Volvo V50 (2004 - 2012) 2.4i SE Lux 5d Geartronic Owner Review

I wanted a petrol estate car with leather, decent equipment and safety, with an auto box. This car ticks all those boxes. it's a pleasure to drive sensibly, though the rear end scuttles and wobbles about when pushed. I've heard an aftermarket stiffer roll bar can solve this, but they're Brexit-expensive now, being made in the US. MPG is tolerable for a big petrol auto on the motorway, and wallet-emptyingly poor in traffic. The tank is also quite small. Straight line performance isn't startling, more adequate. Reliability has been superb and the exterior and interior shrug off dirt and damage if cleaned regularly. With the car being based on the Ford C platform, I've been pleasantly surprised by the load space. On the negative side, compared to the Volvos of Yore (I've owned a 740 and S60 in the past, and driven V40s and V70s) I don't think the drab interior plastics are as robust, nor is the paint as chip resistant. I've also found some rust on the door sills and rear arches of my car, which I hope I've caught in time. Very un-Volvo-like. Overall I'm happy and will be keeping the car until it's uneconomic to repair.