Volvo V50 Estate 2.0 R-Design 5dr

For Has a decent amount of grunt and manages 38mpg – only slightly less than the entry-level 1.6. The bodykit and sports trim fitted to R-Design models will appeal to buyers who like to stand out.

Against R-Design Sport models are expensive, and the sporty styling won’t appeal to everyone.

What Car? says

3 out of 5 stars

The 2.0 is worth a look if you don’t do many miles, but save yourself some cash and go for the SE.

Reader review rating

3.641975

Key facts

0–60mph: 9 secs
Top speed: 130 mph
Average mpg: 37.2
Tank range: 450 miles

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Features

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Size

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View the whole Volvo V50 Estate range

Cheaper

Estate 2.0 ES 5dr
£19,745
Estate 2.0 SE 5dr
£21,260
Estate 1.6 D2 ES 5dr
£21,745
Estate 2.0 R-Design 5dr
£21,760
Estate 1.6D DRIVe ES Start/Stop 5dr
£22,245
Estate 2.0 SE Lux 5dr
£22,260
Estate 2.0 D3 ES 5dr
£23,200
Estate 1.6 D2 R-Design 5dr
£23,745
Estate 1.6D DRIVe SE Start/Stop 5dr
£23,745
Estate 1.6D DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 5dr
£24,745
Estate 2.0 D3 SE 5dr
£24,950
Estate 2.0 D3 R-Design 5dr
£25,450
Estate 2.0 D4 SE 5dr
£25,700
Estate 2.0 D3 SE Lux 5dr
£25,950
Estate 2.0 D4 R-Design 5dr
£26,200
Estate 2.5 T5 R-Design Auto 5dr
£26,240
Estate 2.0 D4 SE Lux 5dr
£26,700

More expensive

Estate 2.0 ES 5dr
£19,745
Estate 2.0 SE 5dr
£21,260
Estate 1.6 D2 ES 5dr
£21,745
Estate 2.0 R-Design 5dr
£21,760
Estate 1.6D DRIVe ES Start/Stop 5dr
£22,245
Estate 2.0 SE Lux 5dr
£22,260
Estate 2.0 D3 ES 5dr
£23,200
Estate 1.6 D2 R-Design 5dr
£23,745
Estate 1.6D DRIVe SE Start/Stop 5dr
£23,745
Estate 1.6D DRIVe SE Lux Start/Stop 5dr
£24,745
Estate 2.0 D3 SE 5dr
£24,950
Estate 2.0 D3 R-Design 5dr
£25,450
Estate 2.0 D4 SE 5dr
£25,700
Estate 2.0 D3 SE Lux 5dr
£25,950
Estate 2.0 D4 R-Design 5dr
£26,200
Estate 2.5 T5 R-Design Auto 5dr
£26,240
Estate 2.0 D4 SE Lux 5dr
£26,700

The Volvo V50 Estate full review Read in full

Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Base cars sluggish, but most are brisk
Ride & Handling
4 out of 5 stars
Taut handling, lots of grip, but firm ride
Refinement
3 out of 5 stars
Diesels and wind noise can intrude
Buying & Owning
3 out of 5 stars
Most models are affordable to run
Quality & Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Fine quality and likely to be hardy
Safety & Security
4 out of 5 stars
Engineered with safety in mind
Behind The Wheel
3 out of 5 stars
Great environment, but fiddly controls
Space & Practicality
3 out of 5 stars
Limited rear space and boot capacity
Equipment
4 out of 5 stars
Even cheapest models have lots of kit

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Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

The V50 is the estate version of the S40, which is based on the same platform as the Ford Focus.

On the plus side, that means you’ll have plenty of fun driving a V50, but at the same time, it can look an expensive buy – especially when it’s not as spacious or practical as you might expect.

Because resale values aren’t great, the best way to avoid losing big bucks is to pay as little as you can when buying. That means going for an entry-level trim and one of the smaller engines, but also getting as big a discount as you can.

Our favourite is the 1.6D DRIVe model, with stop/start and its engine tuned for economy, giving sub-100g/km emissions. The basic 1.6 petrol engine needs working hard, but the larger petrol engines or the diesels are much better – albeit much more expensive as well.

Before you buy, make sure you check out the current promotions at volvocars.co.uk. You may find things such as free servicing or competitive finance offers.