Best sport wagon 2009 Subaru Outback *Est. $22295
Best premium station wagon 2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon *Est. $36025
Budget seven-seat wagon 2009 Kia Rondo *Est. $17495
Compact, fuel-sipping wagon 2009 Pontiac Vibe *Est. $16735

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2009 Volvo V50

*Est. $29,800 to $35,500

Versatile, spacious cargo area
Stylish inside and out
Good safety features
Available all-wheel drive

Average base engine
Cramped rear seat
No crash-test ratings available
Underperforms for its price

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Our Analysis

March 2009. Reviewers say the compact 2009 Volvo V50 falls somewhere between a full-size, mid-priced wagon and a compact premium sport wagon, but it's not recommended as often as the best models in either category. Critics like the V50 wagon's clean Scandinavian styling and advanced safety features, but they say it doesn't perform as well as a true sport wagon -- and other wagons, including the Subaru Outback (*est. $22,295 to $32,095), perform just as well and provide more interior room for less money.

The Volvo V50's main drawback in reviews is its lackluster base engine, a 168-horsepower, 2.4-liter five-cylinder. Although Car and Driver testers -- who are usually bored with wagons -- find this model "fun," Edmunds.com testers find its acceleration "tepid … only slightly sprightlier than your typical four-cylinder family sedan."

None of that is really a problem, reviewers say, if you're not all that interested in top performance. The Volvo V50 is more expensive than similar-performing wagons such as the Subaru Outback, but critics say it also delivers more of a premium feel. They admire the V50 wagon's design -- especially its slim, floating "waterfall" center stack.

The five-passenger Volvo V50 wagon is small for its price, however. Testers say its backseat is a tight squeeze for kids, much less adults. Its 62 cubic feet of cargo space (with the 60/40 split backseat folded) is almost as big as a full-size wagon's, and testers praise the fold-flat front passenger seat that makes the cargo bay even more versatile.

With a five-speed automatic transmission, the base Volvo V50 2.4i (*est. $29,800) delivers 23 mpg in mixed driving (20 mpg city/28 mpg highway), which is about average for a wagon this size. Volvo does offer a ramped-up version of the V50. The more expensive, more powerful Volvo V50 T5 AWD R-Design (*est. $35,500) adds standard all-wheel drive and turbocharges the engine. The resulting 227 horsepower solves the acceleration problem, testers say, but it also creates a noisy, stiff ride -- and experts say it still doesn't approach the performance of the comparably priced all-wheel drive Audi A4 Avant Quattro (*est. $34,850) or BMW 328xi (*est. $37,100). Fuel economy falls on the AWD Volvo V50 wagon to 21 mpg combined (18 mpg city/26 mpg highway).

Although the 2009 Volvo V50 wagon has not undergone official crash testing, Edmunds.com recommends it as a safe vehicle based on the scores of its sibling, the Volvo S40 sedan. Kelley Blue Book also recommends the V50 for its safety features, including a whiplash-protection system.

Reliability has been a problem with another all-wheel-drive Volvo wagon, the Volvo XC70 (*est. $37,250 to $39,500). J.D. Power and Associates reports that the V50 has been more reliable than the average car, but ConsumerReports.org -- the best source for car-reliability ratings -- has not collected enough owner feedback for the Volvo V50 to make a prediction.

Edmunds.com provides the most useful review of the Volvo V50 station wagon, analyzing both the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions and comparing them with more expensive premium wagons. ConsumerGuide.com, Kelley Blue Book and Car and Driver also conduct up-to-date road tests. Reviews for the Volvo V50 at ConsumerReports.org and J.D. Power and Associates are not as extensive as these sites usually offer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website is the best source for fuel-economy information.

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Our Sources

1. Edmunds.com

Editors at Edmunds.com look closely at both the base Volvo V50 wagon and the more powerful T5 trim. Editors conclude that the T5 performs better, but they can't justify its price in the face of better models from Audi and BMW. Editors do recommend the base V50 as a stylish alternative to pricier sport wagons.

Review: 2009 Volvo V50 Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

2. ConsumerGuide.com

Experts here test the Volvo V50's all-wheel-drive T5 trim, rating it in 11 categories (such as cargo room and value). ConsumerGuide.com considers the V50 a "premium compact car." It scores about average for that class, with an exceptionally high score for cargo room and lower scores for ride quality and value.

Review: 2009 Volvo V50: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

3. Kelley Blue Book

If passenger safety is your top priority, the 2009 Volvo V50 station wagon is a good choice, say testers at Kelley Blue Book. The Volvo V50 also promises good gas mileage, the review says, but its backseat can be cramped for adults.

Review: 2009 Volvo V50 Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book

4. Car and Driver Details/Subscribe

Car and Driver gives the Volvo V50 wagon an Enthusiast Rating of two out of 10, saying it drives more like a safe car than a fun car. The Volvo V50 scores better on Consumer Appeal (practical considerations), with a rating of six out of 10. Neither of those ratings takes price into account, however, and Car and Driver notes the Volvo V50 is pricey for its size.

Review: 2009 Volvo V50, Editors of Car and Driver

5. FuelEconomy.gov

This chart shows government fuel-economy estimates for most 2009 small wagons, making it easy to compare models. Each version of the 2009 Volvo V50 is tested separately to determine its gas mileage, annual fuel cost and pollution rating.

Review: 2009 Small Station Wagons, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov

6. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Experts here test the Volvo V50's performance, comfort and more. However, the report is an updated version of a 2005-model road test, and some ratings that ConsumerReports.org usually includes -- such as owner satisfaction and predicted reliability -- are missing for the V50.

Review: Volvo V50, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

7. J.D. Power & Associates

J.D. Power and Associates uses owner surveys to rate most 2009 cars in a slew of categories. However, only one rating is available for the 2009 Volvo V50 station wagon -- reliability. It's about average, editors say.

Review: 2009 Volvo V50 Wagon, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates