds was considered Mustang territory?
Of course, perhaps the engine's aggressive sound signature is indirectly responsible for the 17.6 mpg we averaged over 781 miles, a result at the low end of the S80's 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway EPA rating.
I Use Habit and Routine To Make My Life Possible
An optional sport package includes Volvo's "4C Chassis" cockpit-adjustable dampers, which offer three levels of damping: Normal, Sport and Advanced. We used Advanced mode at the track, where it demonstrated its worth by delivering taut control over body motion in quick transitions. The S80's limits are respectable when it comes to hard numbers, and it generates 0.83g on the skid pad and clicks off the slalom at 66 mph. Braking performance is similarly solid, and the 4,159-pound S80 stops from 60 mph in 118 feet without noticeable fade even after repeated attempts.
As the adhesion limit of the wide, low-profile, 245/40R18 Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires approaches and stability control intervention is imminent, the S80 maintains its composure. Once the stability control finally intervenes, it does so with a gentle nudge, bringing you back to sanity instead of calling an abrupt halt to the proceedings. This newfound cooperative spirit of Volvo's stability control calibration is welcome, though there's no turning off the nanny completely. At the limit, the S80 still feels like a Volvo, as the Haldex all-wheel-drive system is biased heavily toward the front wheels, so there will be no steering with the throttle.
I Have This Condition
The athleticism demonstrated by the S80 at the track becomes markedly tempered when you're driving on the road in the real world. A really rewarding drive depends on some communication from the car about the road and the condition of its mechanical spirit, and there just isn't enough of this from the S80. While this Volvo sounds and scoots like a performance sedan and wears fancy multimode dampers and summer tires, it nevertheless feels lifeless when driven with the sort of enthusiasm its equipment list might suggest.
Most disappointing is the steering, which neither responds eagerly nor sends you messages about the grainy texture of the road. This inanimate tiller doesn't communicate in the way we expect a premium sedan should, especially since the S80 wears a sticker price not far from $60 grand.
Moreover, the same Advanced-mode damper setting that gives such good results on the relatively smooth surface of the track imparts a stiff-legged, rubbery ride when it's pressed into duty on the road. It's as though the S80's various suspension bushings are tuned primarily to quell road noise and prevent vibrations from reaching the cabin, and as such are too soft for the dampers that have been punched up to their max-attack setting. Call it a suspension-calibration identity crisis. We found that dialing the dampers back to Sport mode results in a better balance between quick response and good ride quality.
You're Not a Killer; That's Why You're So Good at It
So obliterating sinuous roads like a Swedish-built BMW isn't what the Volvo S80 is all about. Instead, the S80 adopts a relaxed approach to luxury that aims to make your life as uncomplicated as possible. For example, Volvo's intuitive climate and audio controls (complete with actual knobs!) are a pleasantly straightforward departure from the all-in-one interfaces favored by German marques, and the navigation screen even hides from view when not in use.
The bottom row of buttons on Volvo's unique, floating-style center stack are switches for the adaptive cruise, a blind-spot warning system, park assist and active headlights. These options also ratchet the S80's purchase price skywards. The $1,550, 12-speaker stereo system is such an auditory treat that it's worth the added expense, and the complimentary nighttime illumination of the instruments completes the interior's loungelike vibe.
I Can't Remember To Forget You
The S80's exterior styling is sharp yet discreet, bearing familial resemblance to others in the Volvo stable. Together with the decidedly plush seats and six-speed automatic transmission (no manual is available), a gunmetal-gray S80 makes a perfect companion for surreptitious high-speed freeway touring.
In the end, though, the 2007 Volvo S80 suffers from mixed messages. It looks the part of a fine luxury sedan, with a sure sense of style that sets it apart. All-wheel drive promises all-season sure-footedness. It's easy and practical to drive. Yet all the S80's gestures toward sportiness end up being faintly unconvincing, as if Volvo isn't quite sure whether this car wants to be American, European or even Japanese.
As for us, when we're dropping this kind of coin, we want to remember more about the trip than the destination.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Just like us, when Leonard would approach this S80 for the first time, the V8 badge would arouse his anticipation of the drive to come. But thanks to his unfortunate condition, Leonard would be among the few to feel this eagerness on subsequent occasions.
Since we're burdened with the curse of memory, our many drives in the 2007 Volvo S80 AWD have led us to learn that it takes more than a purring power plant to lead the way in the luxury-sedan segment. It takes that little something extra, a certain je ne sais quoi, for a fine luxury sedan to become a truly memorable driving experience.
It's Like Waking; Like You Just Woke Up
The S80's woofly V8-ness is totally out of character with Volvos as we've come to know them. And we mean that in the best sense. At part-throttle, the S80's 4.4-liter DOHC V8 is subdued, but when you give it the wood, it pumps up the burbling, mellifluous intake notes that only a V8 can deliver.
The S80 is reminiscent of those engine swaps into older Volvos popular among Q-ship lovers, those staid, boxy 1980s Volvos with the unexpected gurgle of a domestic V8 under the hood. The same goes with the S80, but the difference is that the modern V8 in the curvaceous S80 is far more refined and more powerful than those found in any FrankenVolvo.
Distantly related to the 60-degree V8 in the last Ford Taurus SHO, the S80's V8 heart transplant is certainly the highlight of this luxurious Swedish sedan. This is the same power plant found in the Volvo XC90, and it's a cube compact enough to be mounted transversely under the S80's hood.
All-wheel drive helps funnel all the V8's 311-horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque to the pavement, so there's no time-wasting wheelspin at the launch for the quarter-mile, resulting in a sprint of 14.4 seconds with a trap speed of 97.1 mph. This efficient launch helps deliver the S80 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, which is a solid 0.7 second quicker than the factory claims. Remember when a 0-60 time of less than 6 seconds was considered Mustang territory?
Of course, perhaps the engine's aggressive sound signature is indirectly responsible for the 17.6 mpg we averaged over 781 miles, a result at the low end of the S80's 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway EPA rating.
I Use Habit and Routine To Make My Life Possible
An optional sport package includes Volvo's "4C Chassis" cockpit-adjustable dampers, which offer three levels of damping: Normal, Sport and Advanced. We used Advanced mode at the track, where it demonstrated its worth by delivering taut control over body motion in quick transitions. The S80's limits are respectable when it comes to hard numbers, and it generates 0.83g on the skid pad and clicks off the slalom at 66 mph. Braking performance is similarly solid, and the 4,159-pound S80 stops from 60 mph in 118 feet without noticeable fade even after repeated attempts.
As the adhesion limit of the wide, low-profile, 245/40R18 Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires approaches and stability control intervention is imminent, the S80 maintains its composure. Once the stability control finally intervenes, it does so with a gentle nudge, bringing you back to sanity instead of calling an abrupt halt to the proceedings. This newfound cooperative spirit of Volvo's stability control calibration is welcome, though there's no turning off the nanny completely. At the limit, the S80 still feels like a Volvo, as the Haldex all-wheel-drive system is biased heavily toward the front wheels, so there will be no steering with the throttle.
I Have This Condition
The athleticism demonstrated by the S80 at the track becomes markedly tempered when you're driving on the road in the real world. A really rewarding drive depends on some communication from the car about the road and the condition of its mechanical spirit, and there just isn't enough of this from the S80. While this Volvo sounds and scoots like a performance sedan and wears fancy multimode dampers and summer tires, it nevertheless feels lifeless when driven with the sort of enthusiasm its equipment list might suggest.
Most disappointing is the steering, which neither responds eagerly nor sends you messages about the grainy texture of the road. This inanimate tiller doesn't communicate in the way we expect a premium sedan should, especially since the S80 wears a sticker price not far from $60 grand.
Moreover, the same Advanced-mode damper setting that gives such good results on the relatively smooth surface of the track imparts a stiff-legged, rubbery ride when it's pressed into duty on the road. It's as though the S80's various suspension bushings are tuned primarily to quell road noise and prevent vibrations from reaching the cabin, and as such are too soft for the dampers that have been punched up to their max-attack setting. Call it a suspension-calibration identity crisis. We found that dialing the dampers back to Sport mode results in a better balance between quick response and good ride quality.
You're Not a Killer; That's Why You're So Good at It
So obliterating sinuous roads like a Swedish-built BMW isn't what the Volvo S80 is all about. Instead, the S80 adopts a relaxed approach to luxury that aims to make your life as uncomplicated as possible. For example, Volvo's intuitive climate and audio controls (complete with actual knobs!) are a pleasantly straightforward departure from the all-in-one interfaces favored by German marques, and the navigation screen even hides from view when not in use.
The bottom row of buttons on Volvo's unique, floating-style center stack are switches for the adaptive cruise, a blind-spot warning system, park assist and active headlights. These options also ratchet the S80's purchase price skywards. The $1,550, 12-speaker stereo system is such an auditory treat that it's worth the added expense, and the complimentary nighttime illumination of the instruments completes the interior's loungelike vibe.
I Can't Remember To Forget You
The S80's exterior styling is sharp yet discreet, bearing familial resemblance to others in the Volvo stable. Together with the decidedly plush seats and six-speed automatic transmission (no manual is available), a gunmetal-gray S80 makes a perfect companion for surreptitious high-speed freeway touring.
In the end, though, the 2007 Volvo S80 suffers from mixed messages. It looks the part of a fine luxury sedan, with a sure sense of style that sets it apart. All-wheel drive promises all-season sure-footedness. It's easy and practical to drive. Yet all the S80's gestures toward sportiness end up being faintly unconvincing, as if Volvo isn't quite sure whether this car wants to be American, European or even Japanese.
As for us, when we're dropping this kind of coin, we want to remember more about the trip than the destination.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
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