2007 Volvo V50 Trims and Specs

If you want a well-built, no-nonsense wagon that will keep you and yours safe, then go no further than the Volvo V50. It's the perfect choice for young families, singles with dogs, or just those who need a little cargo space for those Ikea shopping runs.

Being a Volvo, the V50 is filled to the brim with standard safety features. Air bags and ABS may seem commonplace by now, but when you add the patented side-impact beams and Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS) and state-of-the-art seatbelts with automatic pretensioners, you're about as protected from harm as you could ask to be.

The Swedes give a good dose of European comfort as well with their famously comfortable seats and standard-equipment niceties such as cruise control, steering-wheel audio controls, and keyless drive. Four years of Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance is also included

You can add a Climate Package to get heated front seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and headlamp washers. Other options packages let you add body moldings, a sport suspension, fog lights, roof rails, and a moonroof, but you must purchases them in pre-set groupings.

As Volvos go, the V50 T5 wagon is determined to keep you and your passengers safe with a full slate of safety equipment, from air bags and ABS to side-impact beams and a whiplash protection system (WHIPS). This manufacturer has earned its reputation for making the safest cars on the road, and it will continue to do so.

But comfort is important too (ah, those super-comfy bucket seats!), as is convenience. Standard equipment found on this higher-priced trim includes a power-adjustable driver seat, trip computer, and dual-zone electronic climate control. The leather gearshift knob and aluminum inlays lend a prettier look to the T5's interior than on the base-model 2.4i, while the polished exhaust end pipes spiff up the rear view.

But that's not what you're buying this trim for: that's all about the 218-horsepower, turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. It's enough power for this wagon, but it's not a workhorse. The towing limit is set at 2000 pounds, so you'll have to move along if you need to pull more than that.

Options begin with the big but often easily-answered question of manual vs. automatic transmission, but it's more a question of budget, since the Geartronic automatic also allows manual shifting at your discretion. The ever-popular heated front seats come as part of the Climate Package, along with headlamp washers and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The biggie among options is the Volvo Navigation System, which features a 6.5-inch screen that stows out of sight in the dash when not in use.

You can't ask to feel too much safer than when you're driving an AWD Volvo. The somewhat compact V50 T5 AWD is determined to keep you and your passengers safe with safety equipment that they would never consider optional: air bags, ABS, side-impact beams, passenger safety cage, and a whiplash protection system (WHIPS).

The Swedes have also earned their reputation for comfort, which you'll realize when you sit in the ergonomically-designed bucket seats. Convenience has a big role, too; standard equipment found on this higher-priced trim includes a power-adjustable driver seat, trip computer, and dual-zone electronic climate control. The leather gearshift knob and aluminum inlays pretty up the interior, while the polished exhaust end pipes spiff up the view for the guy who's tailgating you.

But let's get to the meat of the matter, the thing that sets this car apart from the other V50s. It's the combination of a relatively efficient 218-horsepower, turbocharged 5-cylinder engine and the confident feeling of all-wheel drive. The engine provides sufficient power for this wagon, but you won't be able to tow more than a ton.

Even a car with this much standard equipment leaves a few decisions to be made. For one, manual or automatic transmission. This is more a question of budget, since the Geartronic automatic also allows manual shifting at the driver's discretion. Cold is a relative concept, so almost everyone at some time appreciates the heated front seats, which come as part of the Climate Package (along with headlamp washers and rain-sensing windshield wipers). The highest-priced option, available on its own, is the Volvo Navigation System, which features a 6.5-inch screen that stows out of sight in the dash when not in use.