Is the V50 a real Volvo?

[Ikea]

There, that's stirred up the hornets nest!:lightning:

I'm interested to know the general feeling among the afficionados! Some cars provoke heated debate - Rover 75 (definitely a real Rover) Saab 93 (just about) and now the Volvo v50 - a Ford Focus in a party frock, or the real deal?

I'll start - I would say no, it isn't a real Volvo! Do I need to take cover?

[iainmd]

There, that's stirred up the hornets nest!:lightning:

I'm interested to know the general feeling among the afficionados! Some cars provoke heated debate - Rover 75 (definitely a real Rover) Saab 93 (just about) and now the Volvo v50 - a Ford Focus in a party frock, or the real deal?

I'll start - I would say no, it isn't a real Volvo! Do I need to take cover?

Rover 75 - Not a real Rover. A BMW. Much better than any modern day Rover ever was

Saab 9-3 - Are we talking old 9-3 or newer? The newer one was a Vectra in drag. Not a real Saab.

So, with a V50 the answer, as ever, is it depends. The chassis and running gear are shared with a Focus C-Max and Mazda 3. The rest varies. The interior is proper Volvo and the 5 cylinder engines are. The 4 pot engines, with late in the day exceptions are Ford/PSV or Mazda designed.

It's not as "pure Volvo" as older models but nothing made past about 2004 could really be counted as "pure" since parts from the Ford parts bin entered the model chain. Doesn't make them bad cars though. They've handled better since Ford's influence.

[Clan]

There, that's stirred up the hornets nest!:lightning:

I'm interested to know the general feeling among the afficionados! Some cars provoke heated debate - Rover 75 (definitely a real Rover) Saab 93 (just about) and now the Volvo v50 - a Ford Focus in a party frock, or the real deal?

I'll start - I would say no, it isn't a real Volvo! Do I need to take cover?

It certainly isnt a focus in disguise , the floor pan and suspension , heater, steering column are ford but lots of fine details are different , look at the door hinges and checkstraps to compare for one !

[Sasha94]

From my experience with my gen1 C70, gen2 S40 and C30 the fact they contain Ford parts is no bad thing and the only bits that have caused me grief in the S40 are the Volvo bits! Having driven enough Focus's (Foci?!?) to know the difference, the Volvo is definitely a Volvo and it feels more Volvo like to drive with slightly more weight to the controls but still precise enough and sharper than old Volvo's so they are so much nicer to drive and with it's clean Scandinavian interior and familiar Volvo seats, you know you're not in a Ford when you sit in the cabin; the design language is there too and that is the important part IMO, yes the engine is Ford/PSA, but meh, I would say the S40/V50/C30 is as much of a Volvo as any other :)

Rover 75 is every bit a modern Rover, despite the BMW influence.

Saab 9-3 gen 2, nope. Sorry, just no. As they carried on making them, if you found anything Saab in one you would be lucky, don't even think the later ones even have the night panel button!

[Loskie]

Didn'tsome of the older Volvos use Audi engines?

[fenton_jd]

Provided there's no Ford/PSA diesel engine installed then yes it's a proper Volvo.

[don kalmar union]

Some older Volvos used Renault engines and gearboxes and vice versa, more to the point they were shared projects for the most part..... believe it or not the Nissan GTR engine has some of the old Volvo/Renault dna in its block....

Last ones to my knowledge were the 850s and Safrane.

Don.

[I-S]

Rover 75 - not a real rover, and that's why it was decent! BMW did the engineering work (just as they did for the range rover).

Saab 93 - platform forced upon Saab by GM after GM had designed it, and Saab made modifications.

Volvo V50 - Volvo were involved in the development of the Ford C1 platform from the outset, as were Ford and Mazda.

So, Volvo have a bigger claim to the V50 being "proper volvo" than your other two examples due to being involved from the start rather than being given a bunch of second hand bits and told to do something with them.

[V50scoobS70]

Having had a 55 plate Focus estate and a 10 Focus hatchback before the current 08 V50, I can not put the Focus' in the same class as the Volvo.The V50 drives better,handles better and feels far superior,in both build and quality.
So,as far as I am concerned,it MUST be a Volvo.
(That coming from a guy with a 99% Ford car history over 35 years took some saying!):thumbs_up:
Regards Andy

[fenton_jd]

Having had a 55 plate Focus estate and a 10 Focus hatchback before the current 08 V50, I can not put the Focus' in the same class as the Volvo.The V50 drives better,handles better and feels far superior,in both build and quality.
So,as far as I am concerned,it MUST be a Volvo.
(That coming from a guy with a 99% Ford car history over 35 years took some saying!):thumbs_up:
Regards Andy

Very surprised to hear anyone say a V50 handles better than a Ford Focus.

My S40's and S60 have VERY numb steering, not an ounce of feedback. Whereas I test drove a tired, battered Mk1 focus and that felt 10x better in the bends.

[Hockey851]

I have a 2010 Volvo V50 which would not start 2 months ago. The tow truck driver thought it was the starter, so I had it towed to my mechanic who tested the battery and found a bad cell and replaced it and car started right up and has had no issues until today. I turn the key everything goes on but car will not turn over. Battery has full power, co it be a relay or ignition switch not allowing high voltage from getting to starter? Thanks

[iainmd]

^^^ Holy thread hijack Batman! ^^^

[V50scoobS70]

Very surprised to hear anyone say a V50 handles better than a Ford Focus.

My S40's and S60 have VERY numb steering, not an ounce of feedback. Whereas I test drove a tired, battered Mk1 focus and that felt 10x better in the bends.

I am,of course ,comparing an LX and Style versions of the Focus, and not ST which stick to the road like s£%t to a blanket.
As soon as the wife and I sat in the Volvo we both mentioned how much better it felt in regards to the former Focus' we have owned.In the thousand odd miles we have done so far,that feeling has not diminished in any way.
We both still love it and the fuel savings!
Regards Andy.

[Ikea]

Interesting responses.

I can't agree about the negative, but not uncommon, responses about the Rover 75 - having had 5 of them they are every inch true Rovers, even if BMW paid for it! They hid the parts well, and it had real charactor.

The V50 is an enigma - nicely finished, very good looking, but 2 things spoil it for me: the figgety hard ride (what were they thinking of?) which is really irritating me, and the ruinous fuel consumption. I'm struggling to break 30mpg in mixed driving, riduculous for a 1.8. The 7series estates I used to run did better than that!

Sadly I think it will have to go - 600 miles a week at 30-31mpg ave is too expensive. My 2.5 v6 Rovers would do 38 on a run!

[M4ss4]

Mine has a volvo badge, what more do you want

[Keegan V50]

Mine has a volvo badge, what more do you want

Spot on, though my V50 uses a Ford/Mazda sourced four-potter motor with a Powershift box. One of my friend has the second-gen Ford Focus (which I've test driven) and both cars are different in terms of drive dynamics, ride quality and engine response. Still loving my V50 despite needing a throttle control module service soon!

[V50scoobS70]

There, that's stirred up the hornets nest!:lightning:

-
I'll start - I would say no, it isn't a real Volvo! Do I need to take cover?

Just looking at the cover of this months cover of the Volvo Driver............
Think that answers the question.:thumbs_up:
Regards Andy

[pgm]

My V50 has the best Volvo bit at its heart .... A T5 engine :)

Paul

[V50scoobS70]

My V50 has the best Volvo bit at its heart .... A T5 engine :)

Paul

I'm not jealous at all Paul,................................much.LOL
Regards Andy:thumbs_up:

[850Chris]

Didn'tsome of the older Volvos use Audi engines?

I believe the 5 pot 2.5TDI in the Phase 1 V70 was an Audi engine (and a cracking one at that!)

V50 a true Volvo? Not compared to Volvo's of old but driving dynamics have been vastly improved by Ford's influence. I'd always thought of the T5 as the closest thing you could get to a Phase 2 Focus ST Estate. Obviously not as accomplished as the ST but, with a few 'tweaks', a good option for those of us with kids and dogs to cart around!

[brikas]

The thing, that V50 has some shared parts, doesn't make it a Ford.

I believe the 5 pot 2.5TDI in the Phase 1 V70 was an Audi engine (and a cracking one at that!)



That old 2.5TDI was in the erlier V70 II and S80 I models too, before D5 (2.4l common rail diesel engine). The S60 never had that old engine.

[meanchris]

I had a '97 S70 T5 that was my first 5 cyl engine, they have a lovely grunty sound (only bettered by a Subaru boxer in full angry throat) and deliver a good mix of torque and revs; just right.

A straight four is lumpy and a straight six is too bland IMHO.

Wouldn't mind a V50 T5, if petrol wasn't so expensive for a working vehicle.

I'm enjoying my V50 2.0D so far, even coming from a 5 cyl Merc CLK 270.

[The Thong]

My only real critism is that my 50 isn't as comfortable as my S60. But my 50 is great car to drive and I'd happily have another one.

TT

[pgm]

My only real critism is that my 50 isn't as comfortable as my S60. But my 50 is great car to drive and I'd happily have another one.

TT

I have to agree my S80 was in a different class comfort wise despite being 6 years older :) I can say however after spending a month driving a MX5 I was so happy to get back into the V50 lol its all relative :)

Paul