Overview & Reviews

Among luxury sedans, the Volvo S80 has always been something of an alternative choice. Through two generations, Volvo's largest sedan has spurned outright luxury and serious performance in favor of cutting-edge safety features and in-cabin technology. And, in a class dominated by rear-drive sedans, Volvo continues to tout the virtues of front-wheel drive, while offering all-wheel drive as an option.

There are plenty of premium-brand sedans that feel more upscale than the S80. There are just as many that surpass its balance and grip on a winding back road. Yet the Volvo S80 is certainly one of the safest cars money can buy. It also boasts some of the industry's most supportive seats.

For luxury sedan buyers whose tastes diverge from the mainstream, the Volvo S80 is an interesting car to consider. And with a price tag that undercuts many European and Japanese-brand competitors, it can be a sensible option as well.

Current Volvo S80
Despite its appearance, the Volvo S80 is only midsize in dimensions, which means it can seat four adults comfortably but doesn't have yards of legroom to spare. It's about the same size as the Acura RL, the competitor it most closely resembles in personality and performance.

There are two versions of the S80. The entry-level S80 3.2 is front-wheel drive and is adequately motivated by a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder with 240 horsepower. Buyers seeking performance more befitting a luxury car will undoubtedly prefer the S80 T6, which uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 good for 300 hp. It uses the same six-speed transmission as the base S80, but power goes to all four wheels via a standard all-wheel-drive system.

Both Volvo S80s come standard with the usual luxury amenities, including leather upholstery, wood trim, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, power-adjustable seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. Major options include front/rear park assist, heated front and rear seats, an excellent 12-speaker sound system, a navigation system, a rearview camera, a dual-screen rear entertainment system and (T6 only) a sport-tuned suspension.

On the safety front, the blind spot warning system and collision warning system (bundled with adaptive cruise control) are worthwhile options for long-distance commuters to consider. The City Safety system -- which can detect an impending low-speed collision and then automatically apply the brakes to avoid or minimize it -- is standard. Although the Personal Car Communicator (PCC) is basically a glorified security system, its transponder has a heartbeat sensor to let you know if someone is still in your Volvo after the alarm has been activated.

Useful features like these are the main reasons someone might want to buy a Volvo S80. The utter comfort of the front seats and a reasonable price tag are additional points in the car's favor. In other respects, though, the Volvo S80 comes across as tepid compared to its luxury sedan rivals. It rides comfortably, handles predictably and stops short, but otherwise does little to engage its driver. And although its cabin has all the expected amenities, it lacks the unrestrained elegance and exacting quality of competitors' interiors.

Used Volvo S80 Models
The current S80 represents the second-generation Volvo S80 that debuted for the 2007 model year. Although it didn't change drastically in size or appearance compared to the first-generation model, this newer S80 moved to an all-new platform and adopted a new pair of engines -- the base inline-6 and the V8 -- not to mention an impressive array of safety technology. At the time, the available 4.4-liter V8 produced 311 hp.

The following year saw the addition of the turbocharged inline-6, then rated at 281 hp. Strangely for a luxury sedan, the S80 didn't offer standard Bluetooth or xenon headlamps prior to '09. A mild face-lift with a revised grille (sporting a much larger Volvo logo) and chrome accents took place for '10, which would also be the last year for the V8 model. For 2011, the remaining two versions got slight power increases (the base version from 235 to 240 hp and the T6 from 281 to 300 hp). Not much has changed since, apart from those earlier S80s lacking the current version's newly standard Bluetooth audio, multifunction color monitor and City Safety system.

Driving enthusiasts should also know that the S80 V8 could originally be equipped with a Sport package, which provided 18-inch wheels, Volvo's sport-tuned "Four-C" adaptive suspension, speed-sensitive power steering and ventilated front seats. These items became stand-alone options on the V8 for 2010, while the sport suspension could be had on the T6 via a new Dynamic package.

Prior to this, Volvo sold the first-generation S80 from 1999-2006. This car was similar in dimensions and focus to today's S80. It heralded a new styling direction for Volvo's sedans, as its curvy body lines were a dramatic break from the company's boxy designs of the '80s and '90s. Even today, the original S80 has a Scandinavian coolness that keeps it from looking dated. However, significant concerns about reliability have driven down its resale value -- good for bargain hunters, but not so much for owners.

Volvo offered the S80 with three different engines, two of them turbocharged. The most interesting of these was the T6, a twin-turbo inline six-cylinder rated for 268 horsepower. (Initially, the T6 displaced 2.8 liters; in 2002, Volvo enlarged it to 2.9 liters with no change in output.) Volvo claimed a 6.8-second 0-60 time for the S80 T6, but even with a standard four-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels, the car felt quicker than that. Serious torque steer was the major knock against the T6 model. Volvo discontinued it after 2005.

From 1999-2004, a naturally aspirated 2.9-liter inline six-cylinder good for 197 hp motivated the base Volvo S80. It, too, was available only with a four-speed automatic and only with front-wheel drive. In 2004, a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder known as the 2.5T joined the lineup. Rated for 208 hp, it offered significantly more torque than the 2.9-liter, while engaging the services of a more sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission. The 2.5T was the only engine that could be had with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. And in '06, it was the only engine you could get on the S80.

Acceleration was modest with either of the lesser engines, but otherwise the driving experience was agreeable in the S80, with a comfortable ride and sure-footed handling. Those seeking added control should look for an S80 with the Four-C adaptive suspension, which was offered as an option on 2004 and later models. Dual-zone automatic climate control, a CD audio system and a telescoping steering wheel were standard throughout the run. Options ran the gamut in the first-gen Volvo S80. In addition to expected items like a navigation system (DVD-based from '02 onward), a high-quality Dolby sound system and xenon headlamps ('02 and up), Volvo offered a rear-seat refrigerator, a dual-screen entertainment system and even a fax machine ('01 only) in certain high-line T6 models, which were called Executive, Elite or Premier depending on the model year.

Still, the best reason to consider buying a used Volvo S80 is its high level of safety. It earned five stars in all government-administered front- and side-impact crash tests, as well as a "Good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Additionally, a full menu of side airbags and dynamic front head restraints were standard throughout its eight-year run. The one feature to pay attention to is stability control: It was standard on T6 models but optional on all other S80s.

User Reviews:

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  Luv that R - 2004 Volvo S80
  By zen823 - December 14 - 9:20 am

  I’ve owned my Volvo S60R for a short time, but I love this car. It’s a blast to drive, a sports car in a family sedans skin.

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  Almost nearly - 2000 Volvo S80
  By CRITIC - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Have owned one Porsche, two BMWs, one Mercedes, and now two VOLVOs. I have enjoyed driving this S80 as much as any owned except the Porsche. I bought the S80 because of looks,room,perfomance, and reliability of the previous VOLVO 850. Everything as expected EXCEPT reliability. ELectrical problems, front suspension, transmission,A/C,power window, radio, brakes. This car is maintenance intensive and it is a shame because when everything is working correctly it is a great car. Won,t own another

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  Some flaws, and not again - 2000 Volvo S80
  By FirstS80T6 - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I have several complaints about this car. First of all, the 17-inch upgraded tires are not suitable for any winter driving in the Northeast. I learned this the hard way. Second, driving with the windows and sunroof open will cause the rear view mirror to shake very violently at 60mph. Third, maintenance and autobody works are extremely expensive. It costs me over $700 to replace a cracked headlight! Routine maintenance services were over $200 each visit. Fourth, the suspension and the steering are too soft for my liking. Last, the visibility is very poor. For the amount of money, it is not worth it, and I will definitely not buy the S80 again.

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  Awesome car - Technology needs improvement - 2015 Volvo S80
  By Kevin NC - November 5 - 2:27 pm

  Joel Hs review was spot on. The 2015.5 Platinum Drive-E is awesome. The gas mileage is impressive - I got as much as 38.5 mpg on the highway. City mileage generally is not near the EPA estimate of 25 - more like 19. It is a very understated car - most people do not realize what an exceptional car it is - great ride and comfort. The folding rear seats give you additional room when you need to move something. The headlights are absolutely awesome! - They are very bright and turn as you turn the vehicle. I can attest to the fact that it is a safe car. I was in a major accident and my S80 was totaled (not my fault - another guy ran a red light). It did exactly what it was supposed to do - side curtain airbags deployed but the front ones did not (since by then my speed was reduced when I hit a pole). I am glad the front air bags did not go off when they did not have to - my head never hit the steering wheel. Even though the front-end of the car sustained substantial damage, the air bags did not go off when they didnt need to. My only major complaint about the car was the Volvo On Call App. It was one of the main reasons I bought the car - ability to remote start, send destinations from smart phone to GPS, etc. But the connectivity and Volvo support was not very good. Even though reliability was only around 60-70%, I needed it for the remote start. Prior to the accident I renewed my Volvo On Call for 54 months. I paid $600 for 54 months. After the accident, I realized I had 48 months left on the service that I would not be able to use. I called Volvo to get a refund of the remaining time since I obviously would not be able to use the service since the car was totaled. Volvo said too bad - we have your $600 and are going to keep it even though we know we cant provide you the service. So as a word of CAUTION, it may be tempting to renew for a longer period of time because $11.11 per month (for 54 months) is more reasonable than $16.67 per month (1 year renewal). However, if anything happens to your car, you could be out a lot of money. It basically cost me $100 per month for the service (used 6 of the 54 months). Not worth $16.67 per month for the service and absolutely not worth $100 per month!! Also, as I understand it, if you sell the car, it is not transferable and the new owner will have to buy the same service again. So not good if you think you might sell the car. Just something to consider should you decide to renew. I was extremely disappointed in Volvos response to my request for a refund. I will never ever make that mistake again! I have another car (different manufacturer) with a similar app and it is substantially more reliable and substantially less expensive. So I know there are manufacturers out there that have Apps that work well.

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  Review - 2002 Volvo S80
  By Mo - November 1 - 10:00 am

  I love my car! The only drawback is that, being a "petite" (short 53") woman, the ergonomically designed seats dont really work for me. I have 2 kids and feel really safe in this car while fully enjoying its creature comforts.

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  Acceleration Hesitation - 2003 Volvo S80
  By Harder99 - October 14 - 2:00 am

  We purchased the car for its safety performance and chose the T6 model for the performance and added features. The car is fantastic except for one problem: hesitation during acceleration. The car hesitiates between 1st and 2nd gear under moderate to heavy acceleration. After four trips to the dealer I discovered the hesitation problem is designed into the car to save the tranmission. Volvo is working on a software patch, however, I was told the acceleration hesitation will always be noticed. Why make twin turbo model if the throttle is cut during acceleration?

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  Last Volvo for Me - 2000 Volvo S80
  By readytotrade - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Many, many problems with this car. Fan,throttle,suspension,electronics,oil leaks,cd player,emission control system,squeaks & rattles. Overall very poor quality. Fortunately I bought extended warranty--has returned money threefold.

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  Nice car but next time a turbo - 2008 Volvo S80
  By Tall Volvo owner - July 30 - 4:03 pm

  I just purchased the 2008 3.2 S80 (I have had it for 48 hours); I like the look of the car interior and exterior. The car comes up short with the handling; it has a floaty feel to it and I live in Europe and have driven Audis, Passats and Lancias. These car have great pick-up; this car does not; you learn a lot about a vehicle when taking a trip from Germany to Italy through the mountains at night. Overall I have to say it is a nice car but the suspension needs work; Turbo is necessary if you want to get that extra kick when you need it. Also, some features should come standard with the car, e.g. blue tooth, front and rear warning detection for parking.

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  S80 T6 after four years: Still happy - 2000 Volvo S80
  By jarchdeacon - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Our 2000 S80 T6 has over 70,000 miles and still feels and drives like a new car. Im very pleased with this car. Note that I did purchase the extended warranty (up to 100K miles) from Volvo which turned out to be a good idea (it has paid for itself). After the 50,000 mile warranty expired, Ive had to replace some DSTC parts, NAV system parts, and so on) all of which were adequately covered by the Volvo VIP plan. I will consider another S80 purchase in the future.

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  Great Car - 1999 Volvo S80
  By Chris Furman - June 18 - 11:20 pm

  So Far Ive put on over 10,000 miles on car without any troubles at all. Very comfortable, fast, reliable, and enjoyable. The European Technology in 1999 is beyond compare to Domestic cars today. Very affordable when looking for luxury and reliability. Great fuel economy as well. Im averaging around 27 mixing the city and highway travel. Non-stop highway Im averaging about 32mpg. I didnt think that was to bad for a 3600 pound car. I hope this helps if youre thinking about buying this model car.