I love my car. Selling to buy another Volvo. I ordered my V50 loaded and went to Sweden to drive and have it shipped back. Very cool experience. The V50 T5 R-Design turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-5 has a powerful smooth ride. This 2011 Volvo V50 is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-5 good for 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic with manual-shift capability. Volvo predicts a 0-60 sprint of 6.8 seconds, and estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. I am a sixty-something silver hair, so have never tested the 0-60, but this car has lots of road power so I always feel like I’m zooming along with ease. When the road is winding, the 2011 V50 is stable and confidence-inspiring.

 

 Roominess is certainly one of the 2011 Volvo V50's strong points. The V50 boasts an impressive 63 cubic feet of cargo space with its rear seats folded. As a professor, I love the room for carry packages and supplies. And it ll stays put. I drove Subarus for years, and find the Volvo to be so much better in performance, looks, and elegance. I love the V50's unique Swedish styling. Reflected in both its sheet metal and its cabin is a minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic that sets the wagon apart from the rest. The V50 also offers supremely supportive and comfortable front seats, as well as the latest in safety technology.

Standard equipment on my V50 includes 17-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, an eight-way power driver seat with memory settings, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel,, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker stereo with CD player, auxiliary audio jack and USB/iPod audio interface. The T5 R-Design adds aluminum roof rails, a sunroof, sporty exterior trim, a sport-tuned suspension, and special R-Design floor mats, steering wheel, gauges and shift knob. The R-Design in particular features cool two-tone seats (mine are off-black and cr?me) and blue-faced gauges. Most of the controls are straightforward to operate and the ergonomically designed seats are extraordinarily comfortable and supportive. The rear seat folds 60/40 to reveal a maximum cargo capacity of 63 cubic feet.

I got the Preferred package, which includes a sunroof, a power passenger seat and leather upholstery. Also have the Climate package, which includes headlight washers, automatic wipers, automatic climate control and heated front seats. And I have the Multimedia package, which includes a portable Garmin navigation system and a 12-speaker premium surround-sound system that includes satellite radio. Lastly, I have the Stand-alone options that  include a blind-spot warning system, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, integrated rear booster seats, satellite radio and rear park assist. I park like a man. So easy!

Safety Features: The 2011 Volvo V50 comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and whiplash-reducing front head restraints. Optional features include integrated rear booster seats and a blind-spot warning system.

Here's a list of everything my V50 has for safety: 4-wheel ABS; Front and rear head airbags; Dual front side-mounted airbags;Child seat anchors; Remote anti-theft alarm system; Emergency braking assist; Ventilated front disc / solid rear disc brakes; Rear door child safety locks; Daytime running lights; Engine immobilizer; Front fog/driving lights; Auto delay off headlamps; 2 front headrests; 3 rear headrests; Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation; Rear center 3-point belt; Front and rear seatbelt pretensioners; Stability control; Traction control; Electronic brakeforce distribution; Front fixed headrests; Post-collision safety system; Passenger head restraint whiplash protection system; Driver head restraint whiplash protection system; Tire pressure monitoring (this comes in handy-no worries about tires).