Used Volvo V50 cars for sale

Used Volvo V50
The Volvo V50 is beautifully built and there are few major problems, making it a great used buy. Launched in 2004 to replace the V40, the Volvo V50 was a product of the company's tie-in to Ford and is based on the chassis of the Focus. Engines at launch were the 1.8, 2.4i and 2.5 T5 petrols, plus a 2.0-litre 136bhp diesel. A 2.4-litre 180bhp D5 diesel was added to the range in 2006 along with a 145bhp 2.0-litre petrol. The T5 performance version is available with all-wheel drive. A used Volvo V50 is a surprisingly attractive package. It gives you an entertaining chassis, reliable engines and – on the inside at least – a dash of design flair. All of this adds up to a car that will hang on to its resale value.

What You Get
As you'd expect from a Volvo, there's strong emphasis on safety. The engine is designed to be more compact to leave extra space for crumple zones and the car uses different grades of high tensile steel to improve crash protection. It's designed to stop you having a crash in the first place too, with an Intelligent Driver Information system that monitors how hard you're driving and will hold incoming phone calls and sat nav instructions until they're less likely to distract you. The outside of the car might not get you too many admiring glances, but the inside is stylish and well designed. Everything is easy to use and presented with a touch of Scandinavian design flair.

How it Drives
If you spend a lot of time on the motorway, you'll find the V50 to be a fine cruiser. The high sixth gear means that the engine is turning at under 2,000rpm at the legal limit. There's good punch in the lower gears too, making it good on fast A roads with plenty of power for overtaking. Ride comfort is excellent and handling is impressive. The range-topping T4 sprints to 60 in 6.5 seconds and goes on to 150mph, but its low-profile tyres make for a harder ride. The more common 2.4 will still get you to 60 in 7.9 and will feel a lot less frantic along the way.