Volvo V50 1.8

~ Background ~ I do around 25,000 miles in my car every year, which entitles me to a company car. My previous model, a Vauxhall Zafira 2.2 Elegance, had served me very well over the previous 3 years but it was really starting to show the signs of a lot of miles in a short time. I was fortunate enough early this year to have finally got a long awaited promotion, which meant I could have a look at something a little more interesting. Having said that, the car is still primarily a tool of my trade and so it needed to meet some strict criteria before I decided which car I was going to have for the ... more

I bought my (2005) V50 SE 1.8 with 50,000 miles on the clock for £8,000. Within one year I had driven a further 32,000 miles, and other than a tyre change and two oil changes the car hasn’t needed a thing doing to it. Power; this car is adequately quick but don’t expect ‘sporty’ performance, and it will get noticeably slower when you are fully loaded. Comfort; The SE comes with a full leather interior, heated seats and cruise control. This makes the long journey a pleasure. So much so that I have now vowed to never buy a car that does not have heated seats and cruise control. Sound; My car ... more