Volvo S80 – Chris Wardlaw's Opinion:
Volvo means well, but the overpriced S80's collision avoidance alert system only reminded me that I was driving like a jerk as I rushed through traffic to an appointment in L.A. Once, the alert flashed and sounded as surrounding cars came crushing to a stop and it appeared the guy behind me might crunch the Volvo's bumper, injecting an extra and unwelcome dose of adrenaline into my system. I recommend skipping this annoying option. Volvo's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), however, rocks. The rest of the car is nice enough, with comfortable seats and a Scandinavian minimalist look. However, is it expecting too much that I think this 4.4-liter V8 should be getting better gas mileage than a Chrysler Hemi?

Photos courtesy of Ron Perry