1993 - 1997 Volvo 850 Pre-Owned

Curves and Front-Wheel Drive Marked a New Chapter in Volvo Legacy

Its tough to get a better rep for safety than Volvo, an image it continues to earn to this day despite many of its entry-level luxury competitors worthy attempts at sharing the limelight. But as sturdy as the brand was, it took the 1993 850 to come into the picture for words such as "performance," "styling" and "Volvo" to be uttered in the same conversation.

The new model, however, wasnt without controversy. The 850 was the Swedish automakers first front-wheel drive model, replacing the boxy rear-wheel drive 740. Not all brand loyalists were impressed with Volvo swapping drive configurations though, following in the tire tracks of Scandinavian archrival Saab. But Volvo still soldiered on with its stalwart 240 (for 93 only) and luxurious 960 (right through to 1997) if the faithful felt a need for RWD.

Nevertheless the 850 was the biggest hit Volvo had ever had up to this date, reaching a new audience that had never before even considered buying into the automaker. After more than a decade of multi-brand automotive marketers pushing the credo that front-wheel drive is better for everything from handling to foul-weather traction, an eager American public signed on the bottom line. Ironically, today Volvo is one of the only premium manufacturers that still try to purvey FWD sport/luxury sedans - albeit their top models now offer AWD. But I digress.

Its softer, friendlier styling probably did a lot more to attract new buyers than any preference for which axle spins the tires. The 850 wasnt exactly as racy as the brands newest entries, but compared to the 740 it looked as aerodynamic as the bullet train.

Whats more, it was an entertaining car to drive. The suspension was nimble, perfectly suited for straightening out twists and turns at energetic speeds while treating its occupants to absolute comfort. True to brand ideals, the new model offered plenty of room for driver and passengers, with a wagon arriving in 1994 to expand cargo capacity yet further. It featured a distinctive taillight treatment encompassing the entire D-pillar, a styling trend that survives, more or less, to this day.

Volvos wagon was approximately 2 inches longer than its sedan, and could haul close to 10 feet of cargo with one of its 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and front passenger seat dropped forward - and Chevy thinks it has something new with its 2004 Malibu. Altogether the wagon offered 37.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats, compared to the sedans 14.7 cubic foot trunk, and 67.0 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 960 sedan and wagon were subtly updated in 1997 and renamed V70 and V90 respectively; a pattern the 850 sedan would follow the following year when it became the S70. Incidentally the 850 wagon would take on the V70 nomenclature the same year.

Part of its new performance image was directly due to its smooth, powerful range of inline 5-cylinder engines. The base 2.4-L unit produced 168-hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, which was fairly decent for the early 90s, while sipping away at the fuel to the tune of 20 / 29 mpg in the city and on highway respectively. Those wanting a little more action could opt for the 222-hp turbocharged and intercooled version with 221 lb-ft of torque the following year, an engine that put Volvo square on the radar screens of performance sedan buyers.

Price considerations brought a detuned 2.4-L engine with two fewer valves per cylinder in model year 1995, with the multivalve engine still available. Other features for the year included new front occupant side-impact airbags in the top turbo model, while a Platinum Edition 850 pushed the models price higher than Volvo had ever gone before.

The following model year, 1996, brought the most exciting Volvo model to date, the 850 R. Featuring a high-output turbo and AWD, the raciest Volvo marked the brands first attempt at taking on BMW and Mercedes-Benz respective M and AMG tuner models. The 240-hp sedan was capable of a sub-7.0 second sprint to 60 mph (the wagon achieving this in 7.4 seconds), which made it either a yellow, black or red blur - the only colors offered. Volvo also made optional traction control (TRACS) available in 96.

Model year 1997 was good for two reasons, first with the upgrade to from the 850 to the V70 wagon that I already mentioned and the second being an increase of 22 horsepower for the GLT model. The regular high-output turbo (not the R) was renamed the T5, for turbo 5-cylinder. The designation carries forward even on todays cars.

During this five year period Volvo still focused on safety despite the 850s sporty styling and impressive performance. Dual front airbags were standard fare right from the beginning, as were 3-point seatbelts in all positions, including the middle rear seat. The 850 also boasted superior crash protection, with special attention paid to side impact resistance. A sophisticated ABS braking system was also part of the standard package. Last but hardly least a convenient child safety seat could be integrated into the second row fold-down centre armrest.

While the safety brand was once known almost as well for its reliability, this doesnt seem to be the case anymore. According to the current 2003 J. D. Powers and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), Volvo ranks 29th out of 37 automakers, with rival Saab beating it by 17 places and even being outpaced by parent company nameplate Ford. Among premium brands only Land Rover and Volkswagen (which now makes premium products) fare worse. Of course this is just one survey, but unfortunately for Volvo it happens to be one of the most respected.

J. D. Powers 1993 through 1997 ratings*** on initial, midterm and long-term owner surveys offer some interesting information. The 850 initially scored well on mechanical reliability and body and interior quality, but under-whelmed in feature and accessory quality. Its midterm rating shows about the same so-so features and accessories score, but mechanically it drops to the surveys lowest rating for all years except 1997, when its just worse than average. Mechanical reliability actually goes up for 1994 cars in long-term surveys, but stays poor for all the other years, while the feature and accessory plus body and interior ratings continue to slide south of acceptable. Again, these are surveys and wont be entirely accurate to what you may experience, but they should be considered when buying used.

With regards to recalls, the 850 suffered an improperly installed block heater in its initial year, while 1995 models with power seats featured seatbelt problems. Model year 1996 models had throttle plate screws that could come loose and cause the accelerator pedal to stick. In its final 1997 model year the 850 faced another problem with the throttle, only this time ice could build up on the throttle linkage in subzero temperatures causing the same sticking sensation. All recalls should have been fixed a long time ago, and therefore wont affect used examples currently available.

In summation, a 1993 to 1997 Volvo 850 can be a good buy, as long as the car in question has been well maintained. Volvos in general can be cantankerous if just left to their own means, not like most Hondas and Toyotas that just seem to go and go no matter how often regular maintenance is performed - although this still isnt a good idea if you happen to own one of these makes. So if a car has gone through a lot of owners or the only owner doesnt have detailed records, stay away.

If you do your homework, take it to a qualified mechanic and then finally take the plunge, an 850 can give you miles and miles of pleasurable driving. The car exudes a certain level of prestige too, more of a sign of respectability than out and out wealth, and thats a difficult quality to put a price on.