Volvo S80 – Thom Blackett's Opinion:
I think this Volvo may be one of the best looking family sedans currently on the market. Yeah, Volvo. The brand's designers are obviously now comfortable with curvy lines and sexy shapes, and inside they've carried on with the waterfall instrument panel that serves as a distinguishing Volvo element. However, that center stack is wrapped in hard plastic that's lousy to the touch, and worse, it's a hard spot for right knees in left turns. Other materials are better, but our tester was awash in a blindingly bland sea of tans, all of which served as buzzkill contrast to the alluring exterior. The powertrain was lively, but I was disappointed to find the manumatic shift handle fitted with chintzy bits of fake wood.