Last month (May 2004)I took my V70R AWD to the dealer for maintenance. To pass the time while the car was being worked on I decided to look at the vehicles in the dealer showroom. The one that caught my eye was an ash-gold 2004 S80 T6 Sedan with. It had good lines, a beautiful taupe leather interior and when I opened the hood, I saw that this Volvo was powered by a V6 2.9L 268hp engine.

I really was impressed with my cursory inspection. The salesman from whom I had purchased my previous two Volvos came over and told me that he could give me an excellent deal on an S80 T6. The sale price was $7500 less than the sticker, making the offer indeed inviting. He also offered me trade-in price for my “R” wagon that was more then I though the “R” was worth.

I had a cup of coffee and thought things over. My previous two vehicles had been wagons even though I preferred driving sedans. The deal that had been offered was very, very good. I looked at the S80 T6 once more and walked over to talk to the salesman. I asked if he could go any lower. He checked his computer and asked if I was a member of AARP. I was and he then told me of a $1000 AARP rebate. Now the deal was REALLY very good.

I looked at the S80 T6 again, made up my mind and bought the car there and then.


These are my impressions now that I have had the S80 T6 for one month and have driven it a bit over 1000 miles. The build is quite good. In fact, it matches or is better then the build on any of the German or Japanese cars I have previously owned. Everything fits, moves and closes without noise.

The car is cosmetically beautiful having a stunning exterior complimented by a luxurious interior. It rides quietly and comfortably; has quick and fluid acceleration and cruises at high speeds with ease. Traveling from my low desert home to higher mountain elevations is a breeze with the T6. Its powerful turbo engine makes climbing a breeze.

During its initial thousand miles of operation, I have gotten 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the road. These figures are greater then those published by the EPA or claimed by Volvo in advertising. I did not think that I would do this well with the kind of driver I am.

I like the dash controls. Everything is easy to operate not only because of button and knob placement but because the controls have highly visible markings. I also like having a telephone keyboard on the dash in front of me shoulder high.

Being a hard driver I was pleasantly surprised with the S80’s steering. Although steering on this front wheel drive vehicle is different then my two previous AWD cars, it took only one day driving in the city to master the differences.

I like the all-weather Michelin tires. They grip road surfaces well in both dry and wet conditions. Speaking of wet conditions, the rain sensor is a hoot. I could get spoiled with this kind of convenience.

The Braking on the S80 T6 is smooth and sure. Cornering is different from my previous AWD wagons. However, the difference does not present a problem.

The S80 has more then enough truck storage space for me. There is ample room for luggage and grocery bags. I also know If additional space is needed, I can make use of the excellent feature allowing the back seats to flatten.

I am pleased with this car. I know that I got an outstanding deal for it. If it continues to perform in the future as well as it has for its first 1000 miles, I just might "keep it for life."