04 Mar 05
Estate cars are marvellous things for the practically-minded: mobile holdalls for family, friends, pets, possessions and just about everything else, which - unlike a high-riding MPV or 4x4 - actually drive like a proper car as well. However, I've never really understood the fashion for the so-called "lifestyle" estates - BMW 3-Series Touring, Lexus IS300 SportCross, Alfa 156 Sportwagon and so on - which barely have more room than their four-door equivalents; indeed, the Alfa Sportwagon actually has less loadspace than the 156 saloon. These are no more than hatchbacks with pretensions, cars which, to justify their 'premium' status and prices, have to appear to be more than just a five-door with tailgate.
The Belgian-built Volvo V50, however, manages to be aspirational and desirable without compromising on functionality. It may share its underpinnings with the small family-sized Ford Focus and Mazda3, but its good-looking body is scaled-down V70, with only a slight tilt to its tailgate for a rakish, sporty appearance. Load space is impressive for a car this size, with a 1307-litre boot, split/flat-folding rear seats, a forward-folding front passenger seat and all the capacity you'd need to brave a trip to IKEA - if you were to over-stretch the generous interior dimensions, there's always the fitted roof rails to take the surplus shopping. Although shorter in overall length than the previous V40 (a sister model to the unlamented Mitsubishi Carisma), the V50 has a wheelbase 78mm longer and is 54mm wider and 27mm taller. It's also longer than the four-door S40, as well as its Ford and Mazda relatives.
T5 models won't appeal to those after a purely utilitarian load-lugger, though; best opt for the 1.8-litre (125bhp) petrol engine or the 2.0D diesel if sheer pragmatism is your thing. With a turbocharged 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine, the T5 puts out 220bhp and 236lb ft of torque; the four-wheel drive version is capable of 143 mph and 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds. It returns a claimed 29.4mpg (and puts out 229 g/km of carbon dioxide, attracting a relatively high tax banding) though under real-life driving conditions, that figure is probably nearer the low 20s. The T5 AWD will not be a cheap car to run, and at just under £26,000, it's a reasonably hefty investment to make.
