Volvo S80 T4

After my surprising episode with the Volvo V60, I should have expected the S80 to be yet another surprising car, but as I took delivery of it at the dealership on Alexandra Road, the classic squarish Volvo lines crippled my enthusiasm, and even with a beige leather interior that made the car feel bigger and more welcoming, I  couldn't shake my eyes off of the dull-looking rectangular air vents

and the unexciting centre console. Gone was the driver oriented, clear and welcoming centre console design that I found so nice on the V60, taking the pleasant aluminum designs that ran along the interior of the doors along with it. The S80 set right away a very different mood, a more classic corporate atmosphere that brings it to the same playground as the Renault Latitude, with the exception that this car offers you a COE category B architecture for a Category A price thanks to its smaller 1.6L turbocharged power plant. With the actual skyrocketing COE prices, that's a whopping $20K in savings.

This being the entry price version of the S80, the car doesn't feature certain elements such as the dual-zone air conditioning (which, in my opinion is no big loss as I always found this option highly overrated), GPS, and the steering does not have any gradual speed assist to make the steering more manageable at high speeds. Luckily, the Volvo is still equipped with auxiliary line in and USB port to have the sound system entertain your ears with your own playlists during the ride. In this case, the S80 is equipped with the same steering-wheel control system as the V60 which makes browsing your songs easy and intuitive. One thing I like about Volvos is the two de-cluttered control handles that sit behind the wheel and fit comfortably in your fingers for easy operation. The S80's steering wheel is quite chunky and quite comfortable as it fits snugly in your hands. For man's hands, that is as I fear it might not be as comfortable for smaller ladies' hands.
Aside from that, the Volvo's interior lives up to the expectations of a vehicle of this class, offering ample leg room in the rear, comfortable seats and a deep boot that can engulf 480 litres of luggage.

I then woke up the small engine with the start/stop button and slowly drove out the big frame of the S80 to the first traffic light in search of something exciting to set my eyes on in the car, but nothing managed to grab my sliding stare, and the S80 was definitely heading to the "dull" corner of my classification. Until the light turned green and I stepped on the gas. And Volvo's magic kicked in: the S80 suddenly came alive and surged forward with a tiny tyre screech, leaving the other cars to shrink in the rear view mirrors, and I wasn't even hitting the metal!

The T4 engine sitting under the hood is kept in the same tune as the V60, with the turbo spooling up slightly after idle, at around 1,500-2,000rpm, unexpectedly kicking the car forward. Thanks to this and the T4's 180hp, the S80 becomes fun to drive and can surge forward easily to get you out of spiky situations. As dull as its looks might be, what saves the S80 is the drive which will make you smirk as you set out in your wolf in sheep's clothing. In addition to the fun engine, the chassis and suspension give a very smooth ride that will confuse you into believing you are driving at 50kph when the speedo shows 90kph. As fun as the kick in the ass the S80 delivers is, it sometimes gets a bit tricky when trying to drive smoothly, making low-speed operation of the car a bit jerky.

High-speed cruising is a game the S80 excels at and only the unassisted steering mentioned earlier will make you lift your foot as the car tends to get twitchy when going fast. As much as the suspension does an amazingly good job at soaking up the road's irregularities, it also satisfies by not giving a soft, sickening handling when hitting the B-roads.

On the twisties, it's the tyres, struggling under the weight of the car, that will limit your pace. Hopefully, both the squealing rubber and the chassis' behavior will warn you before the Volvo suffers from understeer and the electronics have to kick in to save the day.

Although the S80 is more of a cruiser thanks to its capacity to smoothen any road it drives on, the life that inhabits the car is such that, after driving it for a little while, it will lead you to take the fun way home, and if it wasn't for the dull looks, the Volvo would be a winner in most categories. The great work done by the T4 engine propels the heavy frame so well that the more expensive 2.0L turbocharged engine offer becomes less attractive, especially for Singapore roads and the current ridiculously high COE prices; so if you are ready to overlook the unexciting lines, this car will satisfy you. If you are looking for an inconspicuous-looking ride that doesn't make your banker put a reward on your head yet deliver enough performance to stand out of the crowd, the S80 T4 will definitely be your best bet.